Thesis: Despite the fact ocean pollution is in such an advanced stage, it is neither too late nor impossible to remove a majority of plastics from the oceans.
I. Oceanic plastic pollution is rampant and dangerous. A. Plastics in the world’s oceans have reached an exponential level.
1. At least 5.25 trillion plastic particles weighing a combined 268,940 tons are currently floating in the world’s oceans (Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans).
2. Total weight of micro-plastics range between 7,000 and 35,000 metric tons (Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans). B. Plastic pollution is detrimental to most forms of marine-centric life.
1. “Approximately 100,000 marine creatures of nearly 300 species die each year from plastic consumption
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The average input of plastics into the Black Sea from the Danube between 2010-2012 was roughly 4.2 tons a day (The Danube so Colourful). B. Another example is the River Lea in London.
Nearly 10,000 pieces of plastic were documented in a three month study of the River Lea (Plastic Litter Threatens River Life).
Tobacco product packaging made up 30% of the waste, while another 30% came from food wrappers (Plastic Litter Threatens River Life).
III. There are ways further plastic pollution can be regulated and slowed. A. Plastic bag bans are becoming more prevalent.
1. Shoppers worldwide use approximately 500 billion one-time-use plastic bags a year (Plastic Bags Are Killing Us).
2. Mexico City, Burma, Bangladesh, Rwanda and many others have already implemented plastic bag bans (Plastic Bags Are Killing Us).
B. Recycling is becoming increasingly easy and accessible
1. Sweden and Japan lead the world in plastic bottle recycling with 80% and 70% recycling rates, respectively (Can the world solve the plastic waste problem?)
2. The world collectively currently only recycles 5% of it’s 100 million ton a year plastic consumption, but that percentage is steadily rising (Can the world solve the plastic waste problem). IV. Once plastic enters the oceans, it’s hard to get