Arctic becoming the last stop for plastic junk

Mumbai, February 9: Imagine of the Arctic we used to read about in Geography books and used to think of that vast crystal blue ice-heaven. But with the change of time, all our childhood favorites are changing just like arctic is turning into a plastic state.

The region is remote as well as the population is lower over there. Still, the plastic ghost is haunting the vast wilderness. It is concerning Norwegian fishermen their fish stocks which are until now almost untouched by population. But however, most of the large plastic waste there comes from discarded fishing gear.

Ocean debris poses a threat to marine organisms via entanglement, ingestion or as a vector for alien species. Arctic wildlife including fish and small invertebrates, to seabirds, seals, and even reindeer are more vulnerable to the plastic pollution threat.

Microplastics are becoming more of a headache than plastics. The Norwegian Polar Institute estimates microplastics make up about 1 million of the 8-12 million tons of plastic that enter the ocean annually. Up to 234 particles have been found concentrated into just one liter of melted Arctic sea ice which is much higher than the open ocean.

"This should be a call for action. It's been known about for years, but the magnitude of it hasn't been taken in as it should have been. We must stop the plastic pollution," Norway's environment Minister Ola Elvestuen said.