Why it is important ?

​Plastic pollution in the ocean is a dire issue, with an estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic entering marine ecosystems annually, leading to the accumulation of around 5.25 trillion pieces of macro and microplastics that weigh up to 250,000 tons. These plastics cause harm to marine wildlife; for example, a staggering 99% of seabirds are projected to ingest plastic by 2050 if current trends persist. Additionally, the ubiquitous presence of microplastics in the ocean is now a part of the marine food chain, posing potential health risks to humans and persisting in the environment, as they break down into smaller particles without fully degrading.