The Rhineland-Palatinate climate protection minister Katrin Eder (Greens) has warned of the dramatic effects of water pollution with plastic waste. “The rubbish gets into our seas via the rivers, where entire garbage strudels of immense proportions have already spread,” she explained about the “RhineCleanUp” campaign on Saturday, in which volunteers clear the Rhine from the source to the mouth of garbage. Eder took part in the garbage collection initiative in Bendorf, as the ministry announced.
In over 100 locations along the river, helpers collect tons of rubbish on “RhineCleanUp” day. “Here, too, nature and animals suffer from the garbage,” explained Eder. “This is how toxic substances get into the environment, where they contaminate the soil and water.” Many animals mistake plastic for food and may die from it. “We humans can also ingest this plastic via the food chain,” warned Eder.
Rhine Clean Up
