Brian Barton
Marine pollution, also known as ocean pollution, is a growing problem in today's world. It is caused by a combination of chemical contamination and trash, with plastic waste making up 80% of all marine pollution. The majority of plastic pollution in the ocean is caused by littering and the use of disposable plastic items such as food wrappings, plastic bags, bottles, and razors, which are not properly disposed of and eventually make their way into waterways and the ocean. In addition, the oil and gas industry's routine operations emit toxic by-products, release high levels of greenhouse gases, and lead to thousands of spills in US waters annually. These spills can have long-lasting impacts on both the ocean and the air, with oil lingering for decades and causing irreversible damage to marine ecosystems. Furthermore, nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff from sources such as septic tanks, vehicles, farms, and livestock ranches, also contributes to ocean pollution. While some countries have enacted regulations to limit or ban disposable plastic items, the presence of plastic in the ocean continues to increase, posing threats to marine life, human health, and ecosystems.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of pollution | Chemical contamination, trash, fossil fuels, noise, oil spills |
| Specific examples of trash | Plastic, disposable plastic items, plastic bags, water bottles, drinking straws, yogurt containers, detergent bottles, crates, buoys, combs, cigarette butts, bottle caps, food wrappers, fishing gear, fishing nets, microplastics |
| Causes of pollution | Human activities, nonpoint source pollution, runoff, septic tanks, vehicles, farms, livestock ranches, timber harvest areas, point source pollution, oil spills, chemical spills, faulty factories, water treatment systems, fertilizer, littering, storm winds, poor waste management, industrial fishing, burning fossil fuels |
| Effects of pollution | Unsafe water for humans and wildlife, closed beaches, negative health outcomes, entanglement and ingestion of plastic by marine animals, cancer, behavioral changes, infertility, algal blooms, harm to fishing and tourism industries, reduced oxygen levels in the ocean |
| Solutions | Prevention, cleanup, reducing plastic use, using biodegradable plastics, limiting or banning disposable plastic items, using organic fertilizers, using reusable bottles and utensils |
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What You'll Learn
Fossil fuels and greenhouse gases
Fossil fuels are a major contributor to ocean pollution. The burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which intensifies the greenhouse effect, leading to climate change and global warming. This, in turn, causes ocean warming and sea-level rise, with sea levels having risen about 9 inches since the late 1800s. The warming of the ocean also reduces its ability to absorb carbon dioxide, further contributing to the greenhouse effect.
The burning of fossil fuels has increased steadily since the invention of the first coal-fired steam engines in the 1700s. Today, we burn over 4,000 times more fossil fuels than we did in 1776. As a result, the Earth's ecosystems are being altered, and both human and environmental health is suffering. The carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels is returned to the atmosphere at a rate much faster than it can be removed by the carbon cycle. This excess carbon dioxide accumulates in the atmosphere and dissolves in the ocean, causing ocean acidification.
Ocean acidification is a significant consequence of burning fossil fuels. The ocean absorbs a significant portion of the carbon dioxide emitted, changing its chemistry and increasing its acidity. This increase in acidity makes it more difficult for marine organisms to build shells and coral skeletons. Over the last 150 years, ocean acidity has increased by about 30%, posing threats to coral reefs, fishing, tourism, and the economy. The shellfish industry, for example, is vulnerable to ocean acidification, with potential losses of over $400 million annually by 2100.
In addition to ocean acidification, the extraction, transportation, and refining of fossil fuels can lead to oil spills that harm wildlife, destroy habitats, erode shorelines, and result in beach closures. Oil spills can have long-lasting impacts on the ocean and the air, and even the most advanced cleanup efforts may not be able to remove all the oil. Chemical dispersants used in spill response are also dangerous pollutants.
Furthermore, the plastic industry, which is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, contributes to ocean pollution. Over 99% of plastics are made from fossil fuels, and a significant portion of plastic waste ends up in the ocean, killing wildlife and polluting the food chain. The presence of plastic in the ocean can entangle marine life and be ingested by various organisms, including fish, whales, turtles, and seabirds.
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Oil spills
Overall, oil spills are a significant threat to marine life and ecosystems, and can have far-reaching consequences for both the environment and human communities.
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Plastic pollution
Plastic is one of the most enduring materials ever created, with the ability to persist in the environment for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. This durability becomes a problem when plastic ends up in the ocean, where it can cause serious harm to marine life and ecosystems. Entanglement and ingestion of plastic have been found to impact 914 megafaunal species, with more than 100 of these being endangered. Floating plastic debris can also transport coastal organisms far from their usual environments, allowing them to spread and thrive in new areas, upsetting the delicate balance of marine ecosystems.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located between Hawaii and California, is a stark example of the consequences of plastic pollution. This garbage patch has 180 times more plastic than biomass, indicating that plastic could be a primary food source for organisms in the region. Whales, turtles, seals, and other marine life have been observed entangled in plastic or with plastic fragments in their mouths or stomachs.
