Bronte Wells
Ocean pollution has been a problem for decades, with plastic pollution, in particular, becoming a global crisis. The majority of the garbage that enters the ocean each year is plastic, with an estimated 24 million tons of plastic entering aquatic ecosystems annually. This plastic pollution has been found in all ocean basins, ecosystems, habitats, and food webs, including seafood and sea salt. It is ingested by marine animals, causing internal injuries and death, and entangling marine life. In addition to plastic, other sources of ocean pollution include fossil fuels, trash, offshore drilling, noise, and dirt. While some pollution comes from ocean-based sources such as oil spills or abandoned fishing gear, the majority originates from land-based sources, including runoff from human activities along coastlines and far inland.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of ocean pollutants | Fossil fuels, trash, noise, oil, carbon emissions, plastic, dirt, silt, nonpoint source pollution, point source pollution, microplastics, derelict fishing gear, abandoned vessels, fertilizer, "forever chemicals" |
| Impact on marine life | Entanglement, ingestion, intestinal injury, death, starvation, threat to habitats, interference with navigation safety, potential threat to human health |
| Plastic pollution sources | Land-based sources, littering, poor waste management practices, storm water discharge, extreme natural events, ocean-based sources, septic tanks, vehicles, farms, livestock ranches, timber harvest areas, factories, water treatment systems |
| Plastic pollution solutions | Plastic reduction, building a circular economy, improved waste management systems, innovation, cleanup, outreach, education, global movement to reduce plastic emissions, legally binding international instruments |
| Plastic pollution statistics | 8 million metric tons of plastic waste are tossed instead of recycled each year, 9% of all plastics produced have been recycled, 12% incinerated, 79% sent to landfills or littered, 24 million tons of plastics enter aquatic ecosystems each year, 50% of sea turtles worldwide have ingested plastic, 60% of all seabird species have eaten plastic, 99% of seabird species predicted to have eaten plastic by 2050 |
| Notable oil spills | 1989 Exxon Valdez tanker spill in Alaska's Prince William Sound, 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling disaster in the Gulf of Mexico |
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What You'll Learn
Oil spills and fossil fuels
Oil spills can occur due to improper storage, accidents in offshore drilling, and ruptures in transporting vessels such as tanker ships. One of the most infamous oil spills was the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, where an explosion led to approximately 134 million gallons of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico, impacting coastal communities and marine life. Even a decade later, restoration efforts are still ongoing. The Exxon Valdez tanker spill in Alaska's Prince William Sound in 1989 is another notable incident, with oil still remaining in the area years later.
While major oil spills grab headlines, thousands of smaller spills occur each year, contributing to ocean pollution. These spills can have long-lasting impacts and are challenging to clean up effectively, with even the most advanced technologies only removing a fraction of the oil. Oil spills harm marine life in various ways, including destroying the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, impairing birds' water repellency, and causing intestinal injuries when ingested.
In addition to accidental spills, there are also intentional discharges, such as tanker ship captains cleaning their tankers and discharging residue oil into the ocean. While this may seem insignificant, the large number of ships and the size of the tankers contribute to a substantial amount of oil pollution. Natural seeps of oil and gas from the ocean floor also contribute to oil pollution, although these occur at a low rate and are less toxic than refined oil.
Fossil fuels, including oil, are a significant source of ocean pollution. The extraction and use of fossil fuels can lead to spills and releases of toxic substances into the environment. Additionally, the burning of fossil fuels contributes to air pollution, which can settle into waterways and oceans, further polluting the water and harming marine habitats. The push for fossil fuel projects on public lands and oceans by some governments exacerbates the problem, putting cherished wild places at risk.
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Plastic pollution
Today, plastic pollution is a global crisis, with plastic making up the majority of the garbage that enters the ocean each year. Plastic waste enters the ocean from land and maritime activities, including mismanaged waste from households, industry, and littering. Rivers are a dominant pathway for plastics to reach the ocean, with 80% of marine litter making its way there gradually from land-based sources.
The durability of plastic means that every bit of plastic ever made still exists, with plastic debris found at the bottom of the deepest ocean trenches. Plastic pollution has contaminated hundreds of species of wildlife across all trophic levels, with evidence of plastic transported via trophic transfer. Direct ingestion of large plastic debris and microplastics has been observed in hundreds of species, including zooplankton, cetaceans, seabirds, marine turtles, and fish. Plastic ingestion can cause intestinal injury and death, and it can also reduce the storage volume of the stomach, leading to starvation.
