Page 284 - Economia Azul - versão: inglês

contrary, although at first they are used dozen food and consumer goods compa- as high cost and low efficiency in the total In addition to the health problems as-
for the protection of individuals and have nies are the sources of almost all the plas- removal of contaminants. For these rea- sociated with the use of Sargassum sp.,
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relevance for this, they are extremely tic waste dumped in the ocean. The in- sons, biosorption is seen as a low-cost, tourism, which is the main economic ac-
harmful when improperly disposed. The dustry lobby promotes public policies that, simple, and safe alternative for pollutant tivity in many coastal locations, such as the
pandemic, therefore, represents a huge on the one hand, are focused on recycling recovery. This technique refers to the Caribbean, is also negatively impacted be-
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increase factor for the already existing and consumer behavior, but that, on the ability of non-living biomass of some or- cause the alarming amount of Sargassum
overload of plastic waste in the environ- other hand, ignore the need to reduce ganisms to bind and capture substances sp. on the beaches does not allow access
ment (LEITÃO; MONT’ALVERNE, 2021). plastic production. 9 of a different nature from aqueous solu- to the sea, colors the clear water in dark
The properties that have made plastics Industrial activities, therefore, are tions, allowing for their passive removal brown, generates an unpleasant sight and
so useful to society are the same proper- great potential generators of plastic from the environment. The algae Sargas- gives off an unpleasant odor (SALDARRIA-
ties that make improperly handled plastic waste, such as the production of plastic sum sp., therefore, has been used for this GA-HERNANDEZ; et. al. Op. Cit., p. 3-4).
waste a significant environmental threat. bags, single-use disposable plastic items purpose, due to its efficiency to capture It is also worth mentioning that spe-
Their durability means they persist in the and microspheres, which are made up of pollutants directed to the coastal ecosys- cifically in Brazil, there has been a recur-
environment for many years, and their low synthetic plastic particles that are inten- tem (SALDARRIAGA-HERNANDEZ; et. al., rence of another type of marine pollution,
density demonstrates that they are easily tionally added to consumer and industri- 2020, p. 1-3). caused by oil spills on the country’s coasts.
dispersed by water and wind, sometimes al products. Plastic bags are the number The use of Sargassum sp., however, More specifically, in 2019, a major oil spill
traveling thousands of kilometers from one consumer item on the planet. Most presents itself as a pressing problem all disaster was detected on the Brazilian
their areas of origin. As a result, plastic plastic packaging is disposable, especial- over the world, because despite its useful- coast, which proved to be severely dam-
waste is an omnipresent pollutant even ly in trade applications carried out direct- ness, its unusual proliferation near tropical aging, having affected a significant num-
in the most remote areas of the planet ly between the producer, seller or service coasts and the subsequent formation of ber of coastal and marine protected areas,
(RYAN, Op. Cit., p.2). provider and the final consumer, most of seas of Sargassum sp. is associated with in addition to Brazilian tropical ecosys-
From this waste, the widespread use of which are discarded in the same year in mass mortality of coastal fauna (RODRÍ- tems. This disaster highlighted the social,
single-use plastic bottles, utensils, shop- which they are produced. In 2015, plas- GUEZ-MARTÍNEZ; et. al., 2019, p. 202). environmental, and economic challenges
ping bags and take-out food containers or tic packaging waste accounted for 47% In general, the effects of pollutants arising from marine pollution (SOARES,
packaging has resulted in a serious marine of plastic waste generated globally, with on marine ecosystems and living resourc- Op. Cit., p.2) which becomes even more
pollution problem across the planet. Wide- half originating from the Asian continent es are negative. The main consequences noticeable when a new appearance of oil
spread use of plastics, improper waste (UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PRO- are the reduction of fish biodiversity; slicks on the coast was found in the year
management practices, stormwater runoff, GRAMME, 2018, p. 6.). loss of nesting habitats; the degradation 2022, mainly on the beaches of the east
and inadequate treatment of wastewa- The ecological integrity and biodiversi- of coastal habitats and biodiversity; dis- coast of Ceará (UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL
ter and general waste cause and exacer- ty of marine ecosystems have been highly ruption of fish life cycles in aquaculture; DO CEARÁ, 2022).
bate marine plastic pollution, generating threatened due to the controlled or un- the mass death of fish from contaminat- The causes of marine pollution, there-
marine habitat degradation, threatening controlled release of high concentrations ed water and changes in water chem- fore, originate from several sources, all to
wildlife, hampering coastal economic activ- of pollutants generated by human activ- istry, which are just a few examples of some extent harmful, whether for the ma-
ities and threatening human health (NY/NJ ities. In an attempt to solve or remedy the environmental pressure exerted by rine environment, for living beings – hu-
BAYKEEPER. NY-NJ, 2016, p. 4.). the problem, different technologies have pollutants on marine ecosystems. The mans and others – or even for the econo-
Plastics are the last stage of the vast been developed for the recovery and deg- introduction of invasive species for this my at local, regional, and global levels. It is
petrochemical industry, with more than radation of pollutants from the marine purpose, however, although considered unequivocal, hence, that the responsibility
half of this waste ending up in consumer environment, such as filter processing and economically viable and sustainable, like for marine pollution spreads among the
products, mainly in the form of disposable other electrochemical methods. However, the use of Sargassum sp., has shown a most diverse actors in society: it is every-
packaging. It is known that only a few these technologies have limitations such reverse effect. one’s responsibility.

282 BLUE ECONOMY Marine pollution as everyone’s responsibility 283