How Long It Takes For Plastic Bottles To Break Down In The Ocean

It is no secret that a majority of plastic bottles tend to end up in the ocean which is detrimental to the eco-system around it. The issue with this is the plastic bottles that end up in the ocean tend to stay there for a long time since plastic doesn’t decompose unlike other types of waste. This increased lifecycle of plastics is what inevitably causes the marine ecosystem to suffer. In addition to this, these plastics break down in the sun which then creates greenhouse gases since they are made from fossil fuels.

When plastics have been tossed around a lot, they tend to break down into smaller fragments called micro plastics. These microplastics have been reported to be 90% of the plastics that have been found in the Pacific Ocean. So, what’s the issue with microplastics? Well plankton and filter-feeders ingest these microplastics. Some of the tiny microfibers entangles plankton and a piece of microplastic can cut their stomach lining or cause an intestinal blockage once it has been indigested.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA for short and the Woods Hole Sea Grant has estimated that it would take approximately 450 years for the plastic water bottles to degrade in the ocean. This estimation is a mind-boggling through since on average it would take a person around ten to twenty minutes to drink one bottle of water meaning that there would be thousands of water bottles in the ocean with it taking twice that amount for it to decompose.

Therefore, it’s crucial that we find an alternative for plastics so we can not only save the marine ecosystem but improve the health and wellbeing of individuals as well.

REFERENCES

https://www.rd.com/article/how-long-plastic-bottles-degrade-in-ocean/