How do plastic islands affect us?

Did you know that there are plastic islands. Yes, as you read, our uncontrolled consumption has led to the formation of giant plastic islands that come and go at the pace dictated by the tides.

Plastic islands contribute negatively to the development of marine life and are among the causes of the feared climate change.

How are plastic islands formed? They are possible due to our unconsciousness. The accumulation of large amounts of plastic in seas and oceans, carried by the action of marine currents.

This phenomenon, considered one of the most important environmental problems in the world, has – at the moment – 7 vortices or islands of waste that invade our seas and oceans.

Plastic islands are made up of plastic waste of various sizes, disposed of from the surface to the bottom of the sea.

Generally, most of these islands are made up of large waste, while microplastics are found in smaller concentrations, or so it is believed.

If you want to know the effects, causes, consequences and possible ways to end the plastic islands, read on and find out how much damage we do to our planet.

What are plastic islands?

Plastic islands, also known as -waste islands- are large accumulations of plastic floating in the ocean, from human waste and maritime traffic.

They can be seen on the surface of the water as a stain formed by layers of waste among which are: bags, containers and useless pieces of plastic.

And it is the ocean currents that carry this improperly disposed of material, using the seas and oceans as if they were dumping grounds for our waste.

The main problem of the formation of plastic islands is that its main component takes many years to degrade, causing a serious environmental problem that affects the whole world.

You can even find fish and birds, as well as inhabitants of the marine ecosystem, with large amounts of plastic in their digestive system.

Disastrous effects of plastic islands

The effects caused by the formation of plastic or garbage islands are diverse and although they are located in very distant places, their impact affects the entire world.

Among the most important effects of plastic islands are

• Water pollution: Because of the long period of time required for plastic to fully degrade, this waste can spend a lot of time floating around in the water, contaminating its contents. To the point that it is estimated that we all consume plastic in everything we eat and drink.
• Endangered fauna: The inhabitants of the marine habitat, affected by the unintentional consumption of plastic, are beginning to be affected. In addition, animals of any size die when they become entangled in plastics of all kinds.
• Reduction in food: The fishing sector is also affected, as there is evidence of the reduction of fishing areas and the reduction of activity in areas of high pollution.

What causes plastic islands?

Plastic islands are a complex problem and must be attacked with force, from various entities and government forces.

The main causes of this global problem are:

• Illegal garbage dumps.
• Inadequate recycling,
• The pollution of the beaches.
• Waste from planes and ships.
• The waste deposited in rivers, which flow into the seas and oceans.
• Marine currents that carry trash to the sea, the only cause that – for the moment – is not the consequence of human misconduct.

The world’s most important plastic islands

So far, seven plastic islands have been discovered, which have become dumping grounds for plastic waste and garbage carried by marine currents.

So far, the seven plastic islands that have been identified are

• Plastic island in the Sargasso Sea: recently discovered, plastic and micro-plastic waste is concentrated on this island. There you can find rigid containers, shampoo bottles, bags and fishing equipment.
• Arctic Plastic Island in the Barents Sea: This is the smallest island, located near the Arctic Circle. Its waste comes from Europe and the coast of North America. By direct action of the marine currents, the waste from this island is displaced to Norway.
• Plastic island in the Indian Ocean: it has an extension of more than two kilometers. Its waste has caused the death of turtles and birds. Its discovery was made official in 2010, although the hypothesis of its existence has been put forward since 1988.
• Plastic island in the South Atlantic: it is one of the smallest islands, located between South America and South Africa. It is estimated that this island is made up of more than 2,800 tons of plastic waste.
• North Atlantic plastic island: the second largest plastic island in the world. It was discovered in 1972 and has a high density of waste. It is estimated that it extends over about 4 million square kilometers.
• South Pacific plastic island: the size of this island is equivalent to 8 times the extension of the territory of Italy. Here you can find micro-fragments of plastic materials eroded by the action of time.
• Plastic island of the Great Pacific: It is the largest island, located in the Pacific Ocean, between California and the Hawaiian archipelago. It contains waste amounting to 100 million tons of plastic, light metals and decomposing organic waste. Its extension is so huge that it is estimated that it can reach 10 million square kilometers.

Actions to prevent the creation of plastic islands

Although very few believe it, it is in our hands to prevent the growing formation of plastic islands, which is possible by implementing simple practices in our daily lives.

Some of these actions are:

1. Reducing the use of plastics.
2. Reuse and recycle in the right containers.
3. Participate in beach clean-up days.
4. Promote awareness among people to eradicate the formation of plastic islands.
5. Support organizations working to implement measures to reduce plastic in the ocean.
6. Reporting illegal waste dumps to the authorities.

Thus, sooner rather than later, we will be in a position to erase that plastic stain from our oceans, allowing the progressive sanitation of our seas.