Kiera Jefferson
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue that poses a significant threat to animal life. Animals, particularly marine creatures, are at risk of ingesting plastic or becoming entangled in it, leading to severe health issues and even death. The impact of plastic pollution on wildlife was first observed in 1966, and since then, the problem has only grown. With an estimated 15 to 51 trillion pieces of plastic in the world's oceans, no area of the ocean is untouched by this crisis. From seabirds to whales, thousands of animals die each year due to plastic ingestion or entanglement, causing internal injuries, intestinal blockages, starvation, and drowning. The durability of plastic and its ability to break down into microplastics further exacerbates the problem, as these tiny particles can be ingested by smaller organisms and accumulate in the food chain, ultimately reaching apex predators such as orcas. The toxic chemicals in plastics also pose a significant threat to animal health, with potential long-term consequences that are still being unravelled.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of plastic pieces in the ocean | 15-51 trillion |
| Number of plastic pieces in the ocean, annually | 8 million tonnes |
| Number of marine mammals killed by plastic, annually | 100,000 |
| Number of seabirds killed by plastic, annually | 1 million |
| Number of plastic pieces ingested by fish in the North Pacific, annually | 12,000-24,000 tons |
| Percentage of turtles with plastic marine debris in their stomachs | 32% |
| Percentage of seabird species that have eaten plastic | 60% |
| Percentage of seabird species predicted to have eaten plastic by 2050 | 99% |
| Percentage of whale, dolphin and porpoise species that have consumed plastic | 56% |
| Percentage of coral that comes into contact with plastic that will contract disease | 89% |
| Percentage of litter that is plastic | 80% |
| Number of tons of plastic that leak into oceans in Australia, annually | 130,000 |
| Number of tons of plastic that end up in the ocean, annually | 13 million |
| Number of tons of plastic that end up in the ocean, annually (alternative estimate) | 640,000 |
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What You'll Learn
- Ingestion: Plastic ingestion can cause intestinal injury, starvation, and death
- Entanglement: Animals get caught in plastic debris, causing injury, drowning, and death
- Toxicity: Plastic contains harmful chemicals, which can be fatal when ingested
- Bioaccumulation: Toxins build up in animals' fatty tissues, affecting marine apex predators
- Ecosystem disruption: Plastic waste affects natural ecosystems, threatening species survival
Ingestion: Plastic ingestion can cause intestinal injury, starvation, and death
Plastic ingestion is harmful to animals and can cause intestinal injury, starvation, and death. Marine animals, in particular, are highly vulnerable to plastic ingestion. This includes seabirds, sea turtles, marine mammals (such as whales and dolphins), and fish. These animals often mistake plastic for food or accidentally ingest it while feeding. Plastic bags, fishing gear, and microplastics are especially dangerous.
Sea turtles commonly mistake plastic sheeting and plastic bags for their jellyfish prey, which can get stuck in their digestive systems. This creates a false sense of fullness, reducing their urge to feed and leading to malnutrition and starvation. Similarly, plastic ingestion reduces the storage volume in the stomachs of seabirds, causing starvation.
Sharp or rough plastic debris can cause internal injuries by creating cuts in the digestive system, leading to infections and internal bleeding. Plastic can also cause intestinal blockages, which can be fatal.
The ingestion of plastic by wildlife was first observed in 1966 when researchers found plastic container lids and toys in dead Laysan albatross chicks. Plastic ingestion has been confirmed in over 700 species, and the number is expected to increase as wildlife continues to encounter human trash.
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Entanglement: Animals get caught in plastic debris, causing injury, drowning, and death
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue that has been increasing over the past 50 years. Marine animals, such as sea turtles, mammals, seabirds, fish, and crustaceans, are drawn to or accidentally entangled in plastic debris, netting, ropes, and monofilament lines. This entanglement can cause injury, drowning, and death, with smaller animals like dolphins, seals, and sea lions drowning immediately if the gear is large or heavy.
Entanglement in plastic debris can have severe consequences for marine animals, leading to injury, drowning, and death. Smaller animals, such as dolphins, seals, sea lions, and smaller sea turtles, are particularly vulnerable to drowning if entangled in large or heavy plastic debris. For example, plastic packing loops can tighten and cut into the flesh of growing animals, creating "lethal necklaces" that can lead to strangulation.
The problem of plastic entanglement is widespread, with over 80% of impacts associated with plastic debris. A recent study found that entanglement and ingestion of marine debris impacted 46,000 individuals and 663 species. Endangered species, such as Hawaiian monk seals and Pacific loggerhead sea turtles, are among those affected by plastic entanglement, with packing bands being the most common entangling material.
Rescue and response efforts are crucial in addressing entanglement. Organizations like NOAA Fisheries work with partners to prevent entanglements and rescue entangled animals, using specialized tools and techniques to safely free them. However, freeing entangled animals can be dangerous for both the animals and the rescuers. Techniques such as "kegging," which involves using grapples or hooks to attach to the entangling gear, are employed to disentangle large animals like whales.
The increase in plastic production and pollution poses a significant threat to marine life. With billions of pounds of plastic ending up in the oceans each year, the problem is growing into a crisis. The accumulation of plastic debris, including ghost fishing equipment, ensnares marine creatures, leading to injury, drowning, and death. The impact of plastic entanglement on marine animals is severe, and addressing this issue requires urgent action to reduce plastic pollution and improve waste management practices.
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Toxicity: Plastic contains harmful chemicals, which can be fatal when ingested
Plastic waste is harmful to wildlife and humans. Animals ingest plastic for various reasons, including mistaking plastic for food or accidentally consuming it while feeding. This ingestion can lead to intestinal blockage, internal injury, and even death.
