The Ocean's Plastic Problem: 1960'S Legacy

Plastic pollution in the ocean is one of the most pressing environmental issues today. While the exact amount of plastic in the ocean in 1960 is unknown, it is believed that the amount of plastic in the ocean has tripled since the 1960s, with the most significant increase occurring between the 1990s and 2000s. The increase in plastic pollution is attributed to the widespread use of plastic and the lack of proper waste management practices.

Plastic in the North Atlantic has tripled since the 1960s

Plastic pollution in the world's oceans is a critical environmental issue. The amount of plastic in the North Atlantic Ocean has tripled since the 1960s, with the most significant increase occurring from the 1990s to the 2000s. This finding was made possible by examining the logs of the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR), a torpedo-shaped device that has been sampling the North Atlantic for plankton since the 1930s.

The CPR has travelled over 7.4 million miles in the North Atlantic, often dragged behind fast-moving container ships and ferries. By analysing the logs, researchers found that plastic pollution in the North Atlantic has increased threefold since the 1960s. The study also revealed that the most common type of plastic encountered after 2000 was fishing gear, which is of particular concern given the North Atlantic Ocean's status as a major fishing ground.

The increase in plastic pollution in the North Atlantic is part of a broader trend of plastic entering the world's oceans. It is estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 trillion pieces of plastic enter the oceans each year, with a significant proportion coming from middle-income countries, especially in Asia. The production and use of plastic have increased exponentially since the 1950s, becoming ubiquitous in households worldwide. However, the rapid increase in plastic production has resulted in a corresponding increase in plastic waste, with an estimated 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic discarded in landfills or the natural environment.

The impact of plastic pollution on marine life and human health has been well-documented. Efforts to address this issue are underway, such as the Ocean Plastic Innovation Challenge by the National Geographic Society and Sky Ocean Ventures, which seeks innovative solutions to tackle the plastic waste crisis. Additionally, improving waste management strategies, especially in low-to-middle-income countries, is crucial to mitigating plastic pollution. This includes reducing plastic waste, improving recycling practices, and investing in waste management infrastructure.

Marine pollution and its adverse effects were recognised in the 1960s

Marine pollution and its adverse effects have been recognised as a problem since the 1960s. While plastic pollution is a major concern today, in the 1960s, the pollution that scientists reported largely related to chemical, industrial, and sewage waste. It is challenging to calculate the amount of plastic in the ocean, but it is estimated that anywhere from 4.8 to 12.7 trillion pieces of plastic enter the ocean each year. One to two million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans yearly, and plastic waste generation more than tripled between the 1970s and 1990s.

In the 1960s, scientists from the National Academy of Sciences discovered that more than 100 million tonnes of waste had been dumped in the ocean. This waste included millions of tons of heavy metals and chemical contaminants, along with thousands of containers of radioactive waste. The realisation that plastic doesn't "go away" and that it breaks up into microplastics, led to the understanding that plastic pollution was a significant issue.

The first synthetic plastic, Bakelite, was produced in 1907, but rapid growth in global plastic production did not occur until the 1950s. The widespread use of plastic for fishing practices in the 1950s, as it was more economical and efficient than natural fibres, also contributed to the increase in plastic pollution. By the 1960s, plastic had become a mainstream material, and the earliest recorded case of marine plastic pollution dates back to 1965, when a plastic bag was found entangled off the coast of Ireland.

The increase in plastic pollution has had adverse effects on marine life, human health, and the planet. Plastic trash litters the oceans, affecting wildlife and ecosystems. Marine organisms, such as seabirds and turtles, are entangled in plastic, and plastic waste also enters the global food chain when consumed by small marine organisms. Light pollution, chemical pollution, and noise pollution are other types of marine pollution that disrupt the marine ecosystem.

Legislative attempts have been made to address marine pollution and remove plastic from waterways, such as the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act passed by the U.S. Congress. The London Convention, ratified in 1975, was the first international agreement to provide better protection for the marine environment, and the updated London Protocol in 2006 banned all wastes and materials except for a few specific items.

The Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) has been used to study plastic pollution since the 1930s

While it is difficult to calculate the exact amount of plastic in the ocean in 1960, researchers have been able to estimate the amount of plastic that entered the ocean during that time. One study estimates that one to two million tonnes of plastic entered the ocean yearly, while another study estimates that around one million tonnes of plastic ended up in the ocean each year.

The Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) has been used to study the ocean since the 1930s. The CPR is a torpedo-shaped contraption that has been sampling the North Atlantic for plankton since 1931. It is attached to the back of a boat via a metal wire and dragged along the water's surface. The small metal devices have travelled more than 7.4 million miles throughout the North Atlantic, often being dragged behind fast-moving container ships and ferries.

