Plastic Pellet Pollution From Industrial Zones Plague Belgian Town for Over 10 Years

Riverine pollution caused by plastic pellets has plagued a town in Belgium for years. Now, the European Union (EU) has its sights on a small countryside town, called Ecaussinnes; it is the nation's second-largest petrochemical complex. For decades, microplastic pollution has been a growing problem in the Belgian town; where tiny plastic particles have affected riverbanks and streams.

Plastic pellet pollution is a growing environmental and ecological issue in Ecaussinnes, located in Belgium's Walloon Region. Research has shown that Belgian authorities have been raising their concern on the matter for over 10 years, according to the non-profit environmental organization Surfrider Foundation. A similar case has also been reported in the Belgian city of Antwerp.

Belgium Plastic Pellet Pollution

Ecaussiness and other areas of Belgium are experiencing chronic plastic pollution, affecting the country's rivers and coastline. One of the sources of the pollution is industrial plastic pellets, which have invaded the mentioned Belgian locations. Amid the threat, Surfrider Foundation Europe is calling on the Belgian government to address the environmental issue.

The plastic pellet pollution involves related particles found around industrial sites, specifically in the waterways that reach as far as 5 miles (eight kilometers) downstream, according to Arnaud Guerard, a Belgian government official. Plastic pellets, the size of a lentil or the 'building blocks' of most plastic products, burrow deep into riverbanks that cause riverine pollution, according to a recent report.

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Microplastic Pollution Threat

Microplastic pollution is an emerging global threat that affects not only oceans, rivers, and other bodies of water but also different terrestrial ecosystems. While knowledge on the absolute repercussions of microplastics on living organisms remains incomplete, scientific evidence shows that they pose risks of adverse health effects. With this, further research is still ongoing on microplastics.

Up to 80% of all marine pollution on Earth consists of plastic waste, wherein around 8 million to 10 million metric tons of these materials end up in the ocean each year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported. Prevailing research estimates that, by 2050, plastic particles will likely surpass all fish in the sea, the UN organization adds.

Plastic Pollution Impacts

There are various impacts of plastic pollution to the environment. Some of them include damaging marine wildlife, agricultural soil, and poisoning groundwater. It also causes serious health effects, according to the UN. Being a non-biodegradable material, it is hard to get rid of plastics completely since whole plastics can be broken down into smaller pieces called microplastics and nanoplastics.

The continuous increase of plastic particles on the planet is caused by a spike in plastic production over the past century, in parallel with global population growth and demand for materials. Although plastic recycling measures are being implemented, chunks of plastic waste still end up in the environment, especially in locations affected by plastic-related industries.

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