Maya Ellison
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue that poses a serious threat to marine life. The ocean, with its diverse ecosystems and vulnerable species, is particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of plastic waste. From the tiniest seahorses to majestic whales, no creature is spared the deadly impact of plastic pollution. Marine animals face a dual threat from plastic ingestion and entanglement, with both leading to devastating consequences. Endangered species, such as the Hawaiian monk seal and Pacific loggerhead sea turtles, are among the victims of this crisis. As plastic waste infiltrates even the deepest recesses of the ocean and the most remote corners of the planet, it is imperative that we address this urgent problem before it's too late.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Marine animals affected | Seabirds, sea turtles, seals, whales, dolphins, seahorses, albatross, humpback dolphins, Hawaiian monk seals, Pacific loggerhead sea turtles, Steller sea lions, blue-striped grunt fish, invertebrates, fish, sharks, molluscs, great white sharks, orcas, finches, blue whales, invertebrates, jellyfish, sponges, coral, and hydrothermal vent communities |
| Plastic types | Microplastics, plastic bags, ghost fishing equipment, plastic bands, plastic nets, plastic ropes, plastic pots, plastic wrappers, plastic fibres, plastic microfibres, plastic bottles, plastic bottle caps, plastic cutlery, plastic straws, plastic cups, plastic wrappers, plastic films, plastic witch's fingers, plastic balloons |
| Impact | Suffocation, starvation, entanglement, injury, death, toxic contamination, bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals, biomagnification, infection, reduced ability to swim and fly, loss of limbs, vulnerability to predators, infertility |
| Plastic volume | 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans each year, with 640,000 tonnes being ghost fishing equipment. It is estimated that up to 13 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year. |
| Plastic sources | Land-based sources such as urban and stormwater runoff, littering, industrial activities, tyre abrasion, construction, and agriculture. Single-use plastic products such as bottles, caps, cigarettes, shopping bags, cups, straws, and cutlery. |
| Solutions | Ambitious reductions in plastic production, phasing out harmful subsidies, eliminating products and chemicals of concern, adopting strong national plans, compliance mechanisms, and measurable objectives. Moving to reusable alternatives, recycling, skipping plastic-wrapped produce |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic ingestion
One of the primary ways plastic harms marine animals is through ingestion, where it can lead to intestinal injuries and death. Fish in the North Pacific ingest 12,000 to 24,000 tons of plastic each year, contributing to the spread of plastic up the food chain to larger fish, marine mammals, and eventually humans. Microplastics, in particular, are easily consumed by wildlife due to their small size and can adsorb toxins, transferring them to the fatty tissues of organisms that ingest them. This poses a significant threat to apex predators such as great white sharks and orcas, as the toxins bioaccumulate in their bodies.
Seabirds are also highly susceptible to plastic ingestion, with an estimated 60% of all seabird species having eaten plastic. This number is predicted to rise to 99% by 2050. Plastic ingestion reduces the storage volume in the stomachs of seabirds, leading to starvation. Dead seabirds are often found with stomachs full of plastic, reflecting the rapid increase in ocean plastic pollution over the past few decades.
Marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, and seals, are also at risk of ingesting plastic. They may mistake plastic bags for prey, or inadvertently consume plastic through their contaminated prey. Dead whales have been found with bellies full of plastic, and plastic pollution has been observed to affect the reproduction rates of some marine mammals.
Additionally, plastic ingestion can lead to toxic contamination in marine animals. A single plastic particle can adsorb up to one million times more toxic chemicals than the surrounding water, and these toxins can build up in the fatty tissues of animals, leading to biomagnification up the food chain.
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Entanglement in plastic
Marine animals are facing a grave threat from the ever-growing plastic pollution in oceans. The problem has become a global crisis, with a direct and deadly impact on wildlife. Plastic pollution is affecting the natural ecosystems that operate on a cycle of renewal, where plants and animals grow, die, and become food for the next generation. The ocean, in particular, is vulnerable to plastic waste as it has no boundaries. Waves and storms carry plastics to even the furthest reaches of the ocean, where they accumulate into large gyres or become embedded in shorelines and delicate coastal ecosystems.
