On June 7, 2023 the interview of Dr. George Papatheodorou - Ηead of Oceanus-Lab with thebest.gr, on the subject of marine litter in the Gulf of Patras, was released.

What is the situation in the Gulf of Patras in relation to marine litter?

The systematic investigations carried out by the Laboratory of Marine Geology and Physical Oceanography of the Department of Geology of the University of Patras showed that plastic (56%) was the dominant material, followed by metal (17%) and glass (10%). Beverage and soft drink packaging makes up 32% of waste, general packaging waste 28% and food packaging 21%. Overall, packaging makes up 81% of waste, while just three items: garbage bags, aluminum cans and plastic water bottles make up 48% of total waste.

What amounts of waste are involved?

As part of these surveys, 3500 pieces of waste were collected by fishing vessels, while in addition, remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) were used. A total seabed area of approximately 20 square kilometers was surveyed.

The density of litter on the bottom of the Gulf of Patras is 188-437 objects per square kilometer. In addition, the weight of waste collected varied between 5-47 kg per square kilometer.

The Saronic Gulf is much more burdened with waste densities ranging from 20-3400 objects per square kilometer, while locally they amount to 10000. According to data from Oceanus Lab, in the western Corinthian Gulf 116 objects per square kilometer were recorded, in the northern Laconian gulf 85, while in the area of the Echinades Sea (outer gulf of Patras) 72 objects per square kilometer, respectively.

The Gulf of Patras is only the second region, internationally, which is monitored in terms of its benthic waste, i.e. the waste found on its seabed. Comparative figures show an alarming increase in density with the latest measurements putting it at around 600 objects per square kilometre. On the contrary, the composition of the waste remains constant indicating constant sources of pollution.

Recently, the existence of waste related to the time period of the pandemic in the Gulf of Patras was established. Disinfectant wipes, protective masks and disposable gloves were found on its shores and in its shallow waters, thus increasing the pollutant variety of the gulf.

How serious is the situation globally?

The entry of waste and especially plastics into the global ocean constitutes, without a doubt, one of the most serious environmental problems of the marine environment for the 21st century. Research results and scientific assessments point to a dystopian future for the seas. 

The oceans contain about 150 million tons of plastics. At least 8 million tons of plastic enter the oceans and seas every year, or the weight of 57,000 large whales (almost every minute a garbage truck empties its trash into the sea)! There are over 5 trillion pieces of plastic floating in the oceans and seas that together weigh 269,000 tons.

What are the implications we will face in the future?

The effects of plastics on marine life are devastating. By 2050, almost all seabirds will have ingested plastic. More than 800 species from microscopic organisms to whales have already been affected by the plastics they've ingested or the plastic nets and other trash they've become entangled in.

Half of the sea turtles in the seas and oceans may have already ingested plastic. Plastic was even found in the stomach of a tiny creature (a sea flea) that lives at a depth of 6000 meters! Marine plastics are now a public health risk. Recent research has shown that nanoplastics circulate in our blood.

What does "waste cycle" stand for?

Litter enters the marine environment mainly from land and to a much lesser extent from marine sources. It could be argued that about 8 out of 10 plastic objects enter the sea from land and mainly from rivers, while the other 2 out of 10 enter the sea from commercial ships, through maritime transport and fishing activity. The contribution of these sources varies from region to region. For example, in the Gulf of Patras it was found that 69% of the waste enters from land sources - mainly from the rivers that flow out-, 26% from maritime transport and about 5% from fishing.

Undoubtedly, the most serious environmental risk is the fragmentation of plastic waste, a process that develops as plastic waste enters the sea or even on the shores. Plastic under the influence of UV radiation and natural damage is fragmented into tiny pieces. Microplastics are a very serious risk, as due to their size it is impossible for them to be removed from the marine environment and furthermore they are easily ingested by a much wider range of marine organisms.

What actions can be carried out, even in a legislative framework ?

It is absolutely necessary to prevent the continuous entry of plastic into the seas by developing effective actions such as the strict recycling of waste, limiting or even banning plastic packaging with simultaneous systematic, continuous and intensive actions to raise awareness among citizens.

The environmental tax on the plastic bag, one of the most common and most harmful types of marine litter, has led to a reduction in its use and consequently a reduction in its entry into the seas. The European project LIFE DEBAG, coordinated by Oceanus-Lab, showed that an intensive and comprehensive awareness campaign led to the impressive reduction of plastic bag pollution both on the coasts and on the seabed in the project's pilot research area, the island of Syros. However, the effective implementation of the measure on a national scale is still a great ambition. On the other hand, the implementation of the law on single-use plastics seems to be problematic and the goals set are not being achieved.

Although efforts have been made to bring the national legislation closer to the European directives, in any case, continuous monitoring of the implementation of the legislation and possible interventions to tighten it are required.

Source: https://www.thebest.gr/