Omar Khalid
Marine life is suffering irreparable damage from the millions of tons of plastic waste dumped in the oceans each year. It is challenging to estimate the number of marine animals that die from plastic pollution, but the impact is significant. It is believed that approximately 100 million marine animals die each year from plastic waste alone, including mammals, fish, sharks, turtles, and birds. Marine animals are affected by plastic pollution in several ways, including ingestion, entanglement, and chemical contamination. Plastic waste can also transport pollutants and invasive species through ocean currents, further damaging marine ecosystems. The problem of plastic pollution in the oceans is a critical environmental issue that requires collective efforts to address.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of marine animals that die from plastic pollution every year | 100,000 marine mammals, 1 million sea birds, and 100 million marine animals in total (including mammals, fish, sharks, turtles, and birds) |
| Number of marine species impacted by plastic pollution | Almost 1,000 |
| Percentage of coral reefs impacted by plastic pollution | 25% |
| Percentage of sea turtles impacted by plastic pollution | 50% |
| Number of tons of plastic waste dumped in the ocean every year | 8 to 10 million |
| Number of pieces of plastic in every square mile of the ocean | 46,000 |
| Number of pieces of plastic dumped into the ocean every day | 13,000 to 15,000 |
| Percentage of plastic debris that comes from land-based sources | 80% |
| Percentage of plastic debris that comes from ocean-based sources | 20% |
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What You'll Learn
Mismanaged plastic waste
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue that poses a grave threat to marine life. The mismanaged plastic waste that ends up in our oceans has devastating consequences for marine ecosystems and the animals that inhabit them.
The sheer volume of plastic waste in the ocean is staggering. It is estimated that over 8 to 10 million tons of plastic waste enter the ocean annually, with some estimates reaching up to 13 million tons. This plastic waste comes from thousands of sources worldwide, and it persists in the ocean for long periods due to its durability and slow degradation process, which can take hundreds to thousands of years. The largest trash site in the world, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is a stark example of the accumulation of plastic waste in our oceans. It is twice the surface area of Texas and contains 180 times more plastic than biomass, indicating that plastic may be a primary food source for organisms in the region.
The impact of mismanaged plastic waste on marine life is profound and multifaceted. Marine animals can become entangled in plastic debris, such as abandoned fishing gear and nets, which can lead to injury, infection, and drowning. Plastic waste can also be ingested, mistaking it for food or prey due to its resemblance or confusion caused by echolocation. This ingestion can result in inflammation, digestive issues, and the accumulation of toxins in their bodies. It is estimated that over 100,000 marine mammals die each year from plastic ingestion or entanglement, with some estimates reaching 100 million for all marine animals. Additionally, plastic pollution has been found to affect almost 1,000 species of marine life, including endangered species.
The consequences of mismanaged plastic waste extend beyond the direct impact on marine animals. Plastic pollution disrupts the delicate balance of marine ecosystems, allowing invasive species to thrive and upsetting the natural food chain. It also acts as a magnet for toxins, becoming increasingly harmful to any animal that ingests it over time. Furthermore, plastic pollution has led to declining fish stocks and job losses in affected communities, impacting the livelihoods of over 3 billion people who depend on the ocean.
Addressing the issue of mismanaged plastic waste requires a multifaceted approach. It involves improving waste management practices, minimizing plastic leakage into the natural environment, promoting plastic reuse and recycling, and shifting societal perspectives on plastic to move away from single-use culture. Local and global organizations are working towards cleanup efforts and implementing measures to prevent plastic pollution throughout its lifecycle. However, the magnitude of the problem underscores the urgent need for collective action and a global commitment to address this pressing environmental crisis.
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Plastic ingestion
Marine animals that rely on eyesight may mistake plastic for food. For example, plastic bags can look similar to jellyfish, the staple diet of leatherback turtles, and fishing nets can resemble delicious seaweed. In 2018, a juvenile sperm whale was found dead on a Spanish beach with 30 kilograms of plastic in its digestive tract, causing inflammation and likely huge suffering. Similarly, a harbor seal pup was found dead on the Scottish island of Skye, with its intestines blocked by a small piece of plastic wrapper.
Seabirds are also susceptible to plastic ingestion, with plastic fragments sitting on the surface of the water being mistaken for food. This can lead to starvation, as the ingested plastic takes up room in their stomachs, or suffocation. It is estimated that up to 1 million seabirds die from plastic ingestion annually.
Fish are also affected, with hundreds of species found with traces of microplastics in their bodies. A study of mussels sourced from UK waters found that 100% of samples contained microplastic pieces. This transfers plastic up the food chain to bigger fish, marine mammals, and humans. A quarter of fish at markets in California were found to contain plastic in their guts.
Endangered wildlife such as Hawaiian monk seals and Pacific loggerhead sea turtles are among nearly 700 species that eat plastic litter. Sea turtles are particularly vulnerable, with half of sea turtles worldwide having ingested plastic, causing internal injury or starvation.
The exact number of marine animals killed by plastic ingestion is difficult to determine, but estimates range from 100,000 to over 1 million marine animals dying each year due to plastic pollution.
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Entanglement in plastic
Marine animals have been interacting with and becoming entangled in plastic debris for decades. Entanglement in plastic waste is one of the two primary ways that marine creatures are harmed by plastic pollution, the other being ingestion. It is estimated that 100,000 marine animals are killed by entanglement in plastic every year, including endangered species.
Plastic debris in the ocean comes in the form of plastic bags, fishing nets, and other fishing gear. Abandoned fishing gear, also known as "ghost fishing equipment", is one of the worst offenders, with an estimated 640,000 tonnes of the 8 million tonnes of plastic that enter the oceans each year falling into this category.
