More Plastic Than Fish in the Oceans By 2050
30 years from now our seas will be containing more plastic than fish. According to a report released by the World Economic Forum, plastic production around the world is expected to double within the next 20 years. Today, one garbage truck full of plastic gets into the ocean every minute, by 2050 it will be four.
About 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into the sea every year. There, it can last for hundreds of years . Environmentalists estimate that there are about 160 million tons of plastic in the world's oceans today. By 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish.
Plastic that turns up in the seas endangers the fish population and other marine animals. In addition it produces a gigantic garbage patch that floats on the surface, thus putting ships in danger and polluting beautiful beaches around the world. But the plastic that floats in the water is only a fraction of the whole amount.
Plastic is becoming more and more popular in our world. It has many uses and is cheap to produce. However, it is endangering our environment more than any other material.
The World Economic Forum calls for more recycling and a better use of plastic. 95% of all plastic that is produced is only used once, then it is thrown away. Almost a third finds its way into our environment.
Oil is the raw material that plastic is made of. Currently, 5% of the world's oil production are turned into plastic. By 2050 it will rise to a fifth.
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Words
- according to = as reported by ...
- call for = demand , suggest
- contain = have
- currently = at the moment
- double = to become twice the amount
- dump = here: to get rid of something, throw away
- endanger =to put at risk
- environment = the world around us
- environmentalist = a person who cares for the world around us and wants to do something to protect it
- estimate = guess or calculate the size of something
- fifth = 20%
- float = swim on the surface
- fraction = small part
- garbage patch = here: large area of the ocean that is polluted by plastic and other waste
- garbage truck = truck that you drive from one house to another to collect waste
- gigantic = very large
- in addition = also
- is expected to = will probably
- marine = sea
- pollute = to make something dirty
- popular = much liked and used a lot
- raw material = here: material from which something else is made
- release = publish, to make something public for everyone to see
- recycling = using a raw material over and over again
- surface = top part of something
- thus = therefore