Masks protect us from infection…but who protects the Oceans?

Masks have become emblematic in these past months, to the point that coastlines and oceans are paying the heavy price, littered with disposable gloves and masks.  

From our Mediterranean coasts to the South China Sea, many environmental organisations are worried by the increasing numbers of waste washed ashore on our beaches following the Pandemic. According to politician Éric Pauget, interviewed by The Guardian newspaper, masks that end up in the sea take up to 450 years to decompose, having an environmental impact for present and future generations.

Masks, gloves and other disposable waste add-up to the 13 million ton of plastic that is thrown at sea every year according to UNEP. Moreover, some activists committed to protecting marine species fear that water mammals like dolphins can mistake masks with food, leading to their death and a general loss of marine biodiversity.

During Maewan’s 5 years at sea, the human impact on our oceans has become a familiar and disturbing sight. In this article we feature our photographs of Ducie Island taken during our crossing from Polynesia to Chile : an uninhabited atoll 5000km away from the first continental coast, and yet covered by litter. The island is hard to access and little visited. Benefitting from a favourable weather window, Maewan’s team decided to visit the pocket of land. They discovered a dream-like landscape, the presence of a large number of birds and fish. So far, this has been the most isolated place reached by Maewan. It was a shock for the team to realise that an island so far away from human activity is covered by plastic and human waste. This depressing vision is a strong reminder that Man’s impact on the planet is far-reaching, to the point that even places with no human presence become symbols of too much waste and consumption.

By sharing this anecdote from our expedition we invite each one of us to reflect on how to reduce our plastic waste and becoming more aware that our behaviour has a much bigger impact on the environment than what we imagine.

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