Bericht der Internationalen Union zur Bewahrung der Natur und natürlicher Ressourcen, 21.2.2017 (engl. Originalfassung)
The invention of plastic based on a synthetic polymer in 1907 changed our lives forever – for better and for worse. Plastic is one of the most versatile materials ever produced and has revolutionised the way we package, eat, travel and dress.
The plastic revolution has however come at a cost. Plastic pollution in our marine environment is taking place on a staggering scale with 9.5 million tonnes of new plastic waste flowing into the ocean each year. This is impacting our planet’s precious biodiversity and damaging the fragile ecosystems upon which we all depend. The widespread contamination of our oceans is also fast becoming a worldwide human health risk as plastic enters our food and water supplies.
Despite a growing body of work on plastic debris and a heightened global awareness of its global impact, remedial efforts to combat this pollution have been hamstrung by a lack of research and knowledge surrounding the original sources of the waste matter.
Den vollständigen Bericht finden Sie hier (pdf).