Green activists say the humble plastic bag is causing an environmental catastrophe as people dispose of them where they can drift into the sea, choking aquatic life in the Gulf of Aqaba, according to a report by ABC News.
The gulf is the habitat of hundreds of different species of fish and spectacular coral. Both Egypt and Jordan's tourism industries depend partly on money spent by visitors seeking a diving adventure, where they enjoy the breathtaking scenes of coral reefs.
But environmental groups see that divers themselves have played a part in the degradation of the ecological life in the Red Sea.
Environmentalists quoted by the report say the Red Sea's marine life is under threat from pollution primarily caused by phosphate factories and fish farms as well as damage done by divers.
One group is launching a campaign in Jordan focusing on the dangers posed to one of the Middle East's most scenic spots.
The new campaign, however, focuses on the dangers posed by the humble plastic bag when it is not disposed of properly.
Friends of the Earth Middle East says plastic bags often blow into the sea, choking corals as well as dolphins and sea turtles, who mistake them for jellyfish and try to eat them.
Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) is an umbrella organization representing leading Middle East environmental non-governmental organizations, with the aim of promoting cooperative efforts to protect the environment – Albawaba.com
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