Ocean Plastic Pollution: A Scale Of Devastation

Plastic pollution in the ocean is a pressing environmental issue. While the exact amount of plastic in the ocean is uncertain, it is estimated that there are 50-75 trillion pieces of plastic and microplastics currently in the ocean, with around 8 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean each year. This plastic pollution has devastating impacts on marine life and ecosystems, causing the extinction of marine species, health problems for humans and animals, and the destruction of ecosystems. The majority of plastic pollution in the ocean is caused by littering and improper disposal of plastic items such as food wrappings, bottles, and bags, which end up in waterways and eventually in the ocean. Additionally, a significant portion of ocean plastic comes from the fishing industry, with abandoned fishing nets and gear accounting for a large fraction of marine plastic. To address this issue, it is crucial to improve waste management practices, reduce plastic use, and promote recycling and responsible disposal of plastic waste.

Mismanaged plastic waste

The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year. While the amount of plastic waste produced is significant, the more pressing issue is how it is managed and where it ends up. Mismanaged plastic waste refers to waste that is not recycled, incinerated, or disposed of in sealed landfills. It includes materials that are burned in open pits, dumped into seas or open waters, or disposed of in unsanitary landfills and dumpsites.

The majority of marine litter is mismanaged plastic waste, primarily in the form of plastic packaging and small non-packaging plastic items (PPSI). Despite tougher laws and regulations that tackle pollution and improvements in plastic waste management, the increase in plastic waste generated by countries continues to outpace these efforts. The flow of PPSI can be considered slightly circular, with the 27 EU Member States achieving an average recycling rate of 41% in 2019. However, in many countries, waste management improvements struggle to keep up with the overall growth in plastic waste generated.

Poor municipal waste handling, inconsistent plastic recycling policies between countries, profit-first business models, and resource-hungry industries are among the main contributors to mismanaged plastic waste. While waste management is crucial, prevention and reduction of waste must be prioritized. The amount of mismanaged plastic waste varies across the world but tends to be much higher in low-to-middle-income countries due to poorer waste management infrastructure. Richer countries can contribute through foreign investments in waste management infrastructure in these countries.

It is estimated that around 0.5% of the world's plastic waste ends up in the oceans, with 1.7 million tonnes transported to the ocean annually. A significant portion of ocean-bound plastic originates from land, often mismanaged or simply thrown into the environment, making its way into rivers and the ocean. Over 80% of ocean-bound plastic comes from Asia, with European countries also contributing by shipping their plastic waste to these countries. The fishing industry is another significant source of plastic waste, with an estimated 10% of ocean waste consisting of ghost gear, such as fishing nets, traps, and lines lost at sea.

Plastic from fishing industry

While the exact amount of plastic in the world's oceans is uncertain, it is estimated that there are 358 trillion microplastic particles floating on the ocean's surface, with countless more found at the bottom of the seabed. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that around 14 million tons of plastic enter our seas annually, while other sources place this figure at 1 to 2 million tons.

A large portion of this plastic waste comes from the fishing industry. Abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is an ever-growing problem, with some estimates suggesting that 10% of ocean waste is ghost gear, including lost fishing nets, traps, and lines. These nets can be kilometers long and pose a significant threat to marine life, trapping and killing even large animals such as sperm whales.

Research by The Ocean Cleanup found that 75-86% of the plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) comes from offshore fishing and aquaculture activities, with the majority originating from the U.S., China, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula. This is in contrast to the global level, where emissions from rivers are the largest source of plastic pollution in the oceans.

To address the issue of plastic pollution from the fishing industry, preventative measures are key. Improved cooperation between organizations responsible for pollution from shipping and fisheries is crucial, as well as strengthening coordination at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

Plastic in food chains

The amount of plastic in the ocean is difficult to quantify, as it ranges from large fishing nets to tiny nanoplastics. However, it is estimated that around 80% of all plastic starts on land, with over 80% of ocean-bound plastic coming from Asia. Poor waste management, particularly in low-to-middle-income countries, is a significant contributor to the issue.

The presence of plastic in the ocean has severe consequences for marine life and ecosystems, with plastic waste jeopardizing aquatic life and human health. One of the most pressing concerns is the infiltration of plastic into the food chain. Most plastic in the food chain is in the form of microplastics, which are pieces of plastic smaller than 5mm. These microplastics can be found in seafood, including mussels, and can have detrimental effects on human health, including reproductive, neurological, and immune disorders.

