Animals And Plastic: How Much Do They Ingest?

Plastic pollution is a growing problem, with plastic production expected to double by 2050. Animals are consuming plastic, with more than 200 species documented to be eating it, including turtles, whales, seals, birds, and fish. A sperm whale that washed up in Indonesia in 2018 was found to have 115 cups, 25 bags, four bottles, two slippers, and more than a thousand pieces of plastic in its stomach. It is believed that the whale starved to death as its stomach was so full of plastic.

Why do animals eat plastic?

It is unclear why animals eat plastic, but there are several theories. One theory is that animals eat plastic because it looks like food. For example, sea turtles often mistake flimsy, clear plastic bags for jellyfish. Similarly, a plastic bag floating under the water surface looks like a jellyfish to whale and dolphin species. Microplastics that break down in the water resemble marine particles, which many fish and crustaceans would naturally feed on.

Another theory is that plastic smells like food. Plastic debris has been accumulating rapidly in the world's ocean, roughly doubling every decade. In 2014, a global analysis measured ocean plastic at a quarter of a billion metric tons, much of it suspended in small rice-sized particles. More than 200 animal species have been documented consuming plastic, including turtles, whales, seals, birds, and fish. Seabirds are especially at risk; a study published by scientists in Australia concluded that virtually all seabirds have consumed plastic.

Plastic has severe consequences for animals. They eat less, obtain less energy, and weaken. Larger pieces of plastic can also block their gastrointestinal tract so that the plastic can no longer be excreted. In other cases, plastic is ground into small pieces in the stomach and then scattered everywhere. For example, the northern fulmar grinds and spreads millions of pieces every year. Some of it is left at abandoned nesting sites.

A sperm whale that washed up on the Scottish coast in 2019 had 220 pounds of plastic in its stomach. It is believed he starved to death as his stomach was so full of plastic. Another sperm whale that washed up in Indonesia in 2018 had 115 cups, 25 bags, four bottles and two slippers in its stomach. More than a thousand pieces of plastic were counted in the whale’s stomach and the total weight of plastic was six kilos.

How much plastic do animals eat?

Plastic debris has been accumulating rapidly in the world's oceans, roughly doubling every decade. In 2014, a global analysis measured ocean plastic at a quarter of a billion metric tons, much of it suspended in small rice-sized particles. More than 200 animal species have been documented consuming plastic, including turtles, whales, seals, birds, and fish. Seabirds are especially at risk; a study published by scientists in Australia concluded that virtually all seabirds have consumed plastic.

It is believed that marine animals eat plastic because it looks similar to the prey they eat. For example, a plastic bag floating under the water surface looks like a jellyfish, which many whale and dolphin species hunt. Microplastics that break down in the water resemble marine particles, which many fish and crustaceans would naturally feed on.

A sperm whale that washed up on the Scottish coast in 2019 was found to have 220 pounds of plastic in its stomach. It is believed that the whale starved to death because its stomach was so full of plastic. In another instance, a sperm whale that washed up in Indonesia in 2018 had 115 cups, 25 bags, four bottles, and two slippers in its stomach. More than a thousand pieces of plastic were counted in the whale's stomach, with a total weight of six kilos.

The northern fulmar grinds and spreads millions of pieces of plastic every year. Some of it is left at abandoned nesting sites. Fish eat plastic, and turtles eat plastic bags. Even whales have been found dead with tons of plastic in their stomachs. The stomach contents of the northern fulmar consist of an average of twenty-five pieces of plastic, according to long-term Dutch research.

What happens when animals eat plastic?

It is estimated that more than 200 animal species have been documented consuming plastic, including turtles, whales, seals, birds, and fish. Seabirds are especially at risk, with a study published by Australian scientists concluding that virtually all seabirds have consumed plastic.

When animals eat plastic, they eat less, obtain less energy, and weaken. Larger pieces of plastic can also block their gastrointestinal tract so that the plastic can no longer be excreted. In other cases, plastic is ground into small pieces in the stomach and then scattered everywhere. In this way, the northern fulmar grinds and spreads millions of pieces every year. Some of it is left at abandoned nesting sites.

Plastic production is increasing exponentially, with production in 2015 being 448 million tons, compared to 2.3 million tons in 1950. Production is expected to double by 2050. While the necropsies reveal a shocking bounty of inedible material, ingesting plastic isn’t generally a fast killer. However, in 2019, a sperm whale washed up on the Scottish coast with 220 pounds of plastic in its stomach. It is believed that the whale starved to death as its stomach was so full of plastic. Similarly, in 2018, a sperm whale washed up in Indonesia with six kilos of plastic in its stomach.

How does plastic get into the ocean?

It is unclear how much plastic animals eat, but it is known that more than 200 animal species have been documented consuming plastic, including turtles, whales, seals, birds, and fish. A sperm whale that washed up in Indonesia in 2018 had 115 cups, 25 bags, four bottles and two slippers in its stomach. The total weight of plastic was six kilos.

Plastic gets into the ocean through plastic production and pollution. Plastic production has increased exponentially over the years. In 1950, we produced 2.3 million tons of plastic. In 2015, we produced 448 million tons. Production is expected to double by 2050.

Animals eat plastic because it looks like their prey. For example, sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish. Microplastics that break down in the water resemble marine particles, which many fish and crustaceans would naturally feed on.

Larger pieces of plastic can block an animal's gastrointestinal tract, meaning the plastic can no longer be excreted. In other cases, plastic is ground into small pieces in the stomach and then scattered everywhere.

How can we stop animals from eating plastic?

Animals eat plastic because it looks like food. For example, sea turtles often mistake clear plastic bags for jellyfish. Seabirds are especially at risk, with virtually all of them having consumed plastic.

To stop animals from eating plastic, we need to reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean. This can be done by:

• Reducing plastic production and consumption: This involves using less plastic in our daily lives, such as opting for reusable alternatives to single-use plastic items.
• Properly disposing of plastic waste: Ensuring that plastic waste is disposed of responsibly and does not end up in the ocean or other natural habitats. This includes recycling and proper waste management practices.
• Cleaning up existing plastic pollution: Organising and participating in beach and ocean clean-up efforts to remove plastic debris from the environment.
• Educating the public: Raising awareness about the issue of plastic pollution and its impact on animals can help encourage people to reduce their plastic consumption and dispose of waste properly.
• Advocating for policy changes: Supporting and advocating for policies that address plastic pollution, such as bans on single-use plastics or extended producer responsibility for plastic waste.

By taking these actions, we can help reduce the amount of plastic in the environment and lower the risk of animals consuming it. It is important to note that the issue of plastic pollution is complex and requires collective efforts from individuals, communities, and governments to bring about meaningful change.

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