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Marine debris and microplastics
The presence of plastic in the ocean is a growing issue, with research indicating that plastic pollution has rapidly increased in the past 40 years. It is estimated that there are currently about 50-75 trillion pieces of plastic and microplastics in the ocean, with plastic making up 80% of all marine pollution. The majority of the garbage that enters the ocean each year is plastic, and it is predicted that by 2050, plastic will outweigh all fish in the sea. This plastic waste includes single-use plastic bags, water bottles, drinking straws, and yoghurt containers, which can persist in the environment for a millennium, polluting beaches and entangling marine life.
The ingestion of plastic by marine animals has led to injury and mortality, with research indicating that half of sea turtles worldwide have ingested plastic. Plastic ingestion can cause internal injuries, intestinal blockages, and starvation, as it reduces the storage volume of the stomach. Dead whales and seabirds have been found with stomachs full of plastic, and plastic debris has been discovered in the habitats of critically endangered species, such as the Hawaiian monk seal.
Microplastics, specifically, pose a significant threat to aquatic life and birds, which may mistake them for food. They can originate from larger plastic pieces that have broken apart or from microbeads, which are small manufactured plastic beads used in health and beauty products. These microbeads can pass through water filtration systems and easily enter the ocean, where they can be ingested by fish and other marine organisms. The presence of microplastics in marine species intended for human consumption has raised concerns about the potential health risks to humans. However, the knowledge regarding the adverse health effects of consuming marine organisms containing microplastics is still limited and controversial.
Addressing the issue of marine debris and microplastics requires a multifaceted approach. While new technologies allow for the capture of larger marine debris, small plastic items and microplastics remain challenging to retrieve, especially from deep within the ocean. Therefore, preventing plastic waste from entering rivers and seas is crucial. This can be achieved through improved waste management systems, increased recycling, reconsideration of disposable packaging, and reduced manufacturing of unnecessary single-use plastics.
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Noise and carbon emissions
Oceans have been polluted by oil spills, fossil fuels, trash, offshore drilling, and noise for decades. The 1989 Exxon Valdez tanker spill in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling disaster are examples of oil spills that have polluted the ocean.
Noise Emissions
Noise pollution in the ocean has increased dramatically over the last few decades. It interferes with the key life functions of marine wildlife, and in some cases, causes death. As sound is one of the main tools marine mammals use for survival in the ocean, noise pollution is extremely damaging. It can lead to changes in individual and social behaviour, altered metabolisms, hampered population recruitment, and decreased communication range. For example, increased ship noise has caused bottlenose dolphins to simplify their vocal calls, which may reduce the information content of their calls and decrease effective communication.
Carbon Emissions
Carbon pollution from fossil fuel use and land development has heated the atmosphere and the ocean. The ocean has absorbed about 90% of the heat caused by carbon pollution and other greenhouse gases. Warming oceans are already leading to sea level rise, stronger storms, fisheries moving poleward, and widespread loss of sea ice and glaciers. Carbon pollution is also acidifying the ocean, which, together with warming and its consequences (including oxygen loss and ocean circulation changes), is disrupting the millennia of normalcy that marine life and ocean-dependent people have built their existences on.
A study in the United States of America found that the country’s shellfish industry could lose more than US $400 million annually due to ocean acidification by 2100. To address the root of the problem, unabated CO2 emissions from the burning of fossil fuels must be curbed.
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Nonpoint source pollution
The effects of NPS pollution on water quality can be harmful. For example, sediment can cause water to become cloudy, making it difficult for aquatic organisms to see and feed properly. It can also damage fish gills and the breathing of aquatic insects, and reduce sunlight penetration, affecting plant growth. NPS pollution can also make water unsafe for human use, leading to beach closures and adversely affecting shellfish-growing waters.
In the United States, states have reported that nonpoint source pollution is the leading remaining cause of water quality problems. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed programs to address NPS pollution, such as the Nonpoint Source Management Program and the Coastal Zone Management Program, which helps create control plans for coastal states. However, correcting the harmful effects of NPS pollution can be costly, requiring millions of dollars to restore and protect affected areas.
The impact of NPS pollution on the oceans is significant, as it contributes to the overall pollution of marine ecosystems. This includes the accumulation of plastic and other trash in the oceans, which has become a global crisis with deadly effects on wildlife. While some trash is dumped directly into the oceans, it is estimated that 80% of marine litter originates from land-based sources and reaches the oceans through NPS pollution pathways such as storm drains and sewers.
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Frequently asked questions
Humans have been polluting the oceans for decades. The oldest plastic found in ocean cleanups dates back to the 1960s.
The majority of pollutants in the ocean come from human activities along coastlines and far inland. The biggest sources of pollution are nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff from septic tanks, vehicles, farms, and timber harvest areas, and point source pollution, which occurs less frequently but has larger impacts, such as oil spills or chemical spills.
Ocean pollution has negatively impacted hundreds of marine species, harming and killing animals when ingested or causing entanglement, and threatening their habitats. It also interferes with navigation safety and poses a threat to human health.
