At the end of last week, a sperm whale washed ashore in Italy with 22 kilograms of plastics inside – such as plastics bags, fishing nets… and even a laundry can! Furthermore, the autopsy found a fetus inside the whale. Sad for a species that is listed as endangered!
It is not an isolated case, unfortunately. A few weeks ago, a similar situation occurred in the Philippines where a whale died with more than 40 kilograms of ingested plastic.
These deadly issues resonate as a wake-up call after years of bad behaviors and habits! Recently though, the EU voted to ban a wide range of single-use plastics - which account for 80 percent of sea pollution - in 2021. This is a great initiative that may encourage other governments to take action as well. Indeed, massive steps have to be taken as research shows that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fishes in the sea if no action is taken.
The debate is now about whether the ban of single-use plastics could increase food waste. According to science, plastics bags provide an efficient means for the preservation of food. Therefore, beyond eco-responsible alternatives such as biodegradable plastic, is it not maybe the perfect time to rethink our ways of consumption and prefer fresh and local food?
Source:
22 kg de plastique dans un cachalot échoué en Italie, Euronews.
