INFLUENCE OF POLYMER WASTES ON THE HOMEOSTATIC MECHANISMS OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS

The article deals with the problems of pollution of aquatic ecosystems by polymer wastes. The purpose of the research is to study the statistics of polymer waste generation in the global community, in individual countries and their impact on the homeostatic mechanisms of aquatic ecosystems. According to the conducted research, the amount of plastic produced increases every ten years, and from 1950 to 1960 and from 1960 to 1970, respectively; about 2 times from 1970 to 1980; about 1.7 times every ten years from 1980 to 2000; approximately 1.4 times every ten years from 2000 to 2010 and 2010 to 2019, respectively. The trend line has an «upward» character, and a high approximation coefficient makes it possible to make a forecast about an increase in the amount of plastic waste for the coming decades. The research reveals that the amount of plastic waste, both in the oceans, rivers and lakes, has been increasing for almost 20 years. Plastics are part of complex biogeochemical cycles: through living organisms that absorb plastics. They enter the human body via food chains. Consequently, pollution of aquatic ecosystems results in disruption of homeostatic processes that cause changes in the environment. The solution to the problem of pollution of aquatic ecosystems is the legal regulation of the collection of polymer waste and the development of promising technologies for their processing, i.e., secondary polymer raw materials should be converted into new products. This will solve environmental safety issues related to pollution of aquatic ecosystems by polymer waste.