One of the main ways plastic pollution harms marine life is through entanglement. Large items of plastic, such as discarded fishing gear, ropes, nets, and pots, can trap and entangle marine animals, restricting their movement and making them vulnerable to starvation, injury, and predators. This is especially dangerous for marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, and seals, who can drown if entangled in plastic. Rare species like the humpback dolphin, found only in the waters around Australia and New Guinea, have been observed with plastic tightly wrapped around their bodies, cutting into their skin and leaving them susceptible to deadly infections.
Ghost fishing equipment, which includes gear that is deliberately discarded or accidentally lost at sea, is a significant contributor to entanglement. It continues to entrap marine creatures, leading to devastating consequences. For example, the contents of two ghost nets recovered from the waters around the Tiwi Islands and Darwin included the skeletons of dolphins, dolphinfish, turtles, blacktip reef sharks, and numerous reef fish, all victims of entanglement.
Endangered species are also at risk of entanglement in plastic. The habitats of critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals have been found to contain large amounts of plastic debris, including in areas that serve as pup nurseries. The endangered Steller sea lion has suffered injury and mortality due to entanglement in packing bands.
The impact of plastic pollution on marine life is widespread and devastating. Urgent action is needed to address this crisis and protect vulnerable marine ecosystems and the animals that inhabit them.
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Plastic waste and coral
Coral reefs are incredibly important, housing 25% of the world's biodiversity while covering less than 1% of the Earth's surface. However, they are one of the most endangered habitats due to natural and human-made stressors, including climate change, dredging, ocean acidification, and plastic pollution.
Plastic waste in the ocean is a major contributor to the degradation of coral reefs. Plastic debris can carry pathogens and other harmful microorganisms, increasing the risk of coral disease. The likelihood of disease in coral reefs increases from 4% in the absence of plastic to 89% when corals are in contact with plastic. Plastic waste also promotes microbial colonisation, with microbes attaching to plastic surfaces and infecting corals once they are wounded. This is especially true for structurally complex corals, which are eight times more likely to be affected by plastic. The more branched and complex the shape of the coral, the more likely it is to retain plastic debris.
Plastic pollution also physically damages corals. Marine debris, such as plastic fishing gear, can abrade and create open wounds in corals, exposing them to infection. Plastic bags can also scrape and damage coral structures. Microplastics further harm corals by constantly rubbing against them through the action of waves and currents. Microplastics can also be ingested by corals, blocking their digestive tracts and preventing them from feeding on nutritious food.
Research has shown that plastic pollution is heavily contaminating reefs in several countries, including Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar. The Asia-Pacific region, home to over half of the world's coral reefs, is estimated to have over 11 billion plastic items entangled in its reefs. It is critical to address plastic waste management and reduce the amount of plastic entering the ocean to protect coral reefs and the biodiversity they support.
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Plastic in food chains
Plastic in the ocean has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife. It has been estimated that plastic pollution kills 100,000 marine mammals every year. Marine plastics contribute to the deaths of marine animals in a variety of ways, including entanglement, injury, ingestion, and toxic contamination.
Large items of plastic can entangle marine mammals and fish, preventing them from escaping and leading to starvation, injury, and increased vulnerability to predators. Discarded fishing nets can also smother and break coral reefs, hindering their healthy growth. Plastic debris can travel far from its source, affecting marine life in remote areas like the Arctic and the beaches of Svalbard, Norway, which is about 600 miles from the North Pole.
Smaller plastic fragments can be mistaken for food by seabirds and other marine species, leading to suffocation, starvation, and toxic contamination. Microplastics, in particular, are easily consumed by wildlife because they are invisible to the naked eye. They can also absorb toxins, which can transfer to the fatty tissues of organisms that ingest them. As a result, toxins can move up the food chain and accumulate in the bodies of animals higher up the food chain, such as apex predators like great white sharks and orcas. This process is known as biomagnification, where the concentration of toxins increases at higher trophic levels.
