Ankara, Turkey - A recent study has raised significant concerns about the escalating problem of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. Experts have reported that an estimated 229,465 tons of plastic waste are being added to the Mediterranean annually, and this figure could potentially triple in the next decade if current trends continue.
According to Philippines News Agency, a lecturer at the Middle East Technical University's Institute of Marine Sciences, the Mediterranean is now among the world's most polluted seas. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Kideys described plastic pollution as a critical global issue, second only to global warming. He noted that approximately 99% of this pollution settles on the seabed, with the rest accumulating on sea surfaces and beaches. Kideys provided detailed data on the contribution of various countries to this crisis, citing Egypt as the largest contributor with 74,031 tons of plastic annually, largely from the Nile River. Italy, Turkey, Algeria, and Albania also contribute significant amounts of plastic waste.
The gravity of the situation is further underscored by Kideys' observations on the accumulation of plastic on beaches, with Turkey and Israel having particularly high concentrations. He emphasized the interconnectedness of regional bodies of water, explaining how debris from the Black Sea reaches the Mediterranean through surface currents via the Marmara and Aegean Seas.
Kideys highlighted the threat posed by microplastics, which are small enough to be ingested by marine life and thus enter the food chain, potentially affecting human health. He stressed that the issue of plastic pollution transcends national borders and requires a global solution. Discussions are underway for a plastic prevention agreement, expected to come into effect in 2025.
Sedat Gundogdu, a lecturer from the Faculty of Fisheries at Turkey's Cukurova University, identified single-use plastics, particularly from the tourism sector, and inadequate waste management infrastructure in Mediterranean countries as primary causes of this pollution. He pointed out the adverse impact of coastal currents, which result in each country's shores being polluted by its neighbors.
Gundogdu also noted the severe pollution levels in Turkey's coastal areas, with significant amounts of plastic waste impacting these regions daily. He detailed the alarming concentration of plastics in various parts of the Mediterranean, with the Iskenderun and Mersin Gulfs showing particularly high levels. Gundogdu emphasized that 80% of sea plastics originate from single-use products and that current methods of collecting plastics from seas and coasts are ineffective in reducing pollution.
The situation calls for urgent action to reduce plastic production and improve waste management practices across the region. Without significant changes, the Mediterranean Sea risks becoming heavily polluted with plastic, posing a severe threat to marine ecosystems and human health.