The impact of plastic pollution extends beyond the immediate harm to marine life. Plastic pollution can also contaminate our beaches, affect the fishing and tourism industries, and result in high cleanup costs for coastal communities. Furthermore, plastic pollution contributes to the destruction of ecosystems, with potential knock-on effects on coastal economies that depend on healthy marine ecosystems.
To address plastic pollution, it is crucial to improve waste management practices. Currently, only about 10% of the plastic we produce is recycled, with the rest being incinerated, ending up in landfills, or polluting our oceans and the environment. By improving waste management, particularly in low-to-middle-income countries where mismanaged waste is more prevalent, we can significantly reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in our oceans.
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Noise pollution
One of the primary sources of ocean noise pollution is commercial shipping. Cargo ships can emit noise levels of up to 190 decibels, which is comparable to the noise of a rock concert or a plane taking off. The noise is mainly generated by a ship's propeller cavitation, hull vibrations, and diesel engines. As shipping accounts for up to 90% of internationally traded goods, the constant presence of vessels significantly contributes to the rising noise levels in the ocean.
Oil and gas exploration and extraction activities also generate impulsive and intense noise pollution. The petroleum industry uses airguns to search for fossil fuels in the seabed, creating explosive sounds that can have detrimental effects on marine life. Drilling machinery, propellers, and thrusters used in oil and gas production further contribute to the noise levels in the ocean, especially in coastal and continental shelf waters.
Military activities, including sonar operations and explosions, are another significant source of ocean noise pollution. Naval sonar devices emit signals of up to 240 decibels to detect submarines, screening and sonifying entire ocean areas. The use of active sonar has been linked to mass strandings of whales and other cetaceans, indicating severe disorientation and injury in these marine mammals.
The impact of noise pollution on marine life is profound. Many marine species, especially mammals like whales, dolphins, and porpoises, rely heavily on sound for communication, navigation, finding food, and avoiding predators. Noise pollution interferes with their natural behaviours and ability to communicate, disrupting their survival strategies. It can also cause hearing loss and indirect injuries, such as decompression sickness and skin damage, when animals panic and ascend too quickly to escape the noise.
To mitigate ocean noise pollution, efforts are being made to implement quieter technologies and regulate noise-intensive activities. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has established guidelines to reduce underwater noise from shipping, encouraging quieter ship designs and slower ship speeds. Industries are exploring quieter alternatives, and technologies like bubble curtains are being used during offshore construction to absorb and scatter sound waves. Declaring noise-sensitive habitats as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can also help regulate disruptive activities in critical regions. Additionally, a shift towards renewable energy sources, such as tidal and wave energy, can reduce the overall noise levels in the ocean.
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Chemical contamination
Marine pollution is a pressing issue, with a combination of chemicals and trash contaminating the oceans. Chemical contamination, or nutrient pollution, is a significant concern for health, environmental, and economic reasons. This type of pollution occurs when human activities, such as the use of fertilizer on farms, lead to the runoff of chemicals into waterways that eventually flow into the oceans.
Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, also known as eutrophic pollution, has a far-reaching impact on ocean bodies, particularly in coastal areas near estuaries. Agriculture is a major contributor to this type of pollution, with the runoff of excess nutrients from animal manure and chemical fertilizers. On average, around 20% of nitrogen fertilizer is lost through surface runoff or leaching into groundwater, and a portion of the remaining 80% can vaporize and eventually make its way into the ocean. Atmospheric deposition and industrial emissions also contribute significantly to nitrogen pollution in the oceans.
The increased concentration of chemicals in the coastal ocean promotes the growth of algal blooms, which can be toxic to marine life and harmful to humans. These algal blooms, when they die off, cause severe oxygen depletion in the water, creating "dead zones" where fish and other organisms struggle to survive. This, in turn, impacts fisheries and tourism, affecting local economies.
In addition to agricultural and industrial chemicals, the oceans are contaminated by toxic by-products and spills from the oil and gas industry. Oil spills can have irreversible consequences for delicate marine ecosystems, lingering for decades. Even with advanced cleanup efforts, only a fraction of the oil may be removed, and sometimes hazardous technologies or chemical dispersants are used, which themselves become pollutants.
Furthermore, the burning of fossil fuels contributes to ocean acidification, altering the pH of surface waters. This problem is rapidly worsening, with oceans acidifying at a rate unprecedented in the last 300 million years. The increasing acidity of the ocean surface disrupts marine ecosystems and the coastal economies that depend on them.
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Frequently asked questions
Industries pollute the ocean through oil spills, fossil fuel emissions, toxic by-products, and the release of high levels of greenhouse gases.
Industrial pollution has far-reaching consequences for the ocean and its ecosystems. Oil spills, for example, can ensnare and suffocate marine animals, damage their health, and make coastal areas unsafe for humans and wildlife.
Plastic waste, including disposable items like shopping bags, bottles, and fishing gear, makes up a significant portion of industrial ocean pollution. This waste can take hundreds of years to degrade, persisting in the environment and harming marine life.
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon emissions, which are absorbed by the ocean and lead to acidification. This alters the pH of surface waters and disrupts marine ecosystems.
