The Ocean's Plastic Problem: Where Does It Come From?

Plastic pollution in the ocean is a pressing environmental issue. Rivers, maritime transport and rubbish left on beaches are the main sources of plastic in the ocean. Rivers are responsible for carrying plastic waste into the ocean, with the Yangtze River alone dumping an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of plastic waste into the Yellow Sea. The corporate world has been blamed for creating a plastic-based economy that has degraded the environment. However, it is also important to note that some third-world countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, have been paid by Western countries to take their plastic trash for recycling, only to throw it into rivers and oceans instead.

Rivers

Plastic waste is often dumped into rivers, either by individuals or by corrupt governments. For example, the Yangtze alone dumps up to an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of plastic waste into the Yellow Sea. This plastic waste might be produced by corporations, but it is still corporations selling things to meet demand in those countries.

The plastic in rivers is often not recycled properly. People might not wash out every item going into the plastics bin, and third-world countries, especially in Southeast Asia, have taken plastic trash from Western countries for "recycling" and then thrown it into rivers and oceans to make a maximum amount of profit.

Once in the rivers, the plastic is carried out to sea, where waves and wind break it down into tiny fragments known as microplastics. These particles get sucked into ocean whirlpools, forming huge floating islands of plastic such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is the largest in the world, measuring 1.6 million km2 and weighing 80,000 tonnes.

Maritime transport

The plastic waste that ends up in rivers and oceans is often the result of corporations selling products to meet demand in those countries. While some of this plastic is recycled, much of it is not and is instead incinerated, thrown into landfills, or dumped into rivers and oceans.

To reduce the amount of plastic waste entering the ocean through maritime transport, it is important to improve waste management practices on ships and to ensure that plastic waste is properly disposed of or recycled. This may include increasing fines for littering and holding corporations accountable for the plastic waste they produce.

Overall, maritime transport is a significant contributor to the plastic waste problem in our oceans. By addressing the issues related to plastic waste management and disposal in the maritime industry, we can help reduce the environmental impact on our oceans.

Rubbish left on beaches

Plastic in the ocean is a huge problem, causing incalculable environmental damage. Rivers, maritime transport and rubbish left on beaches are the main sources of plastic pollution in the sea.

The impact of rubbish left on beaches is not limited to the immediate area but can have far-reaching consequences. Beach litter can be carried by ocean currents and end up in remote corners of the planet, such as the Challenger chasm on the seabed. Additionally, the plastic waste that ends up in the ocean takes an incredibly long time to decompose, with some items taking up to 500 years to break down.

To address the issue of rubbish left on beaches, it is essential to raise awareness about the impact of littering and encourage proper waste disposal. Volunteers and organisations, such as the NGO Ocean Conservancy, play a crucial role in beach clean-up efforts, removing plastic waste before it enters the ocean. However, the most effective solution lies in reducing plastic consumption and transitioning to more sustainable alternatives. By minimising the use of single-use plastics and improving recycling practices, we can significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up on our beaches and, ultimately, in our oceans.

Corporate world

The corporate world has been accused of profiting off the plastic-based economy while degrading the environment. Rivers, maritime transport and rubbish left on beaches are the main ways plastic ends up in the sea. Rivers, including the Yangtze, Yellow, Hai, Pearl, Amur, Mekong, Indus and Ganges Delta in Asia, and the Niger and Nile in Africa, carry plastic waste into the ocean.

The corporate world sells plastic products to meet demand in these countries, and the plastic waste that ends up in these rivers might be fully or partly representative of the plastic produced by the corporate world.

The majority of the 260 million tonnes of plastic thrown away worldwide each year is incinerated, thrown into landfill, or ends up in the most unlikely corners of the planet, such as the Challenger chasm on the seabed. Most of this waste ends up in the ocean, where it is broken down into microplastics.

In addition, a lot of third-world countries, especially in Southeast Asia, have taken plastic trash from Western countries for 'recycling' and been paid for it. However, corrupt governments and people have thrown this plastic into rivers and oceans to make a maximum amount of profit.

Recycling

Plastic in the ocean is a huge problem, causing incalculable environmental damage. Most of the plastic in the ocean comes from our rubbish bins, with only 12% of the 260 million tonnes of plastic thrown away each year being recycled. The rest is incinerated, thrown into landfill, or ends up in the most unlikely corners of the planet, such as the Challenger chasm on the seabed.

Most of this abandoned waste ends up in the ocean, where waves and wind break it down into tiny fragments known as microplastics. These particles get sucked into ocean whirlpools, forming huge floating islands of plastic, such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which measures 1.6 million km2 and weighs 80,000 tonnes.

Rivers are a major contributor to the problem, with 10 rivers carrying 93% of new plastic trash into our oceans: the Yangtze, Yellow, Hai, Pearl, Amur, Mekong, Indus and Ganges Delta in Asia, and the Niger and Nile in Africa. Maritime transport and rubbish left on beaches are also responsible for plastics ending up in the sea.

To reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean, we need to improve our recycling rates and ensure that plastic waste is disposed of properly. This includes following local recycling guidelines, such as washing out every item going into the plastics bin. We also need to hold corporations accountable for the plastic waste they produce and ensure that they are not simply offshoring their waste to other countries.

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