Brian Barton
The ocean is one of the most valuable natural resources on Earth, governing the weather, cleaning the air, helping feed the world, and providing a living for millions. However, human activities are polluting the ocean with trash, noise, oil, carbon emissions, and plastic. It is estimated that there are currently 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste in the ocean, with billions of pounds of trash and other pollutants entering every year. This plastic waste has a devastating impact on marine life and ecosystems, causing the deaths of over 1 million marine animals annually and endangering the health of humans and animals alike.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Marine debris | Plastic, oil, fertilizer, detergent bottles, crates, buoys, combs, water bottles, etc. |
| Marine debris accumulation regions | Kanapou Bay on the Island of Kaho’olawe in Hawaii |
| Plastic pollution | 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste currently in oceans, with 33 billion pounds of plastic entering the marine environment every year |
| Plastic waste as a percentage of world's plastic waste | 0.5% |
| Marine animals killed each year due to plastic pollution | Over 1 million |
| Percentage of species affected by plastic in the ocean that are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species | 17% |
| Types of damage caused by plastic to animals | Suffocation, entanglement, laceration, infections, internal injuries |
| Impact of plastic pollution on ecosystems | Floating plastic items can help transport invasive species, threatening marine ecosystems, biodiversity and the food web |
| Impact of plastic pollution on human health | Plastic materials are carcinogenic and can affect the endocrine system, causing developmental, neurological, reproductive and immune disorders |
| Sources of ocean pollution | Nonpoint source pollution (runoff from septic tanks, vehicles, farms, timber harvest areas, etc.), point source pollution (oil spills, chemical spills, discharge from faulty factories or water treatment systems), air pollution |
| Percentage of pollution to the marine environment that comes from land | 80% |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic pollution: the most pressing environmental issue
Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Plastics have become ubiquitous in our environment, and their production has sharply increased over the last 70 years. In 1950, the world produced just 2 million tonnes of plastic, compared to over 450 million tonnes today. While plastics have added value to our lives in various ways, the mismanagement of plastic waste has led to a global pollution crisis.
Every year, an estimated 1 to 2 million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans, affecting wildlife and ecosystems. This plastic pollution comes from a variety of land and ocean-based sources and enters the water in many ways. The majority of plastic pollution in the ocean is caused by littering and improper disposal of single-use plastic items such as food wrappings, plastic bags, bottles, and other disposable products. These plastics are carried by rivers and ocean currents, spreading pollution worldwide.
Once in the ocean, plastic debris can persist for hundreds or even thousands of years without fully biodegrading. Sunlight, wind, and wave action break down larger plastics into microplastics, which are tiny particles less than one-fifth of an inch across. These microplastics can be ingested by marine animals, leading to internal injuries and entering the food chain. Microplastics have been found in drinking water, salt, beer, soil, and even in human organs, raising concerns about potential harm to human health.
To address plastic pollution, a systemic transformation is needed. While recycling is important, it is not enough to solve the crisis. Instead, we must focus on preventing plastics from entering waterways through improved waste management systems, better product design, and a reduction in the manufacturing and use of single-use plastics. Individual actions, such as reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic products, can also make a significant collective impact. By addressing plastic pollution, we can protect our oceans, ecosystems, and the health of both humans and animals.
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Oil spills and carbon emissions
Oil Spills
Oil spills can occur anywhere oil is drilled, transported, or used, and they have severe ecological consequences. When oil spills happen in the ocean, coastal waters, or rivers, it can harm sea creatures, ruin beaches, and make seafood unsafe to eat. Oil spills can also have long-lasting impacts on the environment, with toxic chemicals remaining in the ocean for years and sinking down to poison the seafloor sediment.
One of the most well-known oil spills is the Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010, which affected the Gulf of Mexico. This spill had far-reaching consequences, impacting the immune systems of bottlenose dolphins and leading to the death of birds, fish, and other marine animals. Oil spills can also strengthen the biological carbon pump, a process that moves carbon from the surface ocean to the deep sea. This can result in the formation and sinking of marine snow at high rates, impacting corals, benthic fish, and other animals living on the seafloor.
Carbon Emissions
Carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels are another major source of ocean pollution. Oceans absorb a significant portion of the carbon emissions from the atmosphere, leading to acidification. The pH level of the ocean surface has increased by an estimated 30% since the start of the industrial revolution, and if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, the surface waters could become even more acidic in the coming years. This change in ocean chemistry disrupts marine ecosystems and the coastal economies that depend on them.
