The coronavirus pandemic could have serious environmental consequences – more than 1.5 of the 52 billion medical masks produced this year will end up in the world’s oceans this year. This is the conclusion reached by the Ocean Protection Group Oceans Asia, its report is published on the organization’s website .
According to the estimates of eco-activists, this will lead to additional pollution of the oceans by 4 680 – 6 240 tons of plastic. Masks are made from polypropylene, thin plastic fibers that take 450 years to decompose. The organization notes that over time, the masks disintegrate into microscopic particles of plastic, which can pose a serious threat to ocean ecosystems.
“Ocean plastic pollution kills about 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, over a million seabirds and even more fish, invertebrates and other animals each year,” said Gary Stokes, COO of Oceans Asia. The activist stressed that pollution also negatively affects the fisheries and tourism industry, costing the global economy about $ 13 billion a year.
As part of its response to ocean pollution, the organization advised governments to encourage the use of reusable masks and to promote the development of sustainable alternatives to disposable plastic masks.
Earlier, Chinese and American scientists in their research dispelled the myth about the “ecological miracle “that allegedly happened during the pandemic and was associated with an improvement in the state of the environment. According to experts, during the period of forced self-isolation, the amount of harmful substances in the air did not decrease.