Marine animals can become entangled in plastic debris in a number of ways. For example, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, whales, and sea lions can become entangled in abandoned fishing lines. Smaller marine animals, such as sea turtles, seals, porpoises, and smaller whales, may drown immediately if the gear is large or heavy. Entanglement in plastic can also lead to physical trauma and infections from the gear cutting into their flesh. It can also hinder their ability to avoid vessels, increasing the risk of vessel strikes.
Efforts are being made to disentangle whales and other marine animals using specially designed tools and techniques. Satellite transmitters and receivers are also being used to track entangled animals over time, which is especially helpful in relocating whales that cannot be disentangled during the initial response.
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Chemical contamination
Marine life is suffering irreparable damage from the chemical contamination of the oceans. Mismanaged waste, including millions of tons of plastic, is dumped in the oceans each year. This plastic waste is made up of toxic chemicals such as Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polybutyrate adipate terephthalate (PBAT). These plastics can contain and release heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, nickel, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, and aluminum.
The toxins released from these plastics are damaging the human food chain through marine life. Marine animals consume microplastics containing these toxic pollutants, which can cause intestinal injury and death. Fish in the North Pacific ingest 12,000 to 24,000 tons of plastic each year, which can cause intestinal injury and death and transfers plastic up the food chain to bigger fish, marine mammals, and human seafood eaters. A recent study found that a quarter of fish at markets in California contained plastic in their guts, mostly in the form of plastic microfibers. Marine mammals, such as whales, are also at risk of ingesting plastic or getting entangled in it.
In addition to the direct impact on marine life, plastic pollution also affects the marine ecosystem as a whole. Plastic waste can act as a magnet for toxins from the surrounding air or water, and as it degrades, it breaks down into smaller pieces that travel up the food chain. This has led to a planetary crisis, with over 100 million marine animal deaths per year and the decay of the ocean's ecosystem. There are now 500 locations recorded as dead zones where marine life cannot exist due to plastic pollution.
The problem of plastic pollution in the oceans is growing, with the amount of plastic waste generated expected to increase in the coming years. The fossil fuel industry plans to increase plastic production by 40% over the next decade, which will lead to more toxic air pollution and plastic in our oceans. While high-income countries consume the most plastic, it is the middle-income countries that are the world's plastic emissions hotspots due to inadequate waste management systems.
To address this global plastic pollution crisis, urgent action is needed to reduce plastic production and improve waste management systems, especially in middle-income countries.
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Plastic in coral reefs
Coral reefs are vital to the health of our oceans and the planet. They are living, breathing ecosystems that support a quarter of all marine species, providing food, shelter, and breeding grounds. They also offer crucial benefits to humans, such as supporting fisheries, protecting coastlines, and contributing to medical research. However, these ecosystems are under threat from plastic pollution, which is having a detrimental impact on coral reefs and the marine life that depends on them.
Plastic pollution in coral reefs is a critical issue that continues to grow in magnitude. The plastic debris that ends up in these ecosystems can cause physical damage to coral tissue, leading to infections and diseases. It is estimated that over 11 billion plastic items could be entangled in coral reefs in the Asia-Pacific region alone. This pollution also affects the health of coral reefs by starving them of vital oxygen and light, releasing toxins, and enabling bacteria and viruses to invade. The presence of plastic debris promotes the development of diseases, with the risk of disease being up to 22 times greater on a reef polluted by plastic compared to a preserved reef.
The impact of plastic pollution on coral reefs was previously overlooked, perhaps due to their perceived distance from plastic sources. However, studies have now revealed the detrimental effects of plastic on these ecosystems. One study, based on four years of diving on 159 reefs in the Pacific, found that reefs in Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar were heavily contaminated with plastic. The plastic clings to the coral, sickening and killing it. Another study examined the health of more than 124,000 corals on over 150 reefs in eight regions of the Pacific Ocean, finding that plastic debris promoted the development of diseases.
The effects of plastic pollution on coral reefs are complex and not fully understood. While the exact mechanisms are still being investigated, it is known that corals can ingest plastic, either by mistaking it for food or through a deliberate feeding response due to the taste of the plastic. This ingestion can lead to blocked digestive tracts and impaired reproductive and growth rates. Additionally, as plastics degrade, they release harmful chemicals, such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which can further disrupt the hormonal processes of marine life.
The loss of coral reefs due to plastic pollution and other stressors has far-reaching consequences. It leads to a loss of biodiversity, resulting in a weaker and more vulnerable oceanic ecosystem. Fish populations decline, affecting both the global fishing industry and the millions of people who rely on fishing for their livelihoods and food. Additionally, the disappearance of coral reefs removes a valuable resource for medical research and weakens the natural protection they provide to coastal communities against cyclones and rising sea levels.
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Frequently asked questions
It is estimated that 100 million marine animals die from plastic waste in the ocean each year. This includes mammals, fish, sea birds and reptiles.
Marine life can be killed by plastic in a number of ways. Plastic waste can be ingested, blocking the digestive system and leading to starvation. It can also cause inflammation and introduce toxins into the body. Marine life can also be entangled in plastic, leading to suffocation or drowning.
Sea turtles, whales, dolphins and coral reefs are among the species most vulnerable to plastic pollution. Turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and eat them. Whales and dolphins use echolocation to find prey, and plastic can confuse this ability.
Individuals can reduce the number of marine deaths caused by plastic by not littering, volunteering at beach clean-up events, properly securing their garbage, and not releasing balloons into the air. Governments can also implement bans or taxes on plastic bags.
