The environmental impact of plastic water bottles and all you need to know

For the past several years the scientists are trying to divert the attention of governments towards the plastic pandemic. Disposable plastic is destroying the environment especially the one made of the sight glass. With new statistics coming to light each day we have decided to write an article. This would explain the impact of water bottles on the environment.

These bottles are one of the most used plastics made things in our environment. Moreover, they are the most thrown out stuff as well. Due to this, it is having serious impacts on our planet. Right now we are on the verge of a plastic epidemic. In 2016 alone we consumed around 400 billion plastic bottles. Only 9 percent of these are recycled. The remaining bottles go to landfills or oceans.

Unfortunately, it takes up to 400 years for plastic bottles to degrade. Moreover, micro plastics are consumed by marine life. Due to this, plastics are becoming a part of our diet as well. This has destroyed the marine ecosystem as well as human health. These bottles are useful to a great extent; however, considerable government attention is required to ensure safe usage.

How much plastic is in the ocean?

According to an estimate around eight million tons of plastic are thrown into the oceans each year. Thanks to this around 5 trillion pieces of plastics are currently floating in the oceans. There are five different types of circulating ocean currents. One of them is the north pacific gyre. It has currently become the most polluted current on earth.

The gyre has so much plastic that it has been given the name “great pacific garbage gyre.” It contains a lot of micros and macro plastic particles. Additionally, it covers a large area, estimated at around 600,000 square miles. Although various ocean clean-up projects had been launched to clean it, yet, no considerable success has been achieved so far.

How does plastic affect the ocean?

According to an estimate, plastic bottles made from gauge glass kill several turtles and sea birds each year. These organisms are consuming a lot of plastic on daily basis. A few years back several videos of sea turtles entangled in plastic were circulating the internet. According to another estimate about one in three, Laysan Albatrosses are killed by the consumption of plastic.

These plastics fill their stomach. Due to this, their stomachs don’t have any space left for food and they die of malnutrition and starvation. The entanglement of marine species is the major concern of scientists at the moment. Small fishes can get trapped inside the bottles made from sight glass. However, the larger animals try to consume the glasses along with the smaller fish.

What’s the impact of plastic bottles on human health?

Humans are very closely linked to oceans. Not only are the oceans a source of food for humans but also provides around 70% of the oxygen. Marine plants especially phytoplankton produces the most oxygen present on earth. Thus this completely negates the common misconception that only land-based plants are required for human survival.

Most of the plastic that is thrown into the oceans is consumed by marine life. These species are in turn sources of food for humans. As a result, plastics have managed to invade the food chain and meals. Almost all ocean life has consumed food in one way or another. Most of the countries have started using sewage for fertilizing agriculture. It also contains a lot of plastic that becomes a part of our food.