持久的塑料污染

Mei Cheng 8月 28, 2024 0 Comments

生态系统被围困：野生物、土壤和气候皆面临风险

塑料污染已成为持久性的环境问题，对野生物、土壤、地下水直到气候变化的影响，皆非常可怕。长久和持续使用塑料，意味着它将存在于环境数百年，并产生多维的危害。

塑料对野生生物的危害是多层次的。它们误食塑料而受伤，甚至死亡。海龟将塑料当海蜇吞下，海里的鱼以为塑料颗粒是食物而将它吃了，此外塑料会释放化学毒素到海水中，双酚A等环境毒素能够破坏鱼类的生育系统。

2020年的研究担忧塑料的化学毒素会污染鱼类的食物源，导致海鱼数量减少，威胁人类食物链。另一个危害，是海豚和海鸟等会冲入渔网和塑胶套。

埋在土壤的塑料，能将毒素释放到土壤，改变土壤成分，损害微生物，干扰土壤肥素，影响植物生长。进入地下水，会影响人类和动物所需要的水源纯净，导致动物和人类患癌。

丢弃塑料有数个途径引起气候变化。塑料是以化石燃料生产的，在加工过程中会释放大量温室气体。研究证明，塑料在降解过程中，仍会继续排​​放温室气体。

海洋中的塑料污染会破坏海洋生态系统，令海洋无法发挥碳固存作用，间接影响气候。一些海洋生物通过光合作用吸收二氧化碳，死亡之后会沉入海底，封存为碳。这些生物吃了微塑料损及健康，降低了固碳能力，也削弱应对气候变化的自然缓冲。

露天焚烧塑料是释放二恶英和其他有毒化学物质的恶劣行为，形成有毒粉尘。当它们降落土壤和流入下水道和土壤，就会污染水源和食物链。

解决塑料威胁的方法，就是切断其生产链和消费链。

 

参考:

An Introduction to Plastics and Toxic Chemicals | IPEN. (2022, November). IPEN (International Pollutants Elimination Network).
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Frequently asked questions on plastics and chemicals | IPEN. (2024, March). IPEN (International Pollutants Elimination Network).
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Plastics, EDCs & Health | IPEN. (2020, December). IPEN (International Pollutants Elimination Network).
https://ipen.org/documents/plastics-edcs-health

How the Plastic Pollution Resolution Relates to Chemicals and Health | IPEN. (n.d.). IPEN (International Pollutants Elimination Network).
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Ghost Nets: Why they endanger Marine life – Plastic Soup Foundation. (2020, May 1). Plastic Soup Foundation.
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Tribune, Z. E. C. D. (2019, January 7). Why is it so hard to decompose plastic? Columbia Daily Tribune.
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Centre for International Environmental Law. (2022, February 1). Plastic and Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet – Center for International Environmental Law.
https://www.ciel.org/plasticandclimate/

Lai, O. (2024, March 4). The detrimental impacts of plastic pollution on animals. Earth.Org.
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Swaters. (2023, April 14). New Study Shows Plastics Release Greenhouse Gases, Contributing to Climate Change. Surfrider Foundation.
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