Bronte Wells
Oceans are one of the world's most valuable natural resources, and they are being flooded with pollution. Marine pollution is defined by the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as the introduction of harmful substances or energy by humans into the marine environment. This pollution comes from a variety of sources, including plastic, oil spills, carbon emissions, noise, and chemical pollutants. The majority of pollutants that enter the ocean come from human activities along coastlines and far inland. This includes nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff from septic tanks, vehicles, farms, and timber harvest areas, as well as point source pollution from oil spills, chemical spills, and faulty factories. Plastic pollution is a significant issue, with an estimated 10 to 14 million tons of plastic entering the ocean each year and taking hundreds of years to decompose. Nutrient pollution, caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus, also has detrimental effects on marine life and ecosystems. As a result of these pollutants, the health of marine ecosystems is degrading at an alarming rate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main sources of ocean pollution | Human activities, including nonpoint source pollution (runoff from septic tanks, vehicles, farms, etc.) and point source pollution (oil spills, chemical spills, faulty factories, etc.) |
| Types of pollutants | Plastics, chemicals, trash, noise, oil, carbon emissions, nutrient pollution, light pollution, nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, toxic metals, petroleum, pesticides, fertilizers, sewage, etc. |
| Impact of pollutants | Harm to marine life and ecosystems, negative effects on fisheries and tourism, contamination of food chain, impact on human health, economic losses, degradation of ecosystems, etc. |
| Solutions | Prevention through reduced plastic use and improved waste management, cleanup efforts, regulations and bans on disposable plastic items, education and citizen action |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic pollution
The primary source of ocean plastic pollution is littering, with single-use plastics like bottles, bags, and food wrappings being major contributors. Improper waste management exacerbates the problem, particularly in middle-income countries with growing plastic consumption and inadequate waste disposal systems. Rivers are the main conduit for plastic to reach the oceans, and about 80% of ocean plastic originates on land.
Once in the ocean, plastic accumulates in subtropical gyres, massive circular currents that trap plastic for extended periods. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located between Hawaii and California, is the most polluted and well-studied gyre. It is estimated to be twice the size of Texas and contains around 100 million kilograms of plastic, including fishing gear and discarded industrial waste.
The impact of plastic pollution on marine life is devastating. Seabirds, sea turtles, seals, and other marine mammals suffer from ingestion of plastic, entanglement, and internal injuries. It is estimated that by 2050, plastic will outweigh all fish in the sea, posing a critical threat to marine ecosystems and the species that depend on them.
Addressing plastic pollution requires urgent action. Efforts to reduce plastic consumption, improve waste management, and advocate for regulatory measures that recognize plastic as a hazardous pollutant are essential. The Center for Biological Diversity, for example, has petitioned the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate plastics under the Clean Water Act. Additionally, challenging the expansion of the fossil fuel industry's plastic production and promoting recycling are crucial steps in mitigating the plastic pollution crisis.
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Oil spills
Oil is a fossil fuel, the liquid remains of ancient plants and animals, and is used to make a wide range of products. Oil spills can occur during its extraction, transportation, or refinement. Oil spills at sea often occur from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs, and wells.
The environmental impact of oil spills is significant. Oil can coat shorelines, making beaches unusable, and causing damage to sensitive habitats such as mangroves and wetlands. Oil can penetrate the structure of the plumage of birds and the fur of mammals, reducing its insulating ability, and making them more vulnerable to temperature changes and less buoyant in the water. Oil spills can also result in the death or injury of many sea creatures, including birds, sea mammals, fish, algae, and coral.
The economic impact of oil spills can be devastating. Following the Prestige oil tanker spill in 2002, fishing was banned in large zones for over eight months, affecting fishermen, ship owners, and companies involved in the fishing trade. Oil spills can also impact property markets, making investment in coastal areas a risky endeavour.
Cleaning up oil spills is challenging, and often an incomplete process. Physical clean-up methods are very expensive and time-consuming. Chemical remediation is now the norm, using compounds to herd and thicken oil for physical recovery, disperse oil in the water, or facilitate burning the oil off. Controlled burning can reduce the amount of oil in the water, but it can cause air pollution and must be done in low wind conditions. Dispersants can break up oil slicks, but they have been shown to increase toxic hydrocarbon levels in fish. Other methods include the use of booms, floating barriers that contain the oil and prevent its spread, and skimmers, which can "skim" oil from the sea surface.
NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, plays a key role in responding to oil spills. They have developed software and modelling tools to predict how oil spills will change over time, how they will move and spread, and the potential harm they can cause to aquatic life. They also help evaluate best practices and techniques for oil spill response and cleanup.
