The sculptor Jason de Caires Taylor has just opened a sculpture in London with the title "Plasticide", which means "plasticity". The scene seems common at first glance: father, mother, son and daughter during a beach picnic surrounded by birds. One of them, however, appears spewing a huge amount of plastic.

The work will be on display for a short time, but it was installed in a place with an intense flow of tourists and residents. It is opposite the Royal National Theater in the South Bank shopping complex, next to the River Thames. "Plasticide" opened in late March and is expected to be on display by next Sunday (9).

The portrayed figures are life-size and made from the same pH-neutral material that Taylor uses for his works - he creates countless images for underwater museums that are likely to be Plasticide's fate as this could make it "home" coral and reef, without polluting the oceans.

Seagull appears throwing up a huge amount of plastic

Plastic in the seas

Jason de Caires Taylor created the work in partnership with Greenpeace as a way to criticize ocean pollution. Marine life and other animals that benefit from the seas, such as seagulls, are largely threatened by the countless pieces of plastic that take thousands of years to decompose in the wild.

Studies show that about 90% of seabirds have some sort of plastic particle in their stomachs - alarming data for all the world's fauna. “The problem highlighted in this sculpture would have seemed surreal fifty years ago, but it is now a dark reality. All plastic is made on land and this is where we need to take action to reduce its flow to our oceans, ”warns activist Louise Edge.

It is believed that over eight tons of plastic is dumped annually into oceans around the globe. "That's the equivalent of finding five plastic-filled bags every 10 inches of coastline in the 192 countries we surveyed, " explains Jenna Jambeck, professor of environmental engineering at the University of Georgia.

Pollution of rivers and seas reaches frightening levels

Brazil is in the ranking of biggest polluters

According to Jenna, the largest contributors to the disposal of plastic in the oceans are Asian countries, especially China. She points out that other countries such as Brazil, Egypt and the United States are also major villains in this environmental neglect.

This eviction, however, is not always intentional. Russell McLendon, editor of the Mother Nature Network website, looked at a 2015 study that shows that coastal populations are often more aware of the proper disposal of plastic, but those who live farther from the sea end up littering anywhere without realizing that It can eventually reach a river and be carried to the ocean.

Seemingly ordinary scene reveals environmental catastrophe

***

Did you know that Curious Mega is also on Instagram? Click here to follow us and stay on top of exclusive curiosities!