The World in 2030

The World in 2030 151
Plastics material going into landfill is a major concern
for some environmentalists. Most plastics take a very long
time to degrade in such conditions (typically hundreds
of years) and even plastics which some producers class as
‘biodegradeable’ (or ‘oxo-degradable’) may not break down
when denied the effects of sunlight and/or water. The plastics
industry believes that wherever possible plastics should be
re-used or recycled and, when this is not possible, should
be burned to release the energy trapped within plastic to
produce heat.
Another major problem caused by the careless disposal
of plastics is seen in the pollution of the world’s oceans
and beaches. Past carelessness (and, in some cases, criminal
neglect) has led to microscopic shards of plastics becoming
widespread in the marine environment. In 2004, researchers
from the British Universities of Plymouth and Southampton
reported:
A team of experts has carried out research which
proves – for the first time – that oceans and shores
are now contaminated with microscopic plastics and
fibres.
Eight scientists from the Universities of Plymouth
and Southampton and the Plymouth-based Sir Alister
Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science has today
published a paper detailing their research in the prestigious
international journal Science.
The results of the project, which was funded by the
Leverhulme Trust, show that oceans and shorelines