Protect our HOME

The ocean is the largest source of life on our planet. This is the air we breathe, the natural habitat of some of the world’s most spectacular creatures, and a recreational area, or perhaps even a second home, for recreational divers. In short, this is the main and at the same time the most fragile link in the life chain. However, in recent times, human activities such as the widespread use of plastics have led to the pollution of submarine ecosystems around the world.

In the last ten years, we have produced more plastic than we did in the last century. Almost every piece of plastic ever made still survives on our planet. Small pieces of plastic floating on the surface of any sea are known as “microplastics” and are made from larger pieces of plastic that break down over time due to constant exposure to sunlight, sea salt and strong waves.

The rugged edges of these microplastics allow biochemical impurities to adhere to and make them highly toxic. When aquatic animals confuse these micro-plastics with smaller fish or plankton, they are swallowed along with their toxins. Toxins are then transferred to the bloodstream and from there accumulate around the adipose tissue that surrounds vital organs. When stored fat is needed to produce energy, toxins are released, which adversely affect the metabolism, reproduction, growth, and liver and kidney function of aquatic animals. Scientists in the field claim that more than half of all sea turtles and almost all seabirds have used microplastics in their lifetime.