Mediterranean Sea “87 Percent Polluted”, WWF Report Finds

A recent report by WWF has revealed that the Mediterranean Sea is facing a pollution crisis, with a staggering Mediterranean Sea “87 Percent Polluted. Toxic metals, industrial chemicals, and plastic waste are posing a serious threat to both marine life and human health in the region.

The Mediterranean Sea is facing significant environmental challenges due to a combination of historical human activities and its unique geographical features. This makes it one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to pollution. Various sources, such as urbanization, industries, sewage, tourism, fisheries, and shipping, contribute to marine pollution in this area.

The Mediterranean Sea is known globally as a hotspot for marine litter and plastic pollution. An alarming 230,000 tonnes of plastic enter the sea annually from land-based sources, with an additional 20,000 tonnes attributed to shipping activities.

To combat this issue, both EU and non-EU Mediterranean countries must work together on monitoring and policy implementation. This collaborative effort is essential in reducing pollution and safeguarding the marine ecosystem and human health. Policy recommendations should be based on the current state of knowledge, severity of pollutants, and existing policies.

The Mediterranean Sea is facing a pollution crisis, with up to 87% of its waters contaminated by toxic metals, industrial chemicals, and plastic waste. A recent WWF report revealed that the concentration of microplastics in the sea is alarmingly high, leading to approximately 1.4 million premature deaths worldwide each year due to water contamination. Environmentalists are particularly concerned about plastic pollution and “forever chemicals” known as PFAS and are calling for urgent action to address this pressing issue.

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The WWF report published on the International Mediterranean Sea “87 Percent Polluted, Day highlighted the alarming pollution levels of its waters contaminated by toxic metals, industrial chemicals, and plastic waste. The report also revealed that the concentration of microplastics in the sea is the highest ever recorded in marine depths, resulting in approximately 1.4 million premature deaths globally each year due to water contamination. Environmentalists are urging for immediate action to address the main concerns of plastic pollution and “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, which pose a significant threat to marine life and human health.

Water bodies, such as oceans, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and underground reservoirs, face serious threats from pollution caused by pesticides, agricultural runoff, heavy metals, pathogens, and chemical waste from untreated industrial and urban sewage. The presence of PFAS and PBDEs in everyday plastic items is especially concerning due to their harmful effects and long-lasting nature. These “forever pollutants” do not break down and instead build up in the environment, creating significant health hazards.

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In Europe, less than half of surface water bodies meet both ecological and chemical standards. In Italy, 13% of rivers and 11% of lakes fall short of the desired quality, while 9% and 20% respectively are still awaiting classification. When it comes to European seas, contamination problems affect 75-96% of the areas assessed. Although Italy’s marine waters are not fully monitored, available data indicate widespread poor conditions in the regions that have been studied.