Trash Pollution: Invading And Harming Animal Homes

Trash pollution has a devastating impact on animal habitats, causing severe consequences for wildlife. Animals can become entangled in plastic waste, leading to injuries or death, and may also mistake trash for food, causing internal damage and starvation. The ingestion of plastic waste can even lead to the reduction of stomach storage volume, making it difficult for animals to eat. Additionally, improper waste disposal releases chemicals and other harmful materials that contribute to climate change, impacting natural systems faster than expected.

Plastic ingestion blocking digestive tracts

Plastic ingestion is a major threat to wildlife, with a 2016 United Nations (UN) report finding that nearly 50% of cetacean and seabird species have ingested litter. When plastic is ingested, it can block an animal's digestive tract, leading to starvation and death.

Plastic ingestion can cause intestinal blockage, making it difficult for animals to pass food through their digestive system. This blockage can lead to a reduced urge to eat, as the animal feels full, resulting in poor nutrition and starvation. This is particularly common in sea turtles, which often mistake plastic bags for their jellyfish prey. The ingested plastic gets stuck in their digestive system, tricking their body into thinking it is full, and thus reducing their urge to feed.

The problem of plastic ingestion is not limited to marine life. A study of two key Baltic fish species, herring and cod, found plastic litter in the digestive tracts of 12.7% and 14.8% of the fish, respectively. The plastic had accumulated in their gills, impacting their ability to filter water and breathe.

Ruminants, such as cattle, are also susceptible to plastic ingestion, which can lead to ruminal impaction. This occurs when indigestible plastic accumulates in the rumen, causing indigestion, recurrent bloat, and other adverse health effects. The presence of plastic in the rumen can also release harmful chemicals into the animal's body, impacting their health and potentially entering the human food chain through meat and milk products.

The impact of plastic ingestion on animal digestive tracts is a serious issue, leading to starvation, health complications, and death. It is important to address this issue through proper waste disposal, recycling, and reducing plastic consumption to protect wildlife and maintain healthy ecosystems.

Entanglement in plastic debris

Plastic debris is one of the most significant threats to marine wildlife. Plastic pollution breaks down into microplastics, wreaking havoc on wildlife. Marine animals of all shapes and sizes can find themselves entangled in plastic debris, trapped and hurt, leading to severe injuries or even death.

Entanglement in plastic waste hinders animals' ability to move freely, causing drowning, or cutting into their skin and causing infection. Animals may also get strangled by plastic debris, such as packing bands, which are responsible for more than half of Alaska's Stellar sea-lion entanglements.

Marine animals, such as seals and sea lions, can get caught in discarded fishing nets, ghost fishing gear, and monofilament lines. These entanglements can be deadly, causing drowning or severe wounds. Derelict fishing gear makes up a large portion of the trash removed from the ocean each year.

Not only does plastic debris harm marine life, but it also affects terrestrial animals. Birds can get entangled in plastic six-pack rings and fishing lines, and terrestrial vertebrates can get snared or trapped in wrack debris.

The problem of plastic pollution and its impact on wildlife is a global issue that requires a coordinated effort to address, research, and prevent further harm to animal habitats.

Habitat destruction

Trash pollution can lead to or accelerate the destruction of wildlife habitats. For example, when certain waste products (such as green waste) are discarded on or around native plants, they can block sunlight or disrupt the competitive advantage, resulting in the death of the plants.

Green waste may also contain invasive weeds that can overtake reserves and forests, drastically altering the biodiversity of an area. The dumping of contaminated green waste and soils increases the risk to biosecurity for animals and plants, as it can spread foreign pests, such as fire ants and yellow crazy ants, into otherwise pristine habitats. Introducing new species into an environment creates unnecessary competition with native species, ultimately damaging the existing ecosystems.

This level of habitat destruction can also extend to marine life. Certain waste products, like plastic, can smother coral and impact the overall composition of aquatic ecosystems. Plastic waste on the ocean floor can also reduce the exchange of gas between sediment and water, leading to low oxygen levels and the suffocation of surrounding plants and marine life.

