A recent study states that the problem of plastic waste on Earth is out of control and requires a lot of

effort to tackle the mess.

The study, published in the journal Science, reveals that there are 24-34 million metric tons of
plastic pollution that enter the marine environment every year. That's about 11% of the total plastic
waste in the world.

Researchers say the situation may get worse in the next decade. It is estimated that the number
will increase to 53-90 million tons by 2030, reported by IFL Science.

In 2015, the amount of plastic waste in waterways and oceans was 8 million metric tons. If the
world is to reduce plastic pollution to less than this level, a tremendous global role is needed: a 25-
40% reduction in plastic production in all countries; increase the amount of waste collection and
management by at least 60% in all economic sectors; and recovery of 40% of annual plastic
emissions through cleanup measures.

A coordinated global effort is needed to begin addressing this issue, although it appears that some
countries need more focus and attention. For example, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam
and Sri Lanka are the worst polluters in the world.

In fact, China alone already accounts for at least a third of the amount of plastic pollution on Earth.
However, the fault is not entirely with them. Many of these Asian countries, particularly China, are
importing large quantities of plastic and other recyclables from overseas such as Europe and North
America.

The scale of damage and deaths caused by plastic waste is not known with certainty. However, it
clearly has an impact on the health of the ecosystem. A 2019 study, for example, documented about
a thousand incidents in which sharks and rays became entangled in plastic debris in the ocean.

plastic waste that was previously in the form of fishing nets or packaging bottles, can eventually
break down into microplastics measuring about 5 millimeters to 100 nanometers.

These microplastic particles have infiltrated nearly every ecosystem on Earth, from the Antarctic ice
to the bowels of the deepest living creatures on Earth. Microplastics can even be found in human
feces and organs