Oceans "Under Fire" Of Plastic Trash

[50 shades of black + 254]

A boom in garbage is almost always the result of two related phenomena: urbanization and income growth. Rural dwellers moving to the city shift from buying unpackaged goods to buying stuff (especially food) wrapped in plastic. As their incomes rise, their purchases increase. That growth in consumption is almost never matched by expanded garbage collection and disposal. In typical low-income countries, less than half of all garbage is collected formally, and what little is picked up tends to end up in unregulated open dumps. In 2015, scientists estimated that as much as 88 percent of the waste generated in Vietnam is either littered or tossed into uncontained dumps. In China, the rate is about 77 percent. By comparison, the U.S. rate is 2 percent. Just eight countries are responsible for about 63 percent of total plastic waste flowing into the oceans. Little of that junk has been exported by rich economies. Instead, it's almost solely generated by Asia's newly minted consumer classes, the vast majority of whom lack access to garbage collection, modern landfills and incineration. Any progress in reducing ocean plastic will have to start with them.

These eight countries are responsible for 63.6% of ocean trash:
China
Indonesia
Philippines
Vietnam
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Egypt
Malaysia

Asia as a "leader"....

[Pavel + 384]

Notice they are all nations that might have less to no recycling programs and facilities. Plastic can be recycled into plastic bank notes, furniture, and other useful item. How to fix in these nations? That is a big  question...

[pinto + 293]

A lot of plastic materials discarded everywhere after use. No good.

[50 shades of black + 254]

I bet many of them have no laws and just dump them in the ocean. And, in the countries with a low level of human consciousness, without strong campaign about a health,life, it's hard to expect step forward...

[rainman + 263]

9 minutes ago, 50 shades of black said:

These eight countries are responsible for 63.6% of ocean trash:
China
Indonesia
Philippines
Vietnam
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Egypt
Malaysia

Asia as a "leader"....

Some of them are the victims of global capitalism.

[pinto + 293]

What is the UN doing? Should the UN not take them to task?  There are enough people in those countries to clean up....

[ThunderBlade + 231]

Just now, pinto said:

What is the UN doing? Should the UN not take them to task?  There are enough people in those countries to clean up....

Much like in the US, the UN has no actual authority in countries in most places.  They can declare whatever they want and the country can just ignore it.

[damirUSBiH + 327]

Plastic waste is like a plague of 21st century...

[ronwagn + 6,290]

12 hours ago, ThunderBlade said:

Much like in the US, the UN has no actual authority in countries in most places.  They can declare whatever they want and the country can just ignore it.

Which is a good thing IMHO. 

[NickW + 2,714]

At 42MJ/Kg that plastic would make a good fuel for a waste to energy plant.