Alexei Volkov
Plastic waste in the ocean is a pressing global issue, with plastic accumulating in oceans and on beaches, causing a direct and deadly effect on wildlife. One of the most well-known areas of plastic accumulation is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located in the north-central Pacific Ocean, which is the largest accumulation of plastic in the world. While it is important to address the role of individual countries in contributing to ocean plastic pollution, it is also crucial to recognize that this is a global problem that requires collective action from governments, businesses, communities, and individuals. Developing countries, particularly those with inadequate waste management infrastructure, are often the highest quantifiers of ocean plastic. However, high-income countries also play a significant role in plastic pollution, either by generating high amounts of plastic waste or by exporting it to other countries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amount of plastic entering oceans yearly | 1 to 2 million tonnes |
| Previous estimates of plastic entering oceans yearly | 8 million tonnes |
| Region with the most plastic waste in the ocean | Asia |
| Asian countries that contribute the most plastic waste in the ocean | India, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, and the Philippines |
| Non-Asian countries that contribute the most plastic waste in the ocean | Brazil |
| Country with the highest per capita plastic waste | United States |
| Country with the most plastic waste in the ocean | Philippines |
| Country with the second-most plastic waste in the ocean | India |
| Largest accumulation of plastic in the open ocean | The Great Pacific Garbage Patch |
| Size of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch | Thrice the size of France |
| Location of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch | Between Hawaii and California |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The GPGP is a collection of marine debris, or microplastics, which are tiny pieces of plastic that are often microscopic and cannot be seen by the naked eye. The microplastics give the water a cloudy soup appearance and are intermixed with larger items such as fishing gear and shoes. The patch formed gradually as a result of ocean or marine pollution gathered by ocean currents, specifically the California Current, the North Equatorial Current, the Kuroshio Current, and the North Pacific Current. These currents create a convergence zone where warm water from the South Pacific meets cooler water from the Arctic, acting like a highway that moves debris from one patch to another.
The amount of debris in the GPGP accumulates because much of it is not biodegradable. Instead, plastics simply break into smaller pieces, known as microplastics. The microplastics in the GPGP are dominated by stronger, more buoyant plastics that have been transported over extended distances and persist at the sea surface. Once these plastics enter the gyre, they are unlikely to leave until they degrade into smaller microplastics under the effects of the sun, waves, and marine life.
Research has indicated that the patch is rapidly accumulating, increasing "10-fold each decade" since 1945. By simulating concentration levels, researchers have been able to follow the location of the patch, demonstrating significant seasonal and interannual variations. On average, the patch orbits around 32°N and 145°W, with seasonal shifts from west to east and substantial variations in latitude.
The Ocean Cleanup project has been working to clean up the GPGP, and by the end of 2024, they had removed more than one million pounds of trash from the patch.
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Mismanaged waste in Asia
Southeast Asia is a hotspot for plastic pollution, largely due to rapid urbanization, a growing middle class, and undeveloped waste management infrastructure. Countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand are some of the major contributors to mismanaged plastic waste. Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam have large coastal populations, which is a significant factor in polluting the ocean with plastics. These Southeast Asian countries produce over 1.5 million metric tons of mismanaged plastics annually. Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are the top five countries for the production of large municipal solid waste, at 1.14 kg/capita/day worldwide.
In addition to the Philippines, over 75% of the accumulated plastic in the ocean comes from the mismanaged waste in Asian countries, including India, Malaysia, China, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Brazil, the only non-Asian country in the top 10. A 2017 study estimated that Asian countries contributed 86% of plastic emissions to the ocean. Most of the plastic waste found in the ocean comes from litter in parks, beaches, or storm drains, which is then carried into drains, streams, and rivers by wind and rainwater runoff. Rivers then transport the plastic to the oceans.
Southeast Asian nations have taken steps to curtail the pollution issue. In 2018, Malaysia implemented a roadmap toward zero single-use plastics, aiming for a cleaner and healthier environment by 2030. Malaysia has also returned 4,120 tons of plastic waste to 13 countries and shut down 200 illegal plastic recycling centers since 2019. Thailand restricted electronic waste imports and pledged to end plastic waste imports by 2021. ASEAN launched the Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN Member States (2021-2025), outlining 14 priority actions to strengthen policies, build capacity and awareness, and enhance recycling and waste management. SEA-MaP, financed by a $20 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA), supports ten of the 14 priority actions, including policy support, innovation, and capacity building.
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Plastic from rivers
Plastic waste in rivers is a significant contributor to ocean plastic pollution. Rivers carry plastic waste across continents, acting as "plastic superhighways" that transport plastic from inland areas to the oceans. Mismanaged waste, such as litter in parks, beaches, or street storm drains, is carried by wind and rainwater runoff into rivers, which eventually lead to the sea.