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Chemical pollution
Marine pollution is defined by the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as "the introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the marine environment [...] which results or is likely to result in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources and marine life." Chemical pollution is a significant form of marine pollution that encompasses a range of synthetic substances that contaminate the marine environment. These pollutants can be broadly categorized into industrial, agricultural, and recreational chemicals.
Industrial Chemicals
Industrial chemicals are released into the ocean through various pathways, including factory runoff, chemical spills, and ineffective water treatment processes. These chemicals can include acids, alkalis, scrap metals, sludge, coal ash, and other toxic substances. One of the most well-known groups of industrial chemicals is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are notorious for their resistance to biodegradation. PFAS have been found in groundwater, surface water, and drinking water, and they eventually make their way into the ocean. Other industrial chemicals of concern include mercury, which is released from coal combustion and small-scale gold mining, and petroleum-based pollutants, which reduce photosynthesis in marine microorganisms and contribute to ocean acidification.
Agricultural Chemicals
Agricultural activities contribute significantly to chemical pollution in the ocean. The use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides in agriculture leads to runoff that ultimately flows into the ocean. Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, in particular, have a global impact on ocean bodies and are highly concentrated in coastal areas near estuaries. The increased concentration of these chemicals promotes the growth of algal blooms, which can be toxic to marine wildlife and harmful to humans.
Recreational Chemicals
Recreational chemicals, such as pharmaceutical, health, and beauty products, also contribute to marine chemical pollution. For example, sunscreens used by individuals during ocean activities can contaminate coral reef systems and other environmentally sensitive habitats. Additionally, household products with unknown ecological effects, such as cleaning supplies, can enter the ocean through sewage leaks and ineffective water treatment systems.
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Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution
Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential nutrients in seawater, and they play a crucial role in primary productivity. However, excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus contribute to nutrient pollution in coastal waters. This type of pollution is also called eutrophic pollution. Eutrophic pollution has a global impact on ocean bodies and is particularly concentrated in coastal areas near the estuaries of major rivers.
Agriculture is a primary source of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, through 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 up to 60% can vaporize into the atmosphere, later falling into the ocean. There has been a tenfold increase in global fertilizer use since the mid-20th century, and nitrogen discharges from rivers into the sea rose by 43% between 1970 and 2000. Other sources of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution include sewage and urban and industrial runoff.
To address nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, it is crucial to reduce the excessive use of fertilizers in agriculture and improve wastewater treatment processes to remove excess nutrients before they enter water bodies. Additionally, implementing better land management practices, such as buffer strips and riparian buffers, can help capture and filter out excess nutrients before they reach coastal waters.
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Carbon emissions
The ocean is the world's greatest ally against climate change. It absorbs excess heat and energy from rising greenhouse gas emissions, and acts as a carbon sink, absorbing around 30% of all carbon dioxide emissions. This is largely facilitated by the twilight zone, a specific ocean layer that houses the vast majority of marine life by weight. The twilight zone facilitates the removal of up to 6 billion metric tons of carbon from the upper ocean every year.
The ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide is driven by ocean currents and their differences in temperature and salinity. This process is known as the physical carbon pump, and it is the primary mechanism for transporting anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions into the deep ocean. In order to sink, water masses must cool down so that they become denser and heavier. This process occurs mainly in the polar regions because the solubility of carbon dioxide in colder water is particularly high, and the surface water is thus carbon-rich. The colder and more saline the water is, the deeper it sinks, taking the dissolved carbon with it to greater depths.
However, increasing carbon dioxide in the ocean alters the chemistry of seawater, causing ocean acidification, which has negative impacts on marine life. A 200-year increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, driven by human activity, has resulted in a 30% increase in seawater acidity. This has detrimental effects on marine life, such as the dissolving of shellfish. It is estimated that the US shellfish industry could lose more than $400 million annually by 2100 due to ocean acidification.
To address this issue, researchers are exploring solutions to minimize the effects of ocean acidification, such as the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques to better understand the biological effects of ocean acidification. Additionally, reducing CO2 emissions from ships is crucial in the fight against climate change. This involves moving away from traditional fossil fuels and investing in new technologies and sustainable alternative fuels.
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Frequently asked questions
The ocean is being flooded with two main types of pollution: chemicals and trash. The most common chemical pollutants include crude oil and other petroleum products, antifoulants, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. Trash in the ocean is mostly made up of manufactured products, most of which are plastic.
The ocean's dilution of pollutants depends on the type of pollutant and its location. Freshwater flow can affect the dilution of pollution loads in nearshore waters, and dams can increase the frequency of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) by altering freshwater flow into the ocean. The ocean's currents and gyres can help disperse pollutants, but some pollutants, like oil, can linger for decades and cause irreversible damage to marine ecosystems.
Ocean pollution poses serious threats to human health and well-being. Toxic chemicals become concentrated in the food chain and can impact human health. It is estimated that pollution is responsible for nine million premature deaths per year.
