London: Plastic waste in the Mediterranean Sea is reported to be on the rise, posing a threat to wildlife. The Mediterranean Sea, home to the world’s largest biodiversity hotspots, emits about 2.5 million tons of plastic waste each year. This equates to about 500 shipping containers. Most of the waste comes from countries such as Egypt, Italy and Turkey. Dr. Hanis, who led the study, said plastics pose a major threat in protected marine areas. The average density of macroplastics in seawater is more than five kilograms per square kilometer, while in the ocean it is more than 1.5 kilograms. Microplastics larger than five millimeters in length found in the oceans are thought to be food and are killed by marine life. Experts believe that since plastic waste is a major problem globally, seawater pollution can only be reduced by preventing the flow of waste into protected areas.
At the same time, Britain and Germany are the largest exporters of non – recyclable plastic waste. Turkey, which is the largest exporter of this type of waste, follows the incineration method. This can lead to serious health problems.
Exports of plastic waste from EU member states have increased 20-fold.
.