Nearly 230,000 tonnes of plastic is dumped into the Mediterranean Sea every year, a figure which could more than double by 2040 unless "ambitious" steps are taken, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature said Tuesday.
Egypt, Italy and Turkey are the countries that release the most plastic into the sea, mainly due to large coastal populations and huge amounts of "mismanaged waste," an IUCN report found.
But on a per capita basis Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia have the highest levels of plastic waste leakage into the Mediterranean.
The report, called "Mare Plasticum: The Mediterranean", estimates that over one million tonnes of plastic have already accumulated in the Mediterranean Sea.
"An estimated 229,000 tonnes of plastic equivalent to over 500 shipping containers are leaking into the Mediterranean Sea every year," said the report, blaming "mismanaged waste" for 94 percent of the total plastic leakage.
Under a "business as usual" scenario, this figure will reach 500,000 tonnes per year by 2040, which is why "ambitious interventions beyond current commitments will be required to reduce the flow of plastic into the sea".
Minna Epps, the director of the IUCN's marine programme, warned that "plastic pollution can cause long-term damage to terrestrial and marine ecosystems and biodiversity."
"Marine animals can get entangled or swallow plastic waste, and ultimately end up dying from exhaustion and starvation," he added.
Over 50,000 tonnes of plastic leakage into the Mediterranean could be avoided each year if waste management was improved in the top 100 contributing cities alone, the report said.
A ban on plastic bags in the Mediterranean Sea basin region would further reduce plastic leakage into the sea by another 50,000 tonnes per year.
"Governments, private sector, research institutions and other industries and consumers need to work collaboratively to redesign processes and supply chains, invest in innovation and adopt sustainable consumption patterns and improved waste management practices to close the plastic tap," said Antonio Troya, head of the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation which is based in Malaga, southern Spain.
AFP RELAXNEWS
Wed Oct 28 2020
![Amount of plastic dumped in Med to double in 20 years: Report Amount of plastic dumped in Med to double in 20 years: Report](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-10/71603863548_PLASTIC.jpg)
The report estimates that over one million tonnes of plastic have already accumulated in the Mediterranean Sea. AFPRelaxpic
![Selangor catat purata KDNK 7.43 peratus, langkaui sasaran RS-1 Selangor catat purata KDNK 7.43 peratus, langkaui sasaran RS-1](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51720085748_TBAmirudinShari.jpg)
Selangor catat purata KDNK 7.43 peratus, langkaui sasaran RS-1
Selangor mencapai pertumbuhan Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) sebanyak 7.43 peratus bagi tempoh 2021 hingga 2023.
!['Nenek mengeluh bila saya masuk sekolah seni' - Seniwati Sarimah Ahmad tak galak cucu berlakon 'Nenek mengeluh bila saya masuk sekolah seni' - Seniwati Sarimah Ahmad tak galak cucu berlakon](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71720087002_sadiqjamil.jpg)
'Nenek mengeluh bila saya masuk sekolah seni' - Seniwati Sarimah Ahmad tak galak cucu berlakon
Sadiq berkongsi perkara itu ketika disoal tentang sama ada mahu meneruskan legasi neneknya yang merupakan seorang legenda dalam dunia hiburan.
ICJ benarkan celahan tujuh negara dalam kes genosid Myanmar
Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) membenarkan celahan oleh tujuh negara dalam kes genosid ke atas Myanmar.
Polis jamin siasat petugas PH ganggu wartawan
Polis beri jaminan menjalankan siasatan berhubung petugas kempen PH didakwa melakukan gangguan seksual terhadap seorang wartawan
KDN jamin keselamatan pengundi
KDN jamin keselamatan 39,000 pengundi Sungai Bakap yang membuang undi pada PRK Sungai Bakap pada Sabtu ini.
![Peruntukan untuk pembangunan kawasan, bukan khusus kepada Ahli Parlimen - Fadillah Peruntukan untuk pembangunan kawasan, bukan khusus kepada Ahli Parlimen - Fadillah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81720085306_FadillahYusof.jpg)
Peruntukan untuk pembangunan kawasan, bukan khusus kepada Ahli Parlimen - Fadillah
Fadillah berkata peruntukan untuk ahli Parlimen pembangkang sebenarnya adalah bagi kawasan Parlimen dan tidak ada dikatakan spesifik untuk ahli Parlimen.
ZUS Coffee kerjasama dengan pelari menara nombor satu dunia
ZUS Coffee menyifatkan pencapaian luar biasa yang diraih Wai Ching benar-benar mencerminkan semangat ‘Anak Malaysia’ yang mahu diangkat oleh syarikat tersebut.
Pendidikan Islam: Daurah Hadis 40 Imam Nawawi pupuk kefahaman guru
KPM berharap daurah ini akan dapat menerapkan asas kefahaman agama dan keindahan akhlak Islam yang berupaya mengangkat martabat insan dengan berpandukan kandungan Hadis 40 Imam Nawawi.
![Tiada kos tambahan kepada pelanggan bagi rangkaian 5G kedua - Fahmi Tiada kos tambahan kepada pelanggan bagi rangkaian 5G kedua - Fahmi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/51718875254_tbFahmiFadzil.jpg)
Tiada kos tambahan kepada pelanggan bagi rangkaian 5G kedua - Fahmi
Fahmi berkata kerajaan komited sepenuhnya untuk memastikan model dwirangkaian itu menggalakkan persaingan sihat dalam sektor telekomunikasi.
![LKAN: Pendaftaran pelajar tempatan, luar negara di UIAM berkurang berbanding penawaran LKAN: Pendaftaran pelajar tempatan, luar negara di UIAM berkurang berbanding penawaran](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-02/41581557133_IIUM.jpg)
LKAN: Pendaftaran pelajar tempatan, luar negara di UIAM berkurang berbanding penawaran
Pendaftaran pelajar tempatan dan luar negara hanya mencatatkan 66 peratus dan 44.7 peratus.