Waste Accumulation in Rivers and Oceans

What happens when waste is not properly collected or disposed? It often lands up in canals, rivers, and
ultimately in our oceans.

Rivers of Waste
By analyzing the waste found in rivers,
researchers estimated that 10 river systems
carry 90% of the plastic that ends up in the
ocean.
Source:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/06/90-of-plastic-
polluting-our-oceans-comes-from-just-10-rivers/

Source: River map - https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/these-10-

rivers-carry-95-of-all-plastic-into-the-ocean

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 Waste in Our Oceans
Other research found that more than half of the
plastic leaking into the ocean comes from just
five countries in East Asia. While organic waste
eventually decomposes in rivers and oceans,
what is left is primarily non-biodegradable
material, and most of it is plastic.

Source: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-
functions/sustainability/our-insights/saving-the-ocean-from-
plastic-waste

Source: Oceans map - http://apeuk.org/ocean-plastics-come/

Sources:
• https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/06/90-of-plastic-polluting-our-oceans-comes-from-just-10-rivers/
• River map - https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/these-10-rivers-carry-95-of-all-plastic-into-the-ocean
• https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability/our-insights/saving-the-ocean-from-plastic-waste
• Oceans map - http://apeuk.org/ocean-plastics-come/