Plastic contains thousands of harmful chemicals, which can be released during production or absorbed from the surrounding environment. These chemicals have been linked to serious health issues in animals, including liver toxicity, pathology, and cancer. One of the well-known toxic chemicals found in plastics is antimony trioxide, which is used in the production of PET plastics. It has been found that even after production, some antimony remains in the plastic, with the potential to enter the food and drinks it holds. This can lead to chronic exposure, causing health issues such as heart, liver, and kidney problems.
Another toxic chemical found in plastics is bisphenol A (BPA), which has been replaced with "BPA-free" alternatives that are allegedly just as harmful. In addition, the physical hazards of plastic ingestion can cause internal cuts, leading to infections and internal bleeding.
The ingestion of plastic by wildlife was first observed in 1966 when researchers found plastic container lids and toys in dead Laysan albatross chicks. Since then, it has been confirmed that over 700 species, including seabirds, fish, turtles, and marine mammals, have ingested plastic. This number is expected to increase as wildlife continues to encounter human trash.
The presence of plastic in the environment is a growing crisis. With the continuous production and usage of plastics, the problem of plastic pollution in our oceans and the harm it causes to wildlife will only worsen.
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Bioaccumulation: Toxins build up in animals' fatty tissues, affecting marine apex predators
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue that poses a significant threat to marine life. One of the ways in which plastic kills animals is through bioaccumulation, the process by which toxins build up in the fatty tissues of animals, particularly affecting marine apex predators.
Bioaccumulation occurs when animals ingest or absorb toxic chemicals present in plastic debris. These toxins can accumulate in the tissues of animals, leading to health issues. The toxins can enter the body of an animal when plastic is ingested directly or when an animal consumes another animal that has already ingested plastic. This means that toxins can bioaccumulate up the food chain, impacting top predators the most.
Plastics are derived from petroleum products, primarily oil, and natural gas. As plastics break down into microplastics and nanoplastics, they become small enough to be ingested by a wide range of organisms, from plankton to large marine mammals. These microplastics can pass through the digestive systems of some smaller organisms, but they can get stuck in the digestive tracts of larger animals, causing blockages and internal injuries.
Furthermore, plastics can absorb and release chemicals during their breakdown. They may absorb pollutants from the surrounding water, including persistent bioaccumulative and toxic substances (PBTs). These PBTs have been linked to adverse effects such as endocrine disruption, decreased fish populations, and reduced species diversity. In addition, chemicals added during the manufacturing process, such as flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), can be released and ingested by animals.
Studies have shown that apex predators, such as dolphins and whales, are at high risk of bioaccumulation. These predators consume large quantities of prey, including those that have ingested plastics. As a result, the toxins from plastics can accumulate in their fatty tissues over time, leading to health issues and potentially affecting their ability to reproduce and maintain ecosystem balance.
The impact of plastic pollution on marine life is a growing concern, and further research is needed to fully understand the extent of the damage caused by bioaccumulation.
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Ecosystem disruption: Plastic waste affects natural ecosystems, threatening species survival
Plastic waste is a significant threat to natural ecosystems and the survival of species. The ocean, in particular, is vulnerable to plastic pollution. Once plastic enters the sea, it can reach even the most remote and delicate ecosystems, from the deepest point of the Mariana Trench to uninhabited islands and the Arctic ice sheets.
The durability of plastic means that every piece of plastic ever created still exists in some form. Over time, plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually becoming microplastics. These microplastics are often ingested by marine animals, mistaking them for food or consuming them accidentally along with their prey. This ingestion can lead to intestinal injuries, starvation, and death. It is estimated that plastic kills up to a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every year.
Large pieces of plastic can entangle marine animals, restricting their movement, causing injuries, and increasing their vulnerability to predators. It is a common cause of drowning for marine mammals, who cannot breathe underwater. Plastic debris has been found in the habitats of critically endangered species, such as the Hawaiian monk seal, and has led to injuries and deaths in endangered species like the Steller sea lion.
Plastic waste also encourages the growth of pathogens in the ocean. Corals that come into contact with plastic have a much higher likelihood of contracting diseases. Furthermore, plastic can absorb and release toxic chemicals, which can bioaccumulate in the fatty tissues of animals, posing a significant threat to marine apex predators like orcas and great white sharks.
The impact of plastic pollution on natural ecosystems is far-reaching and devastating. It disrupts the cycle of renewal in ecosystems, threatening the survival of countless species and the integrity of the environments they inhabit. Urgent action is needed to address this growing crisis and mitigate the harmful effects of plastic waste on the natural world.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic can kill animals in several ways, including:
- Ingestion: Animals eat plastic, mistaking it for food. This leads to intestinal injury, internal bleeding, starvation, and even death.
- Entanglement: Animals get caught in plastic debris, which can restrict their movement, cause injury, or lead to drowning.
- Toxic contamination: Plastics can absorb and release toxic chemicals, which can be harmful to animals when ingested. These toxins can also bioaccumulate in the fatty tissues of animals, leading to higher concentrations of toxins in apex predators such as orcas.
It is estimated that 15-51 trillion pieces of plastic are currently in the world's oceans, with up to 13 million tons of plastic waste entering the ocean each year. Not a single square mile of surface ocean is free from plastic pollution.
Plastic enters the ocean through a variety of sources, including single-use packaging, consumer goods, clothing, and "ghost fishing equipment" (fishing gear that is deliberately discarded or lost by the fishing industry). Once in the ocean, plastic can be carried by waves and storms to even the most remote reaches, where it accumulates in large gyres or becomes embedded in shorelines and coastal ecosystems.
