This is the most comprehensive study ever conducted according to the British daily newspaper The Guardian . Published in the magazine Nature Sustainability and funded by the BBVA Foundation and the Spanish Ministry of Science, it reveals that just 10 plastic products account for 75% of all waste in the oceans.
Takeaway packaging in the crosshairs
Single-use bags, plastic bottles, food containers and cutlery, and food packaging account for nearly half of all human waste. This is followed by synthetic rope, fishing tackle, plastic caps, industrial packaging, glass bottles and cans.
These are items from take-away consumption: single-use bags, plastic bottles, food containers and cutlery and plastic packaging. For the scientists behind this study, these results should influence policy decisions on what actions to take to stop waste flows at source.
To reach these conclusions, the researchers analyzed a combination of 12 million data points from 36 databases across the globe. The analysis included items larger than 3 cm and identifiable, excluding fragments and microplastics. It distinguishes between plastic take-out items and containers for toiletries and household products.
Scientists have also found that waste is particularly concentrated on the shoreline and near the coast. It is there that it accumulates, pushed by the wind and the waves.