Microplastics are pervasive in the deep ocean, where they are ingested by sea creatures such as larvaceans and red crabs. These organisms are then consumed by larger predators, allowing microplastics to spread throughout the food web and eventually make their way back to humans who eat marine animals. The impact of microplastics on organisms at the base of the food chain, such as plankton and microorganisms, is not well understood, but it has the potential to significantly impact the entire marine ecosystem.

The problem of plastic in the ocean is a global issue that requires collective action. Efforts to improve waste management practices and reduce plastic production can help mitigate the amount of plastic entering the ocean and, consequently, the food chain. By addressing the root causes of plastic pollution, we can work towards protecting marine life and human health from the detrimental effects of plastic contamination.

Plastic pollution solutions

Plastic pollution in the oceans is a pressing issue, with millions of tons of plastic debris floating in the water, posing a serious danger to marine life and ecosystems. While individual behaviour changes are important, they are insufficient to address the scale of the problem. A combination of legislative action, improved waste management, and public awareness is necessary to tackle plastic pollution effectively. Here are some key solutions to address plastic pollution:

Improve waste management:

The mismanagement of plastic waste is a significant contributor to ocean plastic pollution. Improving waste management practices, such as recycling, incineration, and sealed landfills, is crucial. This includes investing in waste management infrastructure, particularly in low-to-middle-income countries where mismanagement tends to be higher.

Reduce plastic production:

Legislative action that targets plastic producers and distributors is essential. Initiatives like the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act in the United States aim to introduce extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation, holding producers and distributors accountable for their products and packaging at the end of their life cycles.

Support organisations addressing plastic pollution:

There are numerous non-profit organisations working tirelessly to reduce and eliminate ocean plastic pollution. These organisations rely on donations and support from the public. Getting involved with or donating to organisations like the Oceanic Society, Plastic Pollution Coalition, Plastic Soup Foundation, and others can make a significant impact.

Individual behavioural changes:

While not sufficient on their own, individual behavioural changes can collectively make a difference. This includes simple actions like carrying a reusable water bottle, avoiding single-use plastics, opting for products with natural exfoliants instead of microplastics, and being mindful of the presence of microplastics in cosmetics.

Education and awareness:

Staying informed about plastic pollution and helping to raise awareness among friends, family, and the community is crucial. Hosting documentary screenings, sharing information, and educating others about the issue can contribute to a collective effort to address plastic pollution.

Plastic in ocean gyres

The five ocean gyres—the North Atlantic Gyre, the South Atlantic Gyre, the North Pacific Gyre, the South Pacific Gyre, and the Indian Ocean Gyre—are large systems of circulating ocean currents that drive the oceanic conveyor belt, helping to circulate ocean waters around the globe. While they circulate ocean waters, they also draw in the pollution released in coastal areas, known as marine debris. The most famous example of an ocean gyre's tendency to "take out our trash" is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located within the North Pacific Gyre. The patch is an area of concentrated (and mostly plastic) marine debris. While this is the most talked-about garbage patch, it is not the only one in the ocean.

In the last five years, researchers have discovered two more areas where a "soup" of concentrated marine debris collects—one in the South Pacific Ocean and the other in the North Atlantic. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an infamous garbage patch on the surface of subtropical oceanic gyres that proves plastic is polluting the ocean on an unprecedented scale. The fate of floating plastic debris "trapped" in these gyres, however, remains largely unknown.

The plastic particles in the North Pacific Gyre water column are mostly in the size range of particles that are apparently missing from the ocean surface, and the polymer composition of plastic in the water column is similar to that of floating debris circulating in its surface waters (i.e., dominated by polyethylene and polypropylene). Results from a recent whole-ocean emission-transport-degradation model suggest that a large part (>66%) of the plastic mass released from land into the ocean since the 1950s could have stranded or settled around the world's shoreline, possibly slowly circulating between coastal environments in repeated episodes of beaching, fouling, de-fouling, and resurfacing. The stranding, settling, and resurfacing in the coastal ocean lead to pre-gyre natural selection of debris, where only a fraction of debris with certain characteristics such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene survives.

The middle of the gyres are thousands of miles away from the mainland, and most of the debris in the gyres is not on the surface. Instead, there are millions of tiny microplastic particles too small to be caught in nets. An innovative project called The Ocean Cleanup is trying to clean up the larger parts of the floating plastic debris. However, the most advocated solution to decreasing the number of plastics in the ocean is to stop using and producing plastics.

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