In addition to carbon emissions, noise pollution from human activities such as offshore oil and gas exploration can also impact ocean health. High-intensity sonar and seismic blasts from ships can disrupt the behavior of marine wildlife, leading to mass strandings and even pushing some species towards extinction.
The health of our oceans is of utmost importance for the well-being of our planet and all the life it sustains. It is crucial that we address the issues of oil spills and carbon emissions to protect and restore the delicate balance of our marine ecosystems.
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Noise pollution
Human activities such as shipping, recreational boating, oil and gas exploration, naval exercises, construction, and the use of sonar devices have introduced excessive noise into the ocean environment. These noises can interfere with the detection of acoustic signals produced by marine wildlife, leading to changes in individual and social behaviour, altered metabolisms, and hampered population recruitment. The constant underwater noise generated by vessels can cause "masking," where the communication of marine mammals is drowned out. For example, fin whales stop singing when noise levels are too high, and vessel noise has been linked to increased stress levels in right whales.
To reduce noise pollution in the marine environment, policies and technological innovations are needed to mitigate propeller noise from ships, sonar equipment, seismic air guns, pile driving, and construction. Reducing ship speeds can also lower noise emissions and decrease the risk of collisions with whales. Addressing noise pollution in the ocean is crucial, as it is a relatively easy issue to resolve compared to other ocean stressors, and can have immediate positive impacts on the health and recovery of marine ecosystems.
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Point source pollution
The majority of pollutants that enter the ocean are a result of human activities along coastlines and far inland. Point source pollution is defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as "any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged, such as a pipe, ditch, ship or factory smokestack". Factories, sewage treatment plants, and large farms that raise livestock are common sources of point source pollution.
Factories, including oil refineries, pulp and paper mills, and chemical, electronics, and automobile manufacturers, typically discharge pollutants in their wastewater, also known as effluents. Discharge from faulty or damaged factories or water treatment systems is considered point source pollution. Some factories handle waste material by mixing it with urban runoff in a combined sewer system. When it rains excessively, a combined sewer system may overflow, discharging directly into the nearest waterbody without treatment. This is considered point source pollution and can cause severe damage to human health and the environment.
Large farms that raise livestock, such as cows, pigs, and chickens, are another source of point source pollution. These farms are known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) or concentrated feeding operations (CFOs). If these farms do not treat their animals' waste materials, they can enter nearby water bodies as raw sewage, contributing significantly to the level and rate of pollution.
To control point source discharges, the Clean Water Act established the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Under the NPDES program, factories, sewage treatment plants, and other point sources must obtain a permit before discharging waste or effluents into any body of water. These point sources must use the latest technologies to treat their effluents and reduce pollutant levels before discharge.
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Nonpoint source pollution
One of the significant challenges with nonpoint source pollution is the difficulty in identifying a single, discrete location or source. Unlike point source pollution, which originates from a specific outlet such as a pipe or a spill, nonpoint source pollution is diffuse and comes from various small and large sources. For example, motor vehicles contribute to nonpoint source pollution by leaking small amounts of oil onto roads and parking lots, which eventually make their way into water bodies.
Agricultural practices play a significant role in nonpoint source pollution. Excess fertilisers, herbicides, and insecticides from agricultural lands can contaminate water bodies. Additionally, sediment from improperly managed crop and forest lands, as well as salt from irrigation practices, can have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems. Livestock operations also contribute to nonpoint source pollution through bacteria and nutrients from manure and wastewater.
Efforts are being made to address nonpoint source pollution. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed fact sheets and programs to help control and manage this type of pollution. Additionally, NOAA's Coastal Zone Management Program is working with coastal states to create nonpoint source pollution control plans. These initiatives aim to mitigate the environmental and economic impacts of nonpoint source pollution.
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Frequently asked questions
There is an estimated 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste currently in our oceans, with a further 33 billion pounds of plastic entering the marine environment every year. However, the exact amount of plastic waste in the ocean is uncertain.
Eighty percent of pollution in the ocean comes from the land. One of the biggest sources is nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff from septic tanks, vehicles, farms, and timber harvest areas.
Ocean pollution has devastating impacts on marine life and ecosystems. Marine animals often die from suffocation, entanglement, laceration, infections, and internal injuries caused by plastic debris. Plastic pollution also affects the health of humans and other animals, as microplastics have entered the food chain and been found in drinking water, salt, beer, and soil.
