Research on the source of plastic waste in the Arctic

According to scientists, about 5% of plastic waste found in the Arctic originates from locations far away from here, such as the US, China, Korea and Brazil.

Plastic waste found in the Arctic originates from all over the world, according to research results published by Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute, part of the Helmholtz Center for Marine and Polar Research, on February 7. Up to 1/3 of plastic waste still has signs or labels from Europe, of which waste from Germany accounts for 8%.

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In the above study, tourists from Germany collaborated with Arctic tour operators to collect trash washed up on the shores of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. From 2016 to 2021, about 23,000 items of waste, with a total weight of 1,620kg, were recovered.

The “oldest” item found in the Arctic during that time was a piece of plastic bottle from Norway, produced in the 1960s. While the most “modern” item was a shoe from Germany, made in the 1960s. produced around 2012-2013.

According to UN estimates, by 2050, there could be more plastic in the sea than fish. The United Nations is currently working to negotiate a globally binding agreement to control plastic pollution.

Source TTXVN/Vietnam+

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