Tag: plastic

Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin

Indo- Pacific humpback dolphin

Found in the eastern Indian and western Pacific oceans, this dolphin inhabits coastal waters in this part of the world. It is also known as the Chinese White dolphin

Coloured grey, pink or white (the pink colour comes from blood vessels near the surface rather than from pigmentation) they have a length of 2m-3.5m in length and a weight of 150kg-230kg. They generally spend their time in groups not larger than 10 individuals.

These are not dolphins who go under for long periods of time, with adults rarely diving for more than 4 minutes. Similar threats to other dolphins, include coastal developments, water pollution, overfishing and an increased number of boats in the water. In 2015 it was classified as vulnerable.

A small population of the dolphins (158) live close to Hong Kong and many have succumbed as a result of toxins ingested from the water.

Because they spend much of their time in shallow water close to the shore, they are more at risk to pollution from things like plastic that can wash into the sea. Plastic also makes it harder or impossible for the dolphins to locate fish with echolocation as a result of the extra things in the body of water. 

Below here is a section which will list every time they have been mentioned on the website. Below that, is a video of these animals. Below that you will find any links (as we make them) which will help you see these animals in the wild.

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Are Javas mangroves paying a price for sifting plastics

Mangroves are incredible ecosystems, Highly essential in many parts of the planet. In many parts of the planet, mangrove roots stabilize the shoreline of rivers and seas halting large losses of land.

In this role, these trees also sift out much rubbish.

while this is an extreme example we are asking the worlds Mangroves to sift too much plastic from rivers and coastal waters.
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Sea grasses appear to have another use: they sieve microplastics from the sea

Sea grasses once carpeted much of the worlds oceans at depths that suit them. In many places such as the UK destructive fishing practices have been allowed, such as bottom sea dragging. This has also severely damaged the UK cold water coral reefs, but that is a story for another day.

Neptune balls have the capability of sieving plastics from the sea

This latest information, may well give us a reason to replant them (aside from the benefits to biodiversity and the huge amount of carbon they take up).

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Super enzyme that eats plastic, now 6 times faster

I have written in the past, about a discovery made on a Japanese dump back in 2016 of a plastic eating enzyme. By working in the lab, scientists have been able to speed this process up 6 times, such that full recycling is thought to be possible of plastics within 2 years.

Could the days of sites like this – legal or otherwise, potentially become a thing of the past?
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Ocean cleanup update – its prototype works!

For those of you who have been reading this blog for a while you will remember I have in the past talked about the ocean cleanup.

In simple terms the ocean cleanup is a group whose aim is to remove the plastic from the world’s oceans. The majority of this plastic is caught in relatively small parts of the ocean compared to it’s full size. Because the ocean currents carry these plastics to these small areas, it is a simpler job that is otherwise might be (though still huge).

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Ceasing to use plastic straws would be helpful but there are bigger problems

Unfortunately, while plastic straws are a problem, there is something that causes more issues. I am talking of fishing equipment. People have counted, and found that 46% of the Pacific garbage patch is made of discarded fishing equipment such as nets.

Fishing is an important source of protein for much of the human race, but if it’s to remain sustainable we need to remove the equipment left behind. Having said that, drinking straws should quickly be able to become a historical part of the problem if biodegradable straws are taken up quickly.

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