The beautiful one Easter Island is grappling with a serious environmental crisis linked toplastic pollution. Located in the heart of the South Pacific Ocean, the island is in a geographical position that makes it vulnerable to ocean currentswhich transport large quantities of waste, mainly coming from Australia, South America and fishing activities. This has turned the island into a critical point for the accumulation of plastic and microplastics.
According to data provided by local authorities, Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, receives approx 50 times more plastic than the coasts of mainland Chile. Moiko Pakomio, a local government marine biologist, pointed out that most of the waste accumulates on the island’s coasts.
Pakomio further explained that most of this waste comes from fishing boats who dump plastic into the sea. Through the course of ocean currents, waste degrades into microplastics which not only pollute the beaches, but also the marine ecosystem.
58% of plastic comes from mainland Chile
The consequences of this phenomenon are devastating for local fauna. The inhabitants of the island, in fact, they depend heavily on marine resources for their nutrition. Among the affected species are sea urchins and blue fish, which represent an important part of the community’s diet.
This pollution is compromising the food security of the inhabitants and risks seriously altering the food chain, as the mayor of Rapa Nui, Pedro Edmunds, wanted to reiterate. In addition to this, it has emerged that a good part of the plastic reaching the island comes from Mainland Chileapproximately 58%. This means that the problem of marine pollution is also linked to poor waste management at the national level.
To counter this emergency, the local community has started a campaign against plastic pollutionhoping that an international agreement, expected in South Korea in November, could help reduce the use of plastic polymers globally.
that a paradise like that of Easter Island is submerged by waste which not only disfigures the landscape but puts at risk the survival of the marine ecosystem and animals and consequently the health of the inhabitants. It is time to take prompt action to put an end to this phenomenon as soon as possible.
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