1,000 Rivers Responsible for 80% of Ocean Plastic Emissions

Researchers in the Netherlands and Germany made a list of the 1,000 rivers that are contributing the most plastic pollution into oceans. The paper published in Science Advances describes the rivers and their methods to uncover pollution.

The research found that the 1,000 rivers are responsible for 80% of the emissions, between .8 million and 2.7 metric tons per year.  The study’s model concluded that small and medium-sized rivers were responsible for a significant role in Pollution, with small urban rivers among the most polluting.

The model was developed by The Ocean Cleanup. “While this number is much higher than previous estimations (100 times), it is only 1% of rivers worldwide, which means solving the problem is feasible. By collectively taking a global approach with various technologies to target these most polluting rivers, we can drastically reduce the influx of plastic into the ocean,” the organization shared in a statement on the research.

The organization recommends mitigation efforts to reduce the plastic that goes into oceans and rivers. The top five emitting countries are located in Asia-the Philippines, India, Malaysia, China, and Indonesia. Asia accounts for 79.7% of riverine plastic.

“Therefore, land-based solutions such as improved regulatory frameworks, sustainable product design, circular consumption patterns, and more advanced waste management are essential to help target plastic Pollution at the source,” the organization shared.

Sign this petition to demand that U.S. state governments force plastic-producing corporations to pay for the costs they’ve inflicted on our environment!

To learn more about the impact of plastic waste, please read the articles below: 

• Marine Animals that are Dying because of our Plastic Habit
• Where Plastic Really Goes When You Throw it Out
• 5 Documentaries to make you Rethink Single-Use Plastics
• 6 Million Tons of Single-Use Plastics Get Thrown Out Every Year!
• America’s Largest Waste Management Company has Stopped Exporting Plastic Waste Overseas
• Landmark Bill, Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2020, Aiming to Control Plastic Crisis Hits Congress
• John Oliver Takes on Plastic Pollution
• Why Your Recycling Isn’t Necessarily Being Recycled and How You Can Make a Difference!
• From Marine Animal Extinction to Ocean Pollutants: Everything You Need to Know About Plastic Pollution
• Microplastic Pollution in Soil is Threatening Human Health and Soil-Dwelling Organisms
• Plastic Pollution #1 Killer Of Marine Wildlife According To Research
• 10 Heartbreaking Videos of Sea Animals Harmed by Plastic Pollution
• Why We Need to Wake Up and Do Something to Tackle Plastic Pollution in the Oceans

There are products you may be using or habits you may have that contribute to plastic Pollution. Learn more about how the use of Teabags, Cotton Swabs, Laundry, Contact Lenses, Glitter and Sheet Masks pollute our oceans so you can make more informed decisions going forward. There are also numerous simple actionsand switches that can help cut plastic out of our lives including, making your own cosmetics, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, household cleaners, using mason jars, reusable bags/bottles/straws, and avoiding microbeads!

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that are raising awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
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• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your own food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!