drinking purposes. Some chemical indicators can be used to determine the water
purity and quality. These indicators include pH measurement, chemical oxygen
demand and biochemical oxygen demand. In the biological methods, we use different animals, plants and microbes as biological indicators to monitor different
parameters of a marine or fresh water ecosystem. The quality is likely to be very
good, if many different types of organisms can live in a river, and if the fish can’t live
or survive in the river, then the quality is very poor. Which shows the presence of
different pollutants that can affect a wide variety of organisms living in or depend on
such water resources.
3.6 Solution and Remedies for Water Pollution Caused
by Plastics
In December 2017 the United Nations Environment Assembly gathered in Nairobi,
Kenya, to discuss the significant issues of water pollution caused as a result of plastic
debris in the seas and oceans. Eleven resolutions were taken up at the meeting for
effective discussion, one of the main being the pollution of ocean and water bodies
due to synthetic plastics. A ministerial declaration was adopted unanimously during
the meeting. It was noted and agreed by all the participants that each year at least 5 to
13 million tons of plastic is dumped into oceans (Haward 2018). This huge amount
of plastic that is being washed away into the oceans and other water bodies is an
alarming situation that needs to be addressed as soon as possible without any further
delay.
Plastic pollution has serious effects on the environment and the atmosphere. It has
disturbed not only the ecosystem but also the whole biosphere. Although plastic
pollution has affected land, air, and water, we will discuss here only the solutions
and remedies for water pollution caused by plastic, as it is the main purpose of this
chapter. But the solutions given here can be somehow applied to all types of
pollutions caused by plastics. The United Nations sustainable development goals
put forward certain actionable plans which involve 17 sustainable development
goals. It further includes an active agenda to prevent, eliminate and effectively
reduce marine pollution including ocean debris and solid waste. The goal 6 is related
to clean water and sanitation whose target 6.3 is to deal with untreated water so that
our water reserves don’t get exhausted with pollutants. Similarly, point 14 is related
to life below water whose target 14.1 aims for the reduction of waste generation so
that we can use the oceans and other water resources in a more sustainable and
efficient way (Löhr et al. 2017).
Plastics can pollute both fresh and marine sources of water. Rivers, lakes, and
ponds are the worst affected water bodies as human activities directly affect them.
These fresh water sources are polluted by plastics because these are surrounded by
populations. People throw garbage like plastic bottles of different beverages and
products in rivers and ponds. Untreated municipal waste of developing cities carries
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purity and quality. These indicators include pH measurement, chemical oxygen
demand and biochemical oxygen demand. In the biological methods, we use different animals, plants and microbes as biological indicators to monitor different
parameters of a marine or fresh water ecosystem. The quality is likely to be very
good, if many different types of organisms can live in a river, and if the fish can’t live
or survive in the river, then the quality is very poor. Which shows the presence of
different pollutants that can affect a wide variety of organisms living in or depend on
such water resources.
3.6 Solution and Remedies for Water Pollution Caused
by Plastics
In December 2017 the United Nations Environment Assembly gathered in Nairobi,
Kenya, to discuss the significant issues of water pollution caused as a result of plastic
debris in the seas and oceans. Eleven resolutions were taken up at the meeting for
effective discussion, one of the main being the pollution of ocean and water bodies
due to synthetic plastics. A ministerial declaration was adopted unanimously during
the meeting. It was noted and agreed by all the participants that each year at least 5 to
13 million tons of plastic is dumped into oceans (Haward 2018). This huge amount
of plastic that is being washed away into the oceans and other water bodies is an
alarming situation that needs to be addressed as soon as possible without any further
delay.
Plastic pollution has serious effects on the environment and the atmosphere. It has
disturbed not only the ecosystem but also the whole biosphere. Although plastic
pollution has affected land, air, and water, we will discuss here only the solutions
and remedies for water pollution caused by plastic, as it is the main purpose of this
chapter. But the solutions given here can be somehow applied to all types of
pollutions caused by plastics. The United Nations sustainable development goals
put forward certain actionable plans which involve 17 sustainable development
goals. It further includes an active agenda to prevent, eliminate and effectively
reduce marine pollution including ocean debris and solid waste. The goal 6 is related
to clean water and sanitation whose target 6.3 is to deal with untreated water so that
our water reserves don’t get exhausted with pollutants. Similarly, point 14 is related
to life below water whose target 14.1 aims for the reduction of waste generation so
that we can use the oceans and other water resources in a more sustainable and
efficient way (Löhr et al. 2017).
Plastics can pollute both fresh and marine sources of water. Rivers, lakes, and
ponds are the worst affected water bodies as human activities directly affect them.
These fresh water sources are polluted by plastics because these are surrounded by
populations. People throw garbage like plastic bottles of different beverages and
products in rivers and ponds. Untreated municipal waste of developing cities carries
102
F. Muneer et al.