Pollution on the planet is an issue that is becoming more serious in every way, to notice it you just have to look at the beaches and oceans of the world. Increasingly contaminated by plastics, to the point that Over the Pacific there is a “garbage island” that can be seen from above.
According to the specialized magazine, National Geographic, the Great Spot located in the North Pacific Ocean is the largest in the world, it is an accumulation of marine debris, which has generated a large mass of garbage that floats on said area of the sea.
The Great Spot is located approximately one thousand kilometers from the island of Hawaii and in total it is estimated that there are up to 80 thousand tons distributed over 1.6 million square kilometers.
There are up to 7 islands of garbage scattered in different oceans around the world, is not only an island of garbage, according to Dr. Jorge Morales Montor, from the UNAM Biomedical Research Institute. Between South America and Australia there is another large garbage island. And there is another kilometer mass of garbage of approximately 715 square kilometers.
National Geographic explains that this enormous accumulation of garbage is due to the fact that the vast majority of waste from the multiple islands is biodegradable.
Morales Montor explained to Gaceta UNAM that one of the most worrying problems that this situation can generate are the bisphenols and phthalates that can cause microplastics accumulated in the ocean.
Morales explains that the plastics that are accumulated in the Pacific are exposed to high temperatures, therefore, this generates a reaction that causes bisphenols and phthalates to be released into the water. It is worth mentioning that said Chemical products cause negative effects on health.
The expert added that because the plastic is reduced to nanometric objects, they can reach the atmosphere and probably return as raindrops. A situation that worries the scientific community because these pollutants could reach jungles and forests, further aggravating the situation.
The UN has urged businesses and governments around the world to better manage plastic and educate consumers about how to throw away trash. He has even called for certain bans on specific plastic uses.
Finally, to give a brief context of what is thrown into the ocean, according to the UN, up to 13 million tons of this waste are thrown into the ocean each year.