About 1 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year. Where does it come from?

20%-30% of plastic pollution in the ocean comes from marine sources like fishing nets and lines. The rest, however, is land-based waste that ends up in rivers and gets washed into the ocean.

While many Western nations restrict the use of plastic in order to reduce this pollution, over 80% of the plastic that goes from land into the ocean comes from rivers in Asia. In fact, seven of the 10 rivers responsible for the most plastic pollution are located in the Philippines.

Critics have long argued that countries like the U.S. are still responsible because we export our trash to the countries that mismanage it. But recent research suggests that’s not much of a factor — because most plastic waste isn’t exported. In fact, 98% of the world’s plastic waste is disposed of in the country where it’s generated.

While exporting less of our waste could help a little, the biggest step we can take to prevent plastic pollution is to improve waste management systems in the countries causing the problem.

📝 SCRIPT
🎁 BONUS CONTENT
📚 SOURCES
AND MORE at [ Ссылка ]

The world is complicated … but the explanations don’t have to be. ⚡ New videos every Wednesday.

SUBSCRIBE to Kite & Key on YouTube:
[ Ссылка ]

FOLLOW Kite & Key on your favorite social channel:
[ Ссылка ]
[ Ссылка ]
[ Ссылка ]
[ Ссылка ]
[ Ссылка ]

SOUND: "Silk Skies" (Sunny Kang)

FOOTAGE: MelkiNimages (Getty) // CITED SOURCES AND NEWS OUTLETS ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH AND HAVE NOT ENDORSED OR SPONSORED ANY PORTION OF THIS PRODUCTION.

свернуть