Researchers announced that as of the end of August, the oceans are significantly polluted by the shopping packaging waste resulting from masks and hospital equipment from 193 countries and the growing interest of people in contactless purchasing throughout the whole process. According to research, more than 25 thousand tons of waste is floating in the oceans at the moment.
More than 25,000 tons of waste currently endanger marine animals, according to the study, which will be published November 23 in the journal PNAS. A team of climate experts from China’s Nanjing University and the University of California say that plastic spilled into the sea can travel long distances in the ocean and wreak havoc on marine wildlife, resulting in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch spanning 1.6 million square kilometers.
Stating that the majority of the garbage consists of personal protective equipment such as N95 masks and face shields, the team decided that 72 percent of their plastic waste comes from Asia. Researchers have called for the need to process better medical waste management, especially in developing countries.
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