The Ocean's Plastic Problem: Understanding Marine Debris

Marine debris is a global problem. It is difficult to know exactly how much debris enters the ocean, but a 2016 study estimated that 23 million metric tons of plastic waste entered aquatic ecosystems from land around the world. This number does not include marine debris not made of plastic, or ocean-based marine debris, such as lost fishing gear and vessels. Plastic does not break down in the same way as natural materials, so it can continue to fragment into smaller pieces, making it even harder to locate and clean up.

23 million metric tons of plastic waste entered aquatic ecosystems in 2016

In 2016, 23 million metric tons of plastic waste entered aquatic ecosystems from land around the world. This is an enormous amount, but it is not the full picture. The figure does not include marine debris made from other materials, or ocean-based marine debris such as lost fishing gear and vessels.

The amount of plastic waste in the ocean is difficult to measure. The ocean is vast, with deep canyons and remote shorelines that are hard to reach. Once plastic is in the ocean, it is challenging to trace its origin or to quantify how much there is. Plastic does not break down in the same way that natural materials do, so the 23 million metric tons of plastic waste can continue to fragment into smaller pieces, making it even harder to locate and clean up.

A 2014 study estimates that there are 5.25 trillion particles (or 244,000 metric tons) of plastic floating in the ocean. A 2017 study found that 79,000 metric tons of plastic are floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The European Space Agency is planning to use new technology to measure the amount of floating ocean plastic from space. Another 2017 study estimated that 8.5 million metric tons of plastic settle on the ocean bottom each year.

Today, plastic production and use are still at their highest, but recycling rates are low: only about 10% of the plastic we produce is currently being recycled. The rest is either incinerated, causing air pollution, or it ends up in our oceans and the wider environment. Scientists have found plastic from Russia, the United States, Europe, South America, Japan, and China on Henderson Island, an uninhabited isolated atoll between Chile and New Zealand. Marine plastic debris usually groups together in garbage patches in the centre of the ocean's gyres. The biggest of these is the Great Pacific garbage patch, located between Hawaii and California.

Only 10% of plastic is recycled

Marine debris is a large and global problem. It can be very difficult to say how much enters the ocean and Great Lakes. Once marine debris is in the ocean, it can be challenging to understand where it came from, where it goes, or how much is there. A study by Borrelle et al. estimated that in 2016, as much as 23 million metric tons of plastic waste entered aquatic ecosystems from land around the world. This number may feel huge, but it’s not the whole picture. It doesn’t include marine debris items not made of plastic, or ocean-based marine debris, such as lost fishing gear and vessels.

Plastic doesn’t break down the way natural materials do, so this 23 million metric tons of plastic can continue to fragment into smaller and smaller pieces, and can be even more difficult to locate and clean up. A 2014 study estimates that there are 5.25 trillion particles (or 244,000 metric tons) of plastic floating in the ocean. A 2017 study found that 79,000 metric tons of plastic are floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Only about 10% of the plastic we produce is currently being recycled. The rest is either incinerated, causing air pollution, or it ends up in our oceans and environment. Less than 10% of all plastic trash ever produced has been recycled. Far too much of our collective time and energy are put towards second-worst options: is incineration worse than landfilling or better? Instead, we should be emphasizing upstream interventions, such as minimizing plastic production, switching to reusables, design for recyclability, and eliminating toxic additives.

Expanding deposit return laws on containers, enacting Extended Producer Responsibility laws for packaging to tether manufacturing companies to end-of-life management, and requiring that manufacturing companies use a minimum percentage of recycled content in their packaging will do far more to reduce plastic waste, along with the attendant GHGs and toxicity, than chemical recycling.

Floating plastic is easier to collect

Marine debris is a large and global problem. It is difficult to say how much enters the ocean and Great Lakes, and once it is in the ocean, it is challenging to understand where it came from, where it goes, or how much is there. A study by Borrelle et al. estimated that in 2016, as much as 23 million metric tons of plastic waste entered aquatic ecosystems from land around the world. This number may feel huge, but it does not include marine debris items not made of plastic, or ocean-based marine debris, such as lost fishing gear and vessels.

Most of the studies looking to answer this question focus on floating plastic, a portion of the problem that is easier to see and collect using nets. Floating plastic is easier to spot and collect using nets, and amounts are still debated. A 2014 study estimates that there are 5.25 trillion particles (or 244,000 metric tons) of plastic floating in the ocean. A 2017 study found that 79,000 metric tons of plastic are floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The European Space Agency plans to use new technology to measure the amount of floating ocean plastic that exists from space.

Because plastic doesn't break down the way natural materials do, the 23 million metric tons of plastic can continue to fragment into smaller and smaller pieces, which can be even more difficult to locate and clean up. Marine plastic debris usually groups up in what we call garbage patches, plastic accumulation areas, in the centre of the ocean's gyres. The biggest is the Great Pacific garbage patch, located between Hawaii and California.

Today, plastic production and use are still at their highest, but the data on recycling are not promising: only about 10% of the plastic we produce is currently being recycled. The rest is either incinerated, causing air pollution, or it ends up in our oceans and environment.

79,000 metric tons of plastic are floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Marine debris is a global problem and it can be very difficult to say how much enters the ocean. A study by Borrelle et al. estimated that in 2016, as much as 23 million metric tons of plastic waste entered aquatic ecosystems from land around the world. However, this number doesn't include marine debris items not made of plastic, or ocean-based marine debris, such as lost fishing gear and vessels.

A 2017 study found that 79,000 metric tons of plastic are floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is located between Hawaii and California. This figure is up to 16 times higher than previously estimated and is the equivalent of 1.8 trillion pieces of trash. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is twice the size of Texas and is getting bigger.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the biggest of the garbage patches, or plastic accumulation areas, in the centre of the ocean's gyres. Plastic makes up 99.9% of the debris in the patch, with the rest being made up of other materials. The patch is four times the size of California and is a swirling oceanic graveyard where everyday objects get deposited by the currents.

The plastics in the patch eventually disintegrate into tiny particles that often get eaten by fish and may ultimately enter our food chain. The Ocean Cleanup Foundation found that nets made up a surprising proportion of the waste.

8.5 million metric tons of plastic settle on the ocean floor per year

Marine debris is a large and global problem, and it can be very difficult to say how much enters the ocean and Great Lakes. A study by Borrelle et al. estimated that in 2016, as much as 23 million metric tons of plastic waste entered aquatic ecosystems from land around the world. This number may feel huge, but it’s not the whole picture. It doesn’t include marine debris items not made of plastic, or ocean-based marine debris, such as lost fishing gear and vessels.

Plastic doesn’t break down the way natural materials do, so this 23 million metric tons of plastic can continue to fragment into smaller and smaller pieces, making it even more difficult to locate and clean up.

According to National Geographic, scientists found plastic from Russia, the United States, Europe, South America, Japan, and China on Henderson Island, an uninhabited isolated atoll halfway between Chile and New Zealand. Marine plastic debris usually groups up in what we call garbage patches, plastic accumulation areas, in the centre of the ocean’s gyres. The biggest is the Great Pacific garbage patch, located between Hawaii and California.

A 2017 study found that 8.5 million metric tons of plastic settle on the ocean floor per year. This is in addition to the plastic that floats in the ocean, which is easier to spot and collect using nets. The amount of floating plastic is still debated, but a 2014 study estimates that there are 5.25 trillion particles (or 244,000 metric tons) of plastic floating in the ocean. Another study in 2017 found that 79,000 metric tons of plastic are floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

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