Water Pollution
For years, the Mediterranean was used as a dump site for agricultural, industrial, and civilian waste. It is no surprise that now the Mediterranean is considered to be one of the most polluted seas in the entire world.
The UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) has estimated that about "650 million tons of sewage, 129,000 tons of mineral oil, 60,000 tons of mercury, 3,800 tons of lead, and 36,000 tons of phosphates" are dumped into the Mediterranean every year. Recent studies have also shown that over 50% of the wastewater that enters the Mediterranean Sea, enters completely untreated. Under the aspect of health and hygiene, heavy toxic waste in seawater is one of the main causes of waterborne diseases. It can lead to eutrophication (overabundance of chemical nutrients) and can result in excessive plant growth and decay. This may seem like a small problem, but lack of oxygen and the decrease in water quality are all have further effects on the environment that are a direct result of water pollution. |