Plastic has been found in the bodies of various marine organisms, including arrow worms, amphipods in the Mariana Trench, and baby sea turtles. It is passed from animal to animal, eventually reaching humans who consume seafood. Studies have shown that one-third of fish caught for human consumption contain plastics. The impact of plastic ingestion on marine life can be devastating, reducing stomach storage volume and causing intestinal injuries and death.
Efforts are being made to address the plastic pollution crisis. The Center for Biological Diversity has petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate plastics as pollutants and is working to stop plastic pollution at its source. Additionally, Swedish scientists are researching the effects of nanoplastics entering the brains of fish through the food chain, which has been linked to abnormal behavior in laboratory studies.
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Plastic pollution solutions
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue that affects all land, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. It is a significant contributor to biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and climate change. With an estimated 8 million tons of plastic entering our oceans each year, it is essential to address this crisis through collective action and global cooperation. Here are some solutions to tackle plastic pollution and protect endangered sea animals:
Reduce Plastic Production and Usage
The first step in addressing plastic pollution is to reduce the overall production and usage of plastic. This involves phasing out single-use plastics, such as plastic bags, straws, bottles, and packaging, and promoting reusable alternatives. Individuals can play a role by refusing single-use plastics, using reusable bottles and bags, and supporting businesses that adopt sustainable practices. Governments and industries should also invest in research and development to create more eco-friendly alternatives to plastic.
Improve Waste Management and Recycling
Proper waste management and recycling practices are crucial in preventing plastic pollution. This includes improving recycling infrastructure, encouraging public awareness of recycling guidelines, and enforcing proper waste disposal, especially in coastal areas. Implementing deposit-return schemes and extended producer responsibility programs can also help ensure that plastics are properly collected and recycled.
Support Policy Changes and Regulations
Advocating for policy changes and stricter regulations on plastic production, usage, and disposal is essential. This includes lobbying governments and organizations to recognize plastic as a hazardous pollutant and pushing for the adoption of global treaties, such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. By treating plastic pollution as a transboundary issue, we can ensure a coordinated global response.
Remove Legacy Plastics and Clean Up Efforts
Addressing the existing plastic pollution in our oceans and removing legacy plastics is vital. This involves investing in cleanup technologies and initiatives, such as ocean cleanup projects and coastal community efforts to remove plastic waste from beaches and waterways. Removing ghost fishing gear, such as abandoned fishing nets and ropes, is particularly important to prevent entanglement and harm to marine life.
Educate and Raise Awareness
Educating communities, especially those in coastal areas, about the impacts of plastic pollution on endangered sea animals is crucial. Raising awareness about the dangers of plastic ingestion and entanglement, as well as the long-term ecological consequences, can inspire behavioral changes and encourage individuals to take personal responsibility for their plastic consumption and disposal.
Promote Sustainable Alternatives
Encouraging the use of sustainable alternatives to plastic can help reduce plastic pollution. This includes promoting natural fibers and biodegradable materials in industries such as fashion and packaging. Individuals can also make conscious choices, such as choosing products with minimal plastic packaging or supporting companies that prioritize sustainability and eco-friendly practices.
By implementing these solutions and working together on a global scale, we can tackle plastic pollution and protect endangered sea animals from the devastating impacts of plastic waste.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic pollution has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife. Marine animals can die from eating and getting caught in plastic. They can also suffer from internal and external injuries that reduce their ability to swim and fly.
Seabirds, whales, fish, and turtles often mistake indigestible plastic waste for food. This is because small but visible plastic fragments can sit on the water's surface. Microplastics, on the other hand, are invisible to the naked eye, making them easy for wildlife to consume.
Ingested plastic can cause starvation as it fills up the stomach, giving the animal a false sense of fullness. It can also cause internal injuries, leading to a condition called plasticosis, which makes it harder for animals to digest their food.
Large items of plastic, such as discarded fishing gear, ropes, nets, and pots, can trap and entangle marine animals, making them vulnerable to starvation, injury, and predators.
Endangered wildlife like Hawaiian monk seals, Pacific loggerhead sea turtles, humpback dolphins, and Steller sea lions are among the nearly 800 species affected by plastic litter.
