More Than 1.5 Billion Masks Believed to Have Entered Oceans in 2020
An Anonymous Coward writes:
More than 1.5 billion masks believed to have entered oceans in 2020:
For months, we've seen face masks in places they shouldn't be: storm drains, streets, beaches and parks.
Now, we're learning just how many could be flooding our oceans.
[...] OceansAsia launched a study to find the answer and recently shared its findings.
Of the estimated 52 billion masks manufactured globally in 2020, it's believed 1.56 billion will enter our oceans this year, resulting in an additional 4,680 to 6,240 metric tonnes of marine plastic pollution
[...] "The 1.56 billion face masks that have entered our oceans in 2020 are there for the long run. They will remain in the ocean for 450 years or more, and they'll break into smaller pieces."
[...] "That's important, we need to keep people safe, but at the same time that has a lasting impact on our environment, and we're seeing that on the beaches," said [Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, director of research for OceansAsia].
The report asks people to wear reusable masks whenever possible, dispose of masks responsibly and reduce their overall consumption of single-use plastic.
Also in the report is a list of recommendations for governments to help prevent and control mask pollution.
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