Helena Joyce
Oceans are among the Earth's most valuable natural resources, covering over 70% of the planet and playing a pivotal role in the health of our ecosystem. However, marine pollution poses a significant threat to the well-being of our planet and is a pressing environmental issue. The majority of marine debris is plastic, which does not biodegrade and can persist in the environment for over a millennium. This plastic pollution has increased exponentially, with an estimated 20 million metric tons of plastic waste entering our oceans and environment annually. Marine life often mistakes plastic for food, leading to the ingestion of plastic fragments and debris, which can be fatal. Furthermore, plastic can absorb and transport pollutants, further contaminating the food chain. Other forms of ocean pollution include oil spills, carbon emissions, and noise pollution, all of which have detrimental effects on marine life and ecosystems.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Marine debris | Plastic, derelict fishing gear, abandoned vessels, heavy metals, microplastics |
| Marine life affected | Fish, seabirds, marine mammals, zooplankton, cetaceans, sea turtles |
| Human health | Consumption of contaminated seafood, harmful algal blooms |
| Pollution sources | Land-based (80%), ocean-based (20%), atmospheric |
| Land-based sources | Litter, trash, construction debris, stormwater discharge, natural disasters |
| Ocean-based sources | Oil spills, overboard discharges, discarded fishing gear |
| Atmospheric sources | Single-use plastics, styrofoam containers, littering |
| Prevention and management | Anti-litter campaigns, fines, fees, bans, extended producer responsibility |
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What You'll Learn
Marine debris and plastic pollution
Most marine debris originates from land-based sources (80%), including litter, trash, and debris from construction, ports, marinas, and industrial facilities. The remaining 20% comes from ocean-based sources, such as discharges from ships and discarded fishing gear. Food containers and packaging are the largest components of municipal solid waste, accounting for 80 million tons or 31.7%. These items, along with plastic bags, are also the most common types of marine debris.
The quantity of marine debris in oceans worldwide is increasing. Research has documented a fivefold increase in plastic debris in the Central Pacific Gyre between 1997 and 2007, with plastic pieces outnumbering plankton on the ocean surface. Off Japan's coast, the amount of pelagic plastic particles increased tenfold in the 1970s and 1980s, and then tenfold every 2-3 years in the 1990s. Marine plastic pollution has impacted at least 267 species globally, including sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals. It injures and kills marine life through ingestion, entanglement, and other means.
Additionally, floating plastics in the oceans accumulate pollutants and transport them through ocean currents. Research shows that marine life that ingests plastics coated with pollutants can absorb these toxins into their bodies, contaminating the human food chain. In a 2008 Pacific Gyre voyage, researchers found that 35% of the fish caught had ingested plastic pieces.
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Oil spills and chemical contamination
One of the most notable oil spills in recent history was the 2010 Deepwater Horizon well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, which released approximately 134 million gallons of oil into the ocean. The impact of such spills can be long-lasting, with cleanup efforts sometimes causing additional harm. Oil spills can also have economic repercussions, affecting industries such as fisheries and tourism in coastal communities.
Chemical contamination, often associated with oil spills, introduces toxic substances into the marine environment. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), for instance, are common contaminants in oil spills. These compounds have been linked to increased risks of cancer in humans who consume seafood contaminated with PAHs. Chemical pollution can also originate from manufacturing plants that release toxic waste, including mercury, into the ocean.
Additionally, marine debris, such as plastic pollution, can act as a carrier for persistent organic pollutants. Floating plastics have been found to accumulate and transport these pollutants through ocean currents, impacting marine life that ingests them. This contamination has the potential to enter the human food chain, posing risks to human health.
The accumulation of marine debris, including plastic waste, derelict fishing gear, and abandoned vessels, also contributes to the problem of oil spills and chemical contamination. This debris can interfere with navigation safety and further endanger marine life through ingestion or entanglement. The majority of this debris originates from land-based sources, including littering, poor waste management, and stormwater discharge, highlighting the role of human activities in exacerbating the issue of oil spills and chemical contamination in the oceans.
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Noise pollution and acoustic damage
Noise pollution in the ocean is a growing concern, with human activities such as shipping, boating, and energy exploration increasing noise levels in coastal and offshore habitats. This form of pollution is not limited to coastal areas, as even the Arctic is experiencing new levels of noise due to increased shipping traffic and mining exploration brought on by global warming. These rising noise levels negatively impact marine ecosystems and animals' ability to communicate and navigate their environment.
Marine animals, including dolphins, seals, fish, squid, crustaceans, and sea turtles, rely on sound to hunt, find mates, reproduce, and communicate with their young. The noise created by human activities can reduce their ability to engage in these essential behaviours, driving them out of their habitats and causing stress. For example, the use of airguns in oil and gas exploration emits intense noise blasts that threaten marine life and are incompatible with international climate goals.
International institutions, such as the International Ocean Noise Coalition (IONC), have recognized the threat of human-generated ocean noise to marine wildlife. The United Nations (UN) has passed resolutions addressing ocean noise, and organizations like OceanCare have advocated for quieter seas since 2002. Despite these efforts, there is still a lack of international regulation on ocean noise pollution.
