The Problem of Sea Turtles and Marine Plastic Waste in the Okinawa Region - May 2000

The Problem of Sea Turtles and Marine Plastic Waste in the Okinawa Region - May 2000

Plastic waste discharged from Japan, China, South Korea, and other Pacific coastal countries has been accumulating over a wide area, carried by ocean currents in the North Pacific. This plastic waste has spread over an area of approximately 18 million square kilometers, with about 8 million tons flowing into the ocean annually. Most of the waste consists of PET bottles, packaging materials, and fishing gear, which do not decompose and drift for extended periods.

This plastic waste severely impacts marine life, particularly sea turtles. In 2019, the stomach of a sea turtle found near Okinawa contained more than 500 pieces of plastic, mainly composed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE). These plastic fragments break down into microplastics, which are ingested by fish and shellfish, potentially affecting human health through the food chain.

Plastic takes approximately 400 years to decompose naturally, and it is estimated that the total amount of plastic waste in the world's oceans will reach 150 million tons by 2020. Japanese companies, such as Sumitomo Chemical and Toray, are working to develop alternative materials and improve recycling technologies, but the current recycling rate remains at around 9%.

The Japanese government has formulated the "Plastic Resource Circulation Strategy," aiming to reduce plastic usage by 25% by 2030. However, more than 8,000 tons of plastic waste are still not being properly collected each year, and urgent measures are needed to address this issue.