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Dear all,

I´m forwarding this mail coming from a group of greek marinebiologists, as
it may be interesting. At least I was not aware of the dangers of
biodegradeable plastic (7th paragraph in the mail).

best wishes
Irene

------------------------ Ursprüngliche Nachricht ------------------------
Betreff: Plastics and rubbish drowning Greek ecosystems
Von:     "Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation"
<[log in to unmask]>
Datum:   Do, 2.10.2014, 10:40
An:      [log in to unmask]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plastics and rubbish drowning Greek ecosystems
==========

The first autumn rains initiated a destructive journey of tons of plastic
and other debris, which had mostly been accumulating on the roadsides
throughout Greece, towards the sea.

For many months, this garbage was "waiting" for the local authorities or
communities to act, for their collection, with no response!

It is unfortunate to see such a large part of the public impassively
contributing to the great presence of waste via their everyday life.
**Only a few are aware that plastic is highly dangerous as it degrades
into our environment.**

Until recently it was widely believed that plastic requires hundreds of
years to break down, and this led **many people to quietly let the problem
roll over to our future generations by simply not taking any action.**

The vicious circle of plastic is especially alarming. Recent research
conducted in Greece, and worldwide, have demonstrated how inaccurate the
belief of how slow the rate of plastic breakdown truly is.

For example, when common types of plastic (such as bags or water bottles)
are discharged into the environment, **it can take only a few months of UV
radiation, salt, and wave-effect to break them into small fragments, which
later become microscopic fibers.**

Also, it has to be noted that one of the most dangerous products of
plastic widely used in recent years is the so-called “biodegradable” bags.
Their widespread use is a scandal, **as the material is not actually
“biodegradeable”, nor recyclable, it just degrades faster due to the
effect of a chemical catalyst** breaking down the plastic material into
smaller pieces, therefore entering our food chain faster.

The consequences of this modern form of pollution are particularly
devastating for both natural ecosystems and the protected species these
support, as well as for human health.

Since 2009, **researchers from Archipelagos Institute of Marine
Conservation have been carrying out thorough research throughout Greece on
the dispersal of microplastic fibers within ecosystems,** studying their
abundance on coastal sediments, fish, invertebrates, surface waters, etc.

Furthermore, we investigate the accurate breakdown rates of different
types of plastic in real ecosystem conditions, i.e. in the sea, rivers and
coasts.

Archipelagos have already published relevant scientific papers, in
collaboration with researchers from Swansea University, which highlights
the extent of the problem in the Greek seas.

**Unfortunately, in uninhabited areas of the Aegean, we found
concentrations of microplastic fibres which are equivalent to those of the
coastal areas of Athens.**

Our goal is the study of this vicious circle of plastic pollution and to
determine the way this impacts the rich biodiversity of the Greek seas, as
well as human health.

At the same time we are making unremitting efforts to address the problem
by raising the awareness of both the authorities and the wider public.

This effort does not have sufficient support. Despite the concern and
mobilization of some local authorities and communities, **many still view
the Greek territory as an open dump.**

This is easily proven by the images of scattered waste in all local and
national roads, for which, no one seems to care.

**This problem is caused not only by all those who pollute the ecosystems,
but also by all those who tolerate the situation as inactive spectators.**

Another worrying aspect is that all marine organisms we have analysed,
which include fish and marine invertebrates, were found to contain
microplastic fibers, either in smaller or in greater quantities, inside
the stomach.

This, however, should not deter us from eating fish, as **it remains one
of the most valuable and nutritious food for humans** (and usually the
stomach which contains the plastic fibers is not consumed).

Undoubtedly, **microplastics are a rapidly growing threat, without
geographical boundaries,** as the dispersion of tiny fibers increasing in
all oceans and seas worldwide.

**The most effective action would be to completely ban the use of
plastics.** However, realistically, this method cannot be applied as it
encounters conflicting interests.

Until then, however, it is our obligation **to manage plastic as a
dangerous and irrecoverable material** (from the time of its breakdown),
which should be recycled and in any case never be released into the
environment.

Web Version
https://madmimi.com/p/13fa55?fe=1&pact=25420654772

Unsubscribe
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Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation | Pythagorio Samos, 83103

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