To address this issue, some have proposed implementing speed restrictions for ships, as reducing speed can significantly decrease noise emissions. Additionally, incentives for ports to reduce fees for less noisy ships have been suggested, motivating positive change. Public awareness and education about the impacts of ocean noise pollution are also crucial, as many people are unaware of the problem.
By reducing anthropogenic noise in the ocean, we can quickly and effectively improve marine life's ability to withstand other human-induced stressors, such as warming and chemical pollution.
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Climate change and carbon emissions
The ocean is central to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and stabilising the Earth's climate. It is the planet's largest carbon sink, absorbing 30% of all carbon dioxide emissions and capturing 90% of the excess heat generated by these emissions. The ocean also generates 50% of the oxygen we need.
However, the increasing greenhouse gas emissions have negatively impacted the ocean's health, warming and acidifying seawater and causing detrimental changes to life underwater and on land. The ocean's chemistry has changed due to carbon emissions, with mankind increasing the acidity of the ocean by 30% over the past two centuries.
The ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide is also being affected by plastic pollution. As plastic breaks down, it becomes microplastics, which are ingested by plankton. Research has shown that microplastics reduce the growth of microalgae and the efficiency of photosynthesis, which could degrade plankton's ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Climate change is causing rising ocean temperatures, which in turn is causing the sea level to rise. This has exacerbated extreme weather events such as deadly storm surges, flooding, erosion, and landslides, which are now projected to occur at least once a year in many locations.
To protect the ocean and reduce its carbon emissions, individuals can take steps to lower their carbon footprint and reduce their plastic consumption.
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Human health and food chain impacts
Ocean pollution is a pressing issue that poses significant risks to both marine ecosystems and human health. While the full extent of the problem is not yet fully understood, it is clear that the consequences of ocean pollution extend far beyond the marine environment and have direct and indirect impacts on human well-being.
One of the primary ways in which ocean pollution affects human health is through the food chain. Small organisms ingest toxins and are then eaten by larger predators, including seafood that humans consume. This process leads to the bioaccumulation of toxins in the tissues of animals higher up in the food chain. For example, methylmercury, a highly toxic form of mercury, is converted by bacteria and carried down to the ocean's surface, where it is absorbed by phytoplankton. This mercury is then passed on to zooplankton, small fish, and eventually larger fish, resulting in a high mercury load in certain seafood species such as swordfish. Long-term exposure to pollutants like mercury, lead, and other heavy metals can have serious health consequences for humans, including hormonal disruption, nervous system damage, and issues with the kidneys and liver.
In addition to heavy metals, microplastics also pose a significant risk to human health through the food chain. Microplastics are small plastic particles that have been increasing in prevalence in the oceans since the late 1900s. These particles can be the result of the weathering and fragmentation of larger macroplastics or synthetic fibers shed from clothing during washing. Microplastics can absorb toxic chemicals, including endocrine disruptors like phthalates and bisphenol A, and are easily ingested by microscopic marine organisms. As these organisms are consumed by larger predators, the microplastics can bioconcentrate and move up the food chain, eventually reaching humans. While the risks of marine microplastics to human health are still being studied, there are concerns about potential health hazards, including digestive issues, immune system effects, and long-term risks like cancer.
The impact of ocean pollution on human health is not limited to the food chain. Toxic chemicals, such as those released from industrial sources or runoff from farmland, can contaminate water supplies. These chemicals, including oil, mercury, lead, pesticides, and other heavy metals, can have detrimental effects on human health, leading to hormonal issues, reproductive problems, nervous system damage, and kidney and liver dysfunction. Additionally, ocean pollution can contribute to the spread of pathogenic marine bacteria, which can cause gastrointestinal diseases and deep wound infections. Climate change and increasing pollution levels heighten the risk of Vibrio infections, including cholera.
The consequences of ocean pollution on human health are far-reaching and underscore the urgent need for collective action to address this global issue. While the exact extent of the problem may be challenging to measure, the protection of human health and the environment requires a precautionary approach to reduce the discharge of pollutants into our oceans.
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Frequently asked questions
Ocean pollution, also called marine pollution, is a mixture of both chemical contamination and trash. Oceans are polluted with a wide variety of marine debris, ranging from tiny microplastics to derelict fishing gear and abandoned vessels.
Most marine debris comes from trash and debris in urban runoff, i.e. land-based sources. Key components of land-based sources include litter, trash, and debris from construction, ports, and marinas, commercial and industrial facilities, and trash blown out of garbage containers, trucks, and landfills. Ocean-based sources, such as overboard discharges from ships and discarded fishing gear, account for the remaining debris.
The consequences of ocean pollution are far-reaching. Marine debris has negatively impacted hundreds of marine species, harming or killing animals when ingested or when they become entangled. Marine debris can also interfere with navigation safety and potentially pose a threat to human health. Heavy metals and other contaminants can accumulate in seafood, making it harmful for humans to consume.