The CPR was originally designed to record pelagic plankton but has since been used to study plastic pollution. In 2015, researchers from Thompson et al. used the CPR to retrospectively count the amount of microplastics (plastic <5mm) within CPR samples along two transects in the northeast Atlantic. This study indicated a significant increase in microplastics from 1960–70 to 1980–1990.

The CPR has provided extensive information about the biodiversity of plankton and the distribution of introduced species. It has been essential to the design and implementation of most North Atlantic plankton research and has informed marine management issues such as harmful algal blooms, pollution, climate change, and fisheries. The CPR continues to be the principal source of large-scale, long-term information about the plankton ecosystem of the North Atlantic.

The data collected by the CPR has also been used to study the impact of plastic pollution on the ocean environment. By looking back through the CPR's logs, researchers have been able to see that plastic in the ocean has increased threefold since the 1960s, with the most dramatic increase happening from the 1990s to the 2000s. This data has helped to confirm the drastic increase in ocean plastic since the 1990s and has informed efforts to reduce plastic pollution and improve waste management practices.

The first plastic entanglement was recorded in 1965

While it is challenging to determine the exact amount of plastic in the ocean in 1960, studies indicate a notable presence of plastic pollution during that period. One study that examined data from 1957 to 2016 found that plastic entanglement on a towed marine sampler, known as the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR), increased over time, with the earliest record of plastic entanglement occurring in 1957.

The first instance of plastic entanglement specifically recorded in 1965 involved a plastic bag off the northwest coast of Ireland. This incident marked one of the earliest known instances of plastic entanglement and was within the same decade as the first reports of plastic ingestion by seabirds and marine turtles in the late 1960s.

The presence of plastic in the ocean in the 1960s can be attributed to the widespread use of plastic that began in the 1950s. During this time, plastic became a popular and economical choice for fishing gear and other marine activities due to its durability and buoyancy compared to natural fibres. As a result, plastic pollution in the ocean has tripled since the 1960s, with the most significant increase occurring from the 1990s to the 2000s.

The issue of plastic entanglement has become a significant environmental concern, especially for marine life. Over 100 species of seabirds are known to ingest plastic or become entangled in it, and entanglement is one of the primary environmental impacts of waste plastic. The increasing presence of plastic in the ocean poses threats to marine organisms and human health, highlighting the urgent need to address this global issue.

To address the plastic entanglement crisis, it is crucial to improve waste management practices, especially in low-to-middle-income countries where mismanaged waste is more prevalent. Additionally, reducing the use of single-use plastics and promoting recycling can help mitigate the amount of plastic entering our oceans. By tackling this issue on a global scale, we can work towards reducing the detrimental effects of plastic pollution on our marine environments.

Plastic production and use are still at their highest

While it is challenging to calculate the exact amount of plastic in the ocean in a given year, it is clear that plastic pollution has been increasing since the 1960s. The increase in plastic pollution is directly linked to the surge in plastic production and use, which has been at its highest in recent decades.

Plastic is a versatile, inexpensive, and sterile material used in a wide range of applications, including construction, home appliances, medical instruments, and food packaging. The global production of plastics has grown exponentially, reaching approximately 413.8 million metric tons in 2023. This represents a 1.6% annual increase, with the market value of plastics continuing to rise alongside production.

The widespread use of plastic has resulted in significant environmental concerns, particularly regarding plastic waste mismanagement. Despite the importance of recycling, incineration, and sealed landfills in managing plastic waste, it is estimated that only 9% of plastic waste is recycled globally. Richer countries tend to produce more plastic waste per person, but the mismanagement of waste is more prevalent in low-to-middle-income countries due to poorer waste management infrastructure.

The impact of plastic pollution is evident in the oceans, with studies indicating a significant increase in marine plastic since the 1960s. The North Atlantic Ocean, a hotbed for fishing, has seen a threefold increase in plastic pollution since the 1960s, with the most dramatic increase occurring from the 1990s to the 2000s. Visual evidence, such as plastic bags and plastic cigarette wrappers, confirms the presence of plastic pollution throughout the ocean, even in remote locations like the Mariana Trench.

To address the plastic waste crisis, it is crucial to improve waste management practices, especially in countries with higher mismanaged waste rates. The National Geographic Society and Sky Ocean Ventures have launched initiatives like the Ocean Plastic Innovation Challenge, encouraging innovative solutions to tackle the pressing issue of plastic pollution.

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