Reference news network reported on August 28 Western media said that Greenpeace issued a report on August 25 that more than 200 kilograms of plastic were dumped into the ocean every second around the world, and more than 8 million tons of plastic remained in the ocean every year.

Efe News agency reported on August 25, the report pointed out that there are about 5 trillion to 50 trillion tons of plastic debris in the ocean. Although the exact number is uncertain, it is certain that the number is high, and it does not include the plastic debris deposited on the seafloor and beaches. While some of the debris can degrade and disappear within six months, others can remain in the ocean for hundreds of years.

In addition, the organization's experts estimate that by 2020, the rate of plastic waste production will be nine times that of 1980, reaching 50 million tons per year. Half of this increase will have occurred in the last 10 years, the experts warn. The plastic waste, which is 100 percent caused by human activity, has accumulated in recent years into five huge islands of trash in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the report said. Eighty percent of the garbage in the ocean comes from the ground, of which 15 percent floats on the surface, 15 percent moves with the water below the surface, and 70 percent is deposited on the seafloor, so the garbage that people can see is only the tip of the iceberg.

Experts point out that Spain ranks fifth on the list of European countries with the highest consumption of plastic. Every day, up to 50 million plastic containers are put on the market for use as drink cups. Of these, fewer than 20 million are properly recycled; the rest are incinerated as waste or thrown directly into the environment.

Plastic waste degrades more slowly in the Marine environment than it does on land, and there may be additional impacts, the report said. That's because the plastic containers release toxic substances that aren't part of the normal Marine nutrient cycle.

To draw attention to these issues, Greenpeace will launch a two-week campaign on Monday, when a team of volunteers will organize awareness campaigns across Spain and China. The campaign will also call on users of social networking sites to provide evidence and photos of plastic waste in their living environment.

In addition, Greenpeace is calling on national authorities to take measures to tackle the improper handling and disposal of plastic waste in the Marine and land environments. Its recommendations for governments include reducing the number of plastic containers thrown away and ensuring they are properly recycled by establishing recycling systems; And banning microplastics smaller than 5mm in diameter.

The group also advises consumers to prioritize containers made from recycled materials, use cloth bags and baskets instead of plastic bags, make sure the cosmetics they use do not contain microplastics, and try to avoid excessive packaging.

A volunteer picks up litter on the beach. (Xinhua News Agency)

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