A recent UC Santa Barbara-led study, spanning four continents and eight countries, collected one of the largest datasets on plastic pollution in rivers. This study, published in the Journal of Environmental Management, provided insights into the nature of plastic pollution in rivers and how to address it. Local communities played a crucial role in this study by implementing technology to remove plastic from rivers, engaging with governments, and improving local conditions.
The Ocean Cleanup organization has developed Interceptor solutions to combat river plastic pollution. These Interceptors are deployed in rivers worldwide to halt the flow of plastic into the oceans. One such example is the Interceptor Barricade installed in the Rio Las Vacas in Guatemala, which consists of two booms upstream and downstream to effectively capture plastic waste. The Interceptor Guard, designed for shallow waters, was first used in D'Aguilar Gully in Kingston Harbour, Jamaica.
The organization's model combines data on plastic waste, land use, wind, precipitation, and rivers to predict plastic emissions for each river. By working with governments, private corporations, and the scientific community, The Ocean Cleanup aims to tackle the 1000 most polluting rivers, which account for nearly 80% of global annual riverine plastic emissions.
It is estimated that intercepting plastic in rivers can be much more cost-effective than dealing with the consequences downstream. By addressing plastic pollution in rivers, we can reduce the amount of plastic entering the oceans and mitigate the environmental and economic impacts on marine ecosystems.
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Plastic waste exports
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located between Hawaii and California, is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world. While the plastic waste found in the oceans comes from litter in parks, beaches, or storm drains, a large chunk of ocean plastic comes from discarded fishing nets.
Rich countries tend to produce the most plastic waste per person, but the most important factor in plastic pollution is the mismanagement of waste, which is more common in low-to-middle-income countries due to poorer waste management infrastructure. Middle-income countries, particularly in Asia, are the source of most of the plastic flowing into the ocean today. A 2017 study estimated that Asian countries contributed 86% of plastic emissions to the ocean, with China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Myanmar among the top emitters.
Wealthy countries have been exporting their plastic waste to other nations, marking it as recycled, and pretending that it will be processed properly. The top exporters are high-income, developed nations, with Germany, Japan, the UK, and the Netherlands exporting the most. Together, the top 10 countries are responsible for 71% of all plastic waste exports, amounting to more than 4.4 million tonnes per year. While some countries have reduced their plastic waste exports, others have increased them, such as Canada, the Netherlands, and Japan. The main importers are relatively poorer nations, with Turkey, Vietnam, and several African and Asian countries seeing a significant increase in plastic waste imports.
In 2023, the European Parliament voted to ban plastic waste exports to non-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, a measure expected to come into force by 2027. The United States is also facing pressure to stop exporting plastic waste to countries with poor waste management, in line with the Basel Convention Plastic Waste Amendments.
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Top polluting countries
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located between Hawaii and California, is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world. While it is difficult to pinpoint exactly which countries are the top polluters, several sources agree that the Philippines is the top ocean plastic polluter, contributing 36.4% of the world's plastic ocean trash. The country's plastic waste is estimated to reach the ocean due to its smaller land area, lengthy coastline, high rainfall, and inadequate waste management infrastructure.
Following the Philippines, the rest of the top 10 ocean plastic-polluting countries are developing nations, including India, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Thailand. These countries are more prone to having their plastic waste end up in the ocean due to factors such as smaller geographical areas, longer coastlines, higher rainfall, and poor waste management systems. Middle-income and low-income countries that demand plastics and receive bulk exports have yet to develop the infrastructure needed to process it.
While high-income countries like the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Mexico produce high amounts of plastic waste, they are better at processing it or exporting it to other countries. Their plastic waste is more likely to end up in landfills rather than the ocean.
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Frequently asked questions
The Pacific Ocean has the largest accumulation of plastic waste, known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is estimated to contain 100,000 tonnes of plastic, which is equivalent to over 740 Boeing 777s.
Plastic enters the ocean due to mismanaged waste, which is more common in low-to-middle-income countries with inadequate waste management infrastructure. Rivers that flow into the ocean are a significant source of plastic pollution, with around 1500 rivers contributing 80% of the world's plastic trash in the oceans.
Developing countries, particularly in Asia, are responsible for the highest quantities of ocean plastic. The Philippines is the leading country, contributing 36.4% of the world's plastic ocean trash. Other countries in the top 10 include India, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Brazil.
Plastic pollution in the oceans has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife, with thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals, and other marine mammals dying each year from ingesting plastic or getting entangled in it. It also poses risks to human health, as plastic can enter the food chain and be ingested by people who consume seafood.