Impact on marine animals

Marine animals are severely impacted by plastic pollution in the ocean. It is estimated that 75 to 199 million tonnes of plastic is currently in our oceans, causing harm to hundreds of marine species. Plastic pollution affects marine animals in various ways, including ingestion, entanglement, and the disruption of their habitats and reproductive rates.

One of the most common issues caused by plastic pollution is ingestion. Marine animals, such as sea turtles, often mistake plastic for food. Sea turtles may confuse plastic bags for jellyfish, one of their natural prey. This ingestion of plastic can lead to internal damage, malnutrition, and increased buoyancy, resulting in reduced growth rates and reproductive output. Research indicates that over half of the world's sea turtles have ingested plastic, and the chance of a turtle dying from ingesting a single piece of plastic is 22%.

Whales are also victims of plastic ingestion, with cases of whales stranded and dead from consuming plastic debris. In one instance, a young whale in the Philippines was found with almost 40 kilograms of plastic in its stomach, including plastic bags, rice sacks, and tangles of nylon ropes. Like sea turtles, whales can suffer from gastric obstructions, malnutrition, and starvation due to plastic blocking their intestines.

Entanglement is another significant consequence of plastic pollution on marine animals. Seals and sea lions are the most common type of marine animal found entangled in plastic, fishing nets, or other debris. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), entanglement leads to the death of hundreds of thousands of marine mammals annually, including dolphins, seals, and whales. Abandoned fishing nets can cause painful and slow deaths, with approximately 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises accidentally entangled each year.

Plastic pollution also affects the habitats and reproductive rates of marine animals. For example, sea turtles struggle to lay their eggs due to beaches being covered in trash and plastic. This disturbance affects their nesting process, and only about 1 in 1,000 eggs will survive to become adult turtles.

Overall, plastic pollution poses a severe threat to marine animals, causing harm, injury, and death. It is crucial to address this issue and make changes to reduce plastic waste and protect marine life.

Impact on land animals

Trash pollution has a detrimental impact on land animals, affecting their health, behaviour, and habitats.

One of the most significant ways trash pollution affects land animals is through ingestion. Land animals, such as elephants, hyenas, zebras, tigers, camels, and cattle, have been reported to accidentally consume plastic waste, leading to intestinal blockages, pierced internal organs, and even death. For example, in 2018, a wild elephant in India died due to plastic ingestion, with plastic blocking its intestines and causing internal bleeding and organ failure. Birds are also susceptible to ingesting trash, such as mouldy food, cigarette butts, and plastic, which can lead to poisoning and blockage in their digestive tracts.

Land animals can also become entangled in plastic and other waste materials, hindering their movement and making them more vulnerable to predators. For instance, racoons often get stuck in plastic ring beverage holders, causing deep cuts and wounds. Birds may get entangled in fishing lines or other strings, which can be fatal. Trash can also cause injuries, such as broken glass or plastic, and large wild animals may get their heads stuck in discarded containers.

Trash pollution can further impact the reproduction and population growth of land animals. For example, the presence of landfills has influenced the migration patterns of white storks, with some choosing to stay near landfills in Portugal to feed on rotting food, leading to an increase in their population. However, the consumption of trash can also lead to the ingestion of plastic, toxins, and hazardous materials, which may have negative consequences for their health and reproduction.

Additionally, trash pollution can alter the behaviour of land animals. For instance, the availability of food scraps in landfills or dumps can create competition and aggression among dominant males in baboon troops. The introduction of new waste materials into their environment can also lead to evolutionary traps, as seen with the Australian jewel beetles, where males tried to mate with beer bottles, wasting energy and potentially impacting their survival.

Trash pollution also affects the habitats of land animals. The improper disposal of waste, such as green waste, can lead to habitat destruction, alter biodiversity, and introduce invasive species and foreign pests into pristine habitats. The presence of waste products can block sunlight, disrupt native plants, and reduce the fertility of the soil.

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