Mediterranean Sea Among World's Most Polluted With Plastic

The Mediterranean Sea, a place viewed as the cradle of civilization and the center of some of the planet's most extraordinary heritage, has some of the highest levels of plastic pollution in the world.

Each year more than 200 million tourists descend on the region and while visiting cause inordinate amounts of trash to end up in the sea, according to a just-released report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) titled "Out of the Plastic Trap: Saving the Mediterranean from Plastic Pollution."

Plastics account for 95 percent of the waste in the open sea, on the seabed and on beaches across the Mediterranean, said the new report. And that waste comes mainly from Turkey and Spain, followed by Italy, Egypt and France.

Tourists to the region cause a 40 percent spike in the marine litter that ends up in the sea each summer.

"Large plastic pieces injure, suffocate and often kill marine animals, including protected and endangered species, such as sea turtles. But it is the micro-plastics, smaller and more insidious fragments that reach record levels in the Mediterranean Sea," states the report. "The concentration of micro-plastics is almost four times higher than in the 'plastic island' found in the North Pacific Ocean. By entering the food chain, these fragments threaten an increasing number of animal species as well as human health."

Though it contains just one percent of the world's water, the Mediterranean is a semi-enclosed sea with a great deal of human activity. As a result, it becomes a "plastic trap" where seven percent of all the world's micro-plastic waste is found, according to WWF.

The tiny pieces of micro-plastic are eaten by fish or other creatures and then end up in the seafood consumed by humans. On average someone eating fish in Europe could be ingesting up to 11,000 pieces of micro-plastic a year.

In addition, most plastics are not biodegradable and remain in the environment for hundreds of years, continues the report, which describes the problem as a global emergency.

Current estimates are that there are more than 150 million tons of plastics in the ocean at large. If business continues as usual, the ocean will contain one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish by 2025, and by 2050, the oceans may have more plastics than fish, by weight.

WWF is calling on travelers to do their part and be responsible while traveling, cutting down (or entirely eliminating) single-use plastics such as straws, stirrers, plastic water bottles and items such as disposable inflatable pool toys.

Tourists, however, aren't the only factor exacerbating the problem in the region. There are wide-spread gaps in plastic waste management throughout most Mediterranean countries.

Of 27 million tons of plastic waste produced each year in Europe, only one-third is recycled, according to the report. Half of all plastic waste in Italy,France and Spain still ends up in landfills rather than being recycled. What's more, recycled plastics currently account for only six percent of plastics demand in Europe.

Beyond the harm caused to marine animals and human health, there are serious economic consequences tied to the lack of progress with recycling plastics in Europe.

Key economic sectors in the Mediterranean, especially fisheries and tourism, are negatively impacted by plastic pollution, says the WWF report. Marine litter is estimated to cause as much as a 70 million economic loss to the EU fishing fleet because of reduced catch and damage to vessels, while polluted beaches can discourage tourists with consequent job losses in the sector.

"The good news is that it is possible to clean up and protect the Mediterranean Sea from plastics. But this requires the commitment and collaboration of all: governments, businesses and individuals," states the report which offers numerous recommendations for actions that can be taken at the international, national and industry level, as well as by individuals, to help create a plastic-free Mediterranean.

The following are the actions recommended at the individual level:

-Choose, when possible, products made of biodegradable or recycled materials instead of plastics: biodegradable dental floss rather than nylon; wooden hair combs or clothes pegs; sponges made of cellulose; ceramic plates, bowls and cups; glass bottles; cotton napkins; bamboo fibre yoga mats.

-Avoid disposable products: prefer, for example, toothbrushes or razors with replaceable heads; don't use plastic straws, shopping bags, water bottles, crockery and cutlery, cotton buds, pens and lighters.

-Store food without plastic containers: replace plastic films, bags and containers with glass, an inert material that, unlike plastic, does not release any contaminants.

-Avoid soaps and cosmetic products that contain microplastics: check the ingredients for polyethylene, polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride - these are all plastics.

-Buy unpackaged products: buy fruit, vegetables, cheese, meat, fish and other food products which are sold loose/by weight, and 'on tap' detergents in order to minimize the packaging.

-Pay attention to the waste and recycling procedures in your city or community and recycle as much as possible.

-Engage with shops and supermarkets and your municipality, urging them to reduce unnecessary plastics, promote sustainable alternatives, improve waste management and invest in recycling.

-Be a responsible citizen avoiding single-use plastic items and disposing of all waste items (cigarette butts, packaging and plastic toys) in a proper way to avoid polluting beaches, and the environment.

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