The world screams for the extinction of plastic

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This material is a threat to the entire planet and to stop it we must act now

The plastic seems to be leaving the hands of humanity and reaching corners as remote as the deepest ocean floor in the world. This material has reached the air where there are micro-particles and has invaded the bodies of animals, including humans.

Leer en español: El mundo pide a gritos la extinción del plástico

The media have reported the death of countless animals because of plastic. On June 4, 2018, on Skye Island in Scotland, they found a dead baby seal and upon performing the necropsy found a plastic box in his stomach. On November 22 of the same year, in Indonesia, a dead sperm whale was found with 6 kg of plastic in its stomach. The animal had ingested 1000 pieces of rope, 115 cups and 25 plastic bags. In both cases, according to Nat Geo, the animals were not able to distinguish between plastic waste and prey.

Yes, this is serious and alarming, and unfortunately the situation does not end there. On September 14, 2017, a group of scientists found that bottlenose dolphins in Florida are accumulating chemicals derived from plastic and cosmetic products in their bodies. These animals had high amounts of phthalates, a substance used to soften and soften the plastic. Nat Geo explains that long exposure to this compound can result in liver cancer and reproductive problems.

If all this is shocking, it is even more surprising that scientists have found plastic in human feces. Pollution has come to such a point because of this material that humanity is now the victim of its own invention . Scientists have found plastic in foods such as beer, salt, seafood and drinking water. If we think about it, it was a matter of time before the discovery was made in humans.

Also read: Would you like to learn how to cultivate your food at home?

However, food is not the only source of plastic with which human beings are in contact. Clothing, packaging, appliances, furniture, among many other everyday products have plastic and we are constantly exposed to this material. National Geographic explains that for the scientific community it is still not clear what can happen if the plastic nano-fibers enter the bloodstream or if they reach organs like the liver. The truth is that we are eating our own garbage.

No more plastic

Air, water, animals and human beings are contaminated by plastic. The material is a threat to public health and as the facts described above show, plastic can cause death. So far we have not seen what this material can do in the human body or what diseases it can cause, but we should not wait to discover these consequences.

We are at a turning point that requires local, national and international measures to reduce the production and consumption of this harmful material. It is not enough that consumers ask us to recycle and that we be blamed for the tons of plastic waste that is produced; Strict measures are required for plastic treatment, regulation of production and final disposal of products such as cigarettes.

The world claims that this material is extinguished.

LatinAmerican Post | Marcela Peñaloza

Translated from "El mundo pide a gritos la extinción del plástico"