95% of plastic in the oceans comes from 3rd world

[Argus]

I have to specially ask for a straw with my coke when I go out these days, because these idiot companies are trying to 'save the oceans', but as the following story points out, the garbage in the oceans isn't coming from us.

Two of the ten most polluted rivers on the planet are in Africa, the Niger and Nile rivers, two are in South Asia, the Indus and Ganges rivers, and the remaining six are in East and Southeast Asia. 95% of the plastic pollution in the World’s oceans comes from just these 10 rivers.

https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/03/95-of-plastic-in-the-oceans-comes-from-third-world-countries/

[BubberMiley]

Not to discount your experience having to ask for a straw, but are you aware of the amount of "First World" garbage that is shipped to and disposed of in "Third World" countries? Also, are you proposing an aid program to help them reduce their waste (as we all share the planet) or are you just advocating for more straw waste?

Edited March 30, 2019 by BubberMiley

[Bonam]

This surprises people? I thought it was well known that almost all garbage enters the oceans from rivers and beaches in densely populated third world countries. How else do people figure so much garbage gets into the oceans? Falls off the side of boats? Flies in the wind from a landfill to the ocean? 

First world beaches:

 

Third world beaches:

[Bonam]

2 hours ago, BubberMiley said:

Not to discount your experience having to ask for a straw, but are you aware of the amount of "First World" garbage that is shipped to and disposed of in "Third World" countries? 

Despite wanting to reflexively blame westerners for this, most of the polluted river garbage in the third world comes from places like this:

Slums built on the side of rivers where people dump their household, commercial, and industrial refuse directly into the water. 

[Michael Hardner]

I guess Bonham didn't read Bubber's post ?

[DogOnPorch]

1 hour ago, Michael Hardner said:

I guess Bonham didn't read Bubber's post ?

 

So we ship them garbage and then they spread it along their rivers, beaches and streets. Understood.

Edited March 30, 2019 by DogOnPorch

[GostHacked]

2 hours ago, DogOnPorch said:

 

So we ship them garbage and then they spread it along their rivers, beaches and streets. Understood.

It's all shipped there to prevent it from being dumped on our own beaches.

[Owly]

8 minutes ago, GostHacked said:

It's all shipped there to prevent it from being dumped on our own beaches.

That is of course true. Contrary to what argus tries to claim, the majority of the plastic waste in the waters of developing countries is shipped there from first world countries, like the US. Especially since China has curtailed it's acceptance of it for recycling.

This year’s ban on foreign waste imports by China, previously the world’s biggest importer of plastic waste for recycling, has left western countries scrambling to offload its extra plastic waste. The US, along with Britain, Germany, Japan and Mexico, is among the biggest exporters of scrap plastic to China.

 

Read more

Campaigners said the analysis, which Unearthed shared with the Guardian, shows the US is exploiting developing countries where there is no regulatory framework to ensure plastic waste is processed in an environmentally friendly way.

“Instead of taking responsibility for their own waste, US companies are exploiting developing countries that lack the regulation to protect themselves,” said John Hocevar, Oceans campaign director for Greenpeace USA.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/oct/05/huge-rise-us-plastic-waste-shipments-to-poor-countries-china-ban-thailand-malaysia-vietnam

 

 

[DogOnPorch]

14 minutes ago, GostHacked said:

It's all shipped there to prevent it from being dumped on our own beaches.

 

Naturally.

[Guest]

So the third world is taking our money to recycle our plastic, then dumping it in the rivers and oceans? 

Thieving bastards!

[Owly]

10 minutes ago, bcsapper said:

So the third world is taking our money to recycle our plastic, then dumping it in the rivers and oceans? 

Thieving bastards!

No, the first world is just shipping it away to third world countries just to get it off their doorstep even though they know there is no infrastructure to deal with it there. Stupid bastards!!

[bush_cheney2004]

Has Trudeau taken back all of Canada's waste yet from the Philippines?   Remember this ?

 

Edited March 30, 2019 by bush_cheney2004

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Owly said:

No, the first world is just shipping it away to third world countries just to get it off their doorstep even though they know there is no infrastructure to deal with it there. Stupid bastards!!

So they're taking it without being paid?  I think I know who's stupid.

[Owly]

9 minutes ago, bcsapper said:

So they're taking it without being paid?  I think I know who's stupid.

So they're sending it where they know it can't be disposed of? I know who's stupid.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Owly said:

So they're sending it where they know it can't be disposed of? I know who's stupid.

I don't think you do.  Who ends up with the stuff?

Just look at the beach pictures above.

 

[Guest]

Anyway, notwithstanding Argus's comments, with which I am normally in agreement, I would ban all use of non essential single use plastic.  If people want to eat and drink at places that typically give them plastic knives and forks, they should be made to bring their own metal utensils.  Same with cups, straws, shopping bags etc.  I would also ban any wrapping or packaging that wasn't completely biodegradable and harmless to the environment.

But they aren't putting me in charge anytime soon, more's the pity.

[Owly]

11 minutes ago, bcsapper said:

I don't think you do.  Who ends up with the stuff?

Just look at the beach pictures above.

 

I think I do. The stuff drifts around the world. Look at an atlas sometime.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Owly said:

I think I do. The stuff drifts around the world. Look at an atlas sometime.

It seems to prefer some beaches to others.  I'll get a better Atlas!

[Owly]

4 minutes ago, bcsapper said:

It seems to prefer some beaches to others.  I'll get a better Atlas!

Initially it stays close to the beaches where it has been sent to to dump. Then there's that wind and current thingy.

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, Owly said:

Initially it stays close to the beaches where it has been sent to to dump. Then there's that wind and current thingy.

Yeah, unfortunately we can't do anything about that.  If people dump plastic in their rivers and on their beaches we will end up with some of it on ours.  I understand the whales are doing their bit but they can't be expected to eat it all.

[Owly]

3 hours ago, bcsapper said:

Yeah, unfortunately we can't do anything about that.  If people dump plastic in their rivers and on their beaches we will end up with some of it on ours.  I understand the whales are doing their bit but they can't be expected to eat it all.

What we can do about it is stop shipping it overseas.

[eyeball]

On 3/29/2019 at 4:01 PM, Argus said:

I have to specially ask for a straw with my coke when I go out these days, because these idiot companies are trying to 'save the oceans', but as the following story points out, the garbage in the oceans isn't coming from us.

Two of the ten most polluted rivers on the planet are in Africa, the Niger and Nile rivers, two are in South Asia, the Indus and Ganges rivers, and the remaining six are in East and Southeast Asia. 95% of the plastic pollution in the World’s oceans comes from just these 10 rivers.

https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/03/95-of-plastic-in-the-oceans-comes-from-third-world-countries/

 

 

Hmmmm the Voice of Europe eh?

 

 

 

 

Voice of Europe

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[Michael Hardner]

12 hours ago, eyeball said:

Hmmmm the Voice of Europe eh? 

Right up there with the "Buffalo Chronicle".   It's a kind of garish beauty that the people who coined the term 'Fake News' love to spread it and protect it as much as possible.

[Owly]

3 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

Right up there with the "Buffalo Chronicle".   It's a kind of garish beauty that the people who coined the term 'Fake News' love to spread it and protect it as much as possible.

Surely you're not suggesting that anyone here would post a site which supports their claim regardless of it having a reputation as being a "Questionable Source"

[Guest]

16 hours ago, Owly said:

What we can do about it is stop shipping it overseas.

But they want us to.  They get paid, remember?  Even the third world has to eat.