Plastic pollution is destroying Egypt's coral reefs

Egypt is known for its many attractions including the Red Sea's beautiful coral reefs that bring millions of tourists; snorkelers, divers, and other visitors. Recently, Egypt's Red Sea region has planned to move towards sustainable, zero-plastic tourism which aims to protect marine life and preserve such unique destinations.Did you know that around 13 million metric tons of plastic are dumped into oceans and waterways around the globe every year? This endangering practice of our throw-away society had led to the damaging of coral reefs and marine wildlife. In the Red Sea, in particular, the threat of plastic pollution affects more than a thousand species of colourful fish and coral, and around 10%  of which are uniquely found in the Red Sea.A team of research put forward a proposal to ban the production and use of single-use plastics in the Red Sea, but is it that simple? As consumers, we rely on many disposable items until alternatives become more available to us. However, this doesn't mean that plastic waste such as littering on beaches, in the sea, etc, is right. In fact, Egyptians use an estimated 12 billion unrecyclable plastic bags every year.This article explains the ways that organisations in the region have worked towards a single-use plastic ban, as well as the issues that they and consumers have to address.