Water pollution is a huge problem today. We’re building solutions like seawater desalination to make ocean water safe for us, but we’re not doing enough to protect sea creatures. They deserve to live in peace too. We desperately need to stop polluting our oceans by setting stricter rules.\\n\\nA Shocking Study\\n\\nA recent study found something alarming: about 11.1 billion pieces of trash and plastic are stuck in coral reefs across the Asia-Pacific region. This plastic junk makes corals 89 percent more likely to get deadly diseases.\\n\\nScientists looked at nearly 124,000 corals on 159 reefs, stretching from Australia to Thailand. They found all sorts of garbage mixed in: plastic bottles, bags, fishing line, even Nike shoes. This area holds over 55 percent of the world’s coral reefs. These reefs support a quarter of all marine species and provide food and a way of life for hundreds of millions of people.\\n\\nPlastic’s Three Big Problems\\n\\nAn expert who worked on the study in Indonesia explained that plastic causes three main problems. First, plastic debris can carry bacteria that make corals sick. Second, it can cut their delicate skin, leaving them open to infection. Finally, plastic can shade corals, blocking sunlight and creating perfect conditions for certain germs to grow.\\n\\nThe threat of disease and infection is serious. One sick coral can wipe out an entire colony, and infections can quickly spread from one colony to the next. Most of the plastic in the sea is so dirty that even a single touch can spread deadly infections through painful wounds.\\n\\nA Bleak Future\\n\\nThe research also showed that if we don’t act now and ocean pollution keeps getting worse, the plastic on corals could increase by 40 percent by 2025. That’s up to 15.7 billion pieces.\\n\\nCoral Bleaching\\n\\nPlastic waste isn’t the only danger for corals. They’re also struggling with the terrible effects of climate change. As ocean temperatures rise, coral bleaching events are happening more often. During these events, the algae living inside corals become toxic. If the temperatures don’t drop, the corals can die.\\n\\nBefore 1980, nobody even knew about bleaching. Now, it’s increasing so fast that soon, reefs won’t have enough time to bounce back before the next heat wave hits. It’s also likely that corals already infected by plastic will be more likely to bleach. And bleaching might make corals even more open to germs that come from contaminated plastic.\\n\\nDeath Isn’t the Only Problem\\n\\nWhile death is terrible enough, it’s not the only bad outcome when plastic meets corals. Earlier research found three severe diseases in corals that touched plastic and managed to survive: Skeletal eroding band disease, black band disease, and white syndromes.\\n\\nWhat Kinds of Plastic?\\n\\nIf you think industrial waste is the only thing polluting our oceans, you’re mistaken. Surveys by an Oceanic administration found that 81 percent of plastic debris came from household goods, clothing, packaging, and other everyday items. The other 29 percent was discarded fishing gear. Researchers also discovered that plastic items like bottle caps and toothbrushes, made of polypropylene, are more likely to harbor bacteria.\\n\\nStructure Matters\\n\\nThe study also found that plastic trash was about eight times more likely to affect reefs with more complex structures, like branching corals that easily snag debris. Since these structures also provide homes for fish, our fisheries are at risk too.\\n\\nWho’s to Blame?\\n\\nThe main reason for these shocking discoveries is human selfishness. When we need drinking water from the sea, we invest in technologies like seawater desalination and reverse osmosis. But we rarely think about how we get rid of our wastewater. Experts believe that if we cut down on plastics, we’ll see fewer coral deaths caused by plastic.\\n\\nWhat Can We Do?\\n\\nGovernments worldwide need to put money into good waste management facilities. This means making sure plastic waste doesn’t end up in the sea. Instead, it should go to recycling and proper disposal centers. We also need to invest in other solutions that replace plastic packaging. This is urgent.\\n\\nYou Need to Stay Safe Too\\n\\nIf you want to help save corals, you should really think about how much plastic you use and try to cut back. If you get water from the sea for your business, industry, or even your home, you must filter it through a seawater desalination system. This ensures microplastics don’t get into your family, customers, or employees.\\n\\n \\n\\nTo get a seawater desalination system that makes lives safer, contact AMPAC USA.\\n\\nSources\\n\\nhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180125140848.htm\\n\\nhttps://www.newsdeeply.com/oceans/articles/2018/01/25/study-ocean-plastic-trash-is-smothering-coral-reefs-spreading-disease\\n\\nhttps://www.ampac1.com/products/seawater-desalination\\n\\nhttps://www.ampac1.com/applications/rosystems.html\n

Related reading: Stop this Atrocity: Grindadrap – The Ritual of Killing Sea Animals Will Lead to Our Doom, Is Water Pollution Burning a Hole in Your Pocket? – AMPAC USA, A Novel Method to Characterise Levels of Pharmaceutical Pollution in Large-Scale Aquatic Monitoring Campaigns.