TEMA Foundation, within the scope of 5 June World Environment Day, drew attention to the extent of plastic pollution in the world and in Turkey and emphasized that measures should be taken as soon as possible. This year's theme of World Environment Day, which is celebrated with a different theme on June 5 every year by the United Nations (UN) in order to increase environmental awareness, was determined as “End plastic pollution”.
1,6 million square kilometers of plastic pile in the Pacific Ocean
The plastic heap in the Pacific Ocean, which is called the 7th Continent today and formed by human influence, has an area of 1,6 million square kilometers. Deniz Ataç, Chairman of the Board of TEMA Foundation, drew attention to this pile and said, “This plastic mountain, which is almost twice the size of Turkey, reveals the dimensions of the plastic pollution problem of our world. Plastic pollution, which reaches from land and rivers to the seas and from there to the oceans, primarily harms animal and plant species in the marine ecosystem. As a result of research, we now know that many fish species have microplastics in their stomachs. "Moreover, there is evidence of microplastics in the unborn fetus, in the placenta of a newborn baby, in human blood and lungs."
“8.3 billion tons of plastic produced”
Ataç touched upon the causes of plastic pollution, which causes serious problems on both the environment and the health of all living things, and said, “There is a widespread belief that plastics are recycled; Looking at the available data, it seems that the transformation is not enough. Between 1950 and 2015, humanity produced about 8.3 billion tons of plastic in the world; 6.3 billion tons, or 76 percent of them, turned into plastic waste. Only 9 percent of this plastic waste can be recycled. Considering that Turkey is the country that imports the most waste from Europe, the pollution created by non-recyclable plastics becomes questionable” and drew attention to plastic pollution.
“Harmful to human health through respiration”
Underlining that the preferred disposal method for non-recyclable plastics is mostly incineration, Ataç said, “As a result of this process, both carbon dioxide gas that causes climate change and harmful chemicals are released. For example, it is known that 1 tons of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere as a result of burning 2,9 ton of plastic.”
Ataç stated that other chemicals that are released harm the life of living things through respiration and made suggestions to prevent plastic pollution by saying, "It infiltrates into the soil, plants, surface waters and underground waters and harms human and animal health through the food chain."