How plastic travels from the consumer to the ocean

The largest garbage island in the Pacific Ocean is at least 79 thousand tons and covers 1.6 million square kilometers. This is 17 times the area of Hungary. Recent research shows that in Switzerland alone, 43 trillion microplastic particles land on the surface each year. Most of this ends up in the seemingly pristine Alps, where it washes down to lower-lying areas as the snow melts. Researchers estimate that around 3,000 tons of plastic enters the country via the air every year, with some particles traveling up to 2,000 kilometers. How and where does this litter end up in the water? What about the microplastics that are already in our bloodstreams, according to recent research? What can be done to reduce, slow down, or even stop plastic pollution locally and globally?

Participants:
Gergely Simon expert in chemicals management (Greenpeace)
Gábor Bordós expert (mikromuanyag.hu)

Moderator: Tamás Vajna journalist (Qubit)