海外ボランティア募集！大学生・高校生・社会人にオススメ。春休み夏休みも通年開催。

Marine pollution caused by garbage, which is a problem in the world today. It is said that the total amount of marine debris floating in the world’s oceans is about 150 million tons, of which plastic accounts for about 80% of the total. It is feared that the amount of plastic waste may exceed the number of fish in 2050 if left as it is. What can we do to reduce the amount of plastic that flows into the ocean?
Currently, most of the plastics floating in the sea are plastic shopping bags, food packages, and other items that we often use on a daily basis. The most common problem caused by these is the impact on animals. You may have seen pictures of large amounts of plastic found in the belly of fish entwined in garbage and whales washed up on the beach. Plastics contain a lot of chemicals such as catalysts and corrosives to make them easier to use, and when eaten by seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals, they cause immunodeficiency and chemical contamination. Some fish may become extinct in the future to reduce their resistance to disease and reduce their fertility. Reducing the amount of plastic used is the first priority to prevent this from happening, but it is difficult to quickly reduce the amount of plastic used in all products to zero. The idea here is not to reduce the amount used, but to make an alternative to plastic. An example is the introduction of paper straws at Starbucks Coffee. While searching for other alternatives to plastic in this way, I found the agar plastic that the designer group “AMAM” had in mind. Agar plastic is mainly made from shell ash used in the production of agar and konjac, and it is relatively easy to make. It can be used as a container by mixing it with hot water, freezing it, and drying it. The strength of the finished product can be changed by adding additives, and it is possible to substitute a wide range of products from hard to soft. There are two main advantages to using agar plastic. One is that it is environmentally friendly. Compared to plastic, agar is more soluble in water and more easily decomposed, so even if it flows out into a river or sea, there is no concern that it will become marine debris. The second is that it can also contribute to the improvement of food loss. Since the consumption of agar has been declining in recent years, it is also helpful for manufacturers to use a large amount of red algae and shell ash that are discarded. Another solution would be to mix the plastic with ingredients that fish don’t like to prevent the fish from eating the plastic.
In addition to reducing the amount of plastic used in this way, I think it is also necessary to develop and introduce alternatives that will not burden the environment even if they flow out into the sea.