Greta Jimenez
The world's oceans are being polluted by human activities such as over-consumption, the use of single-use plastics, poor recycling practices, waste management, offshore drilling, and noise pollution. The majority of the garbage that enters the ocean is plastic, with an estimated 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste currently in our oceans and billions of pounds more entering every year. Plastic pollution has a devastating impact on marine life and ecosystems, with thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals, and other marine mammals killed each year due to ingestion or entanglement. It is estimated that by 2050, plastic will outweigh all the fish in the sea. The problem is growing, with the fossil fuel industry planning to increase plastic production by 40% in the next decade.
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What You'll Learn
Plastic pollution
The majority of plastic pollution in the ocean is caused by single-use disposable plastic items such as food wrappings, plastic bags, bottles, razors, and straws that are not disposed of properly. These plastics do not fully degrade but break down into smaller pieces called microplastics and nanoplastics, which persist in the environment and cause a host of problems. They act as vessels for toxic chemicals, entering the food chain and leading to disastrous health consequences for marine life, wildlife, and humans. Microplastics have been found in drinking water, salt, beer, soil, and even in human organs like the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, and brain.
The impact of plastic pollution on marine life is devastating. Marine animals ingest plastic or get entangled in it, leading to injury and death. Thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals, and other marine mammals are killed each year due to plastic pollution. Nearly 700 species, including endangered wildlife like Hawaiian monk seals and Pacific loggerhead sea turtles, are affected by plastic litter. Plastic pollution also contributes to climate change, as incinerating plastic waste releases carbon dioxide and methane, increasing emissions and worsening global warming.
The annual economic costs of plastic in the ocean are estimated to be between $6-19 billion USD, with liabilities related to plastic pollution forecasted to cost the industry an additional $100 billion. Efforts to curb plastic pollution include improving waste management practices, especially in poorer countries, and reducing plastic production and usage. California has introduced a law holding producers and vendors of plastic packaging responsible for waste, and the Center for Biological Diversity has petitioned the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate plastics as a pollutant.
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Impact on marine life
Marine pollution is a growing concern, with the ocean being flooded with two main types of pollution: chemicals and trash. The impact of this pollution on marine life is devastating and far-reaching.
Trash Pollution
Plastic is the most common type of trash found in our oceans, with billions of pounds of plastic polluting around 40% of the world's ocean surfaces. Plastic debris has been found in the habitats of critically endangered species, such as the Hawaiian monk seal, and has led to injury and mortality in endangered species like the Steller sea lion. Thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals, and other marine mammals die each year from ingesting plastic or getting entangled in it. This includes endangered wildlife like Pacific loggerhead sea turtles. The impact of plastic pollution on marine life is not limited to entanglement and ingestion. Plastic can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, breaking down into microplastics that are ingested by fish and other species, causing them to absorb the chemicals from the plastic into their tissues. These chemicals can then accumulate in seafood, making it harmful for human consumption.
Chemical Pollution
Chemical pollution, or nutrient pollution, occurs when human activities such as the use of fertilizer on farms, lead to the runoff of chemicals into waterways that eventually flow into the ocean. The increased concentration of chemicals, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, in coastal areas promotes the growth of algal blooms, which can be toxic to marine life and harmful to humans. Additionally, carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are absorbed by the oceans, leading to ocean acidification. This change in pH levels can have far-reaching effects on marine life, as it alters the species of marine life that can thrive in certain areas. For example, many fish have shifted their typical range as water temperatures rise, while other species are expected to decline in number or leave areas that are no longer favourable for them. This can lead to food shortages for animals higher up in the food chain, such as whales. Rising water temperatures, acidification, and low oxygen levels can also combine to create extreme marine events like marine heatwaves, dead zones, and coral bleaching, which can have severe impacts on marine ecosystems.
Other Types of Pollution
In addition to chemical and trash pollution, other types of pollution that impact marine life include noise pollution, oil spills, and non-point source pollution from septic tanks, vehicles, farms, and other land-based sources. These forms of pollution can have both direct and indirect effects on marine life, disrupting ecosystems and the livelihoods of billions of people who depend on healthy oceans.
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Carbon emissions
Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface and are among the planet's most valuable natural resources. They govern the weather, clean the air, help feed the world, and provide a living for millions. However, human activities have led to the pollution of oceans with carbon emissions, among other things.
Burning fossil fuels pollutes not only the air but also the oceans. Oceans absorb as much as a quarter of all man-made carbon emissions, which changes the pH of surface waters and leads to acidification. Oceans are now acidifying faster than they have in 300 million years. In absorbing carbon emissions from the atmosphere, the pH level of the ocean surface has increased by an estimated 30% since the start of the industrial revolution 200 years ago. If greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, the surface waters of the ocean could be nearly 150% more acidic by the end of the century.
The ocean is the world's greatest carbon sink, absorbing excess heat and energy from rising greenhouse gas emissions. Oceans play a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate and keeping global warming in check. A specific ocean layer, known as the twilight zone, facilitates the removal of up to 6 billion metric tons of carbon from the upper ocean every year. The ocean's carbon pumps, such as marine snow and the migrant pump, also help transfer carbon to the deep ocean.
However, the ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide is reducing, and the increasing greenhouse gas emissions are warming and acidifying seawater, causing detrimental changes to life underwater and on land. Carbon emissions, along with plastic pollution, are degrading the health of the oceans at an alarming rate.
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Oil and noise pollution
Ocean noise pollution is an invisible threat caused by human activities, such as commercial shipping, oil exploration, seismic surveys, offshore wind turbine installation, and military sonar. These activities generate unnaturally excessive sound that propagates rapidly and efficiently underwater, affecting marine animals and habitats far and wide. The impact of noise pollution on marine life is tremendous and wide-ranging. Marine animals rely on sound to locate prey, communicate, and orient themselves. The excessive noise created by human activities masks these natural sounds, resulting in difficulties for animals to communicate, coordinate hunts, and detect predators. It can also cause hearing loss, stress, physical injury, and even death.
One of the significant contributors to ocean noise pollution is shipping. The high vessel speeds and use of active sonar systems by navies emit intense noise that interferes with the natural behaviours of marine mammals. Additionally, seismic activities conducted for oil and gas exploration emit extremely loud noises, with air guns producing sounds of up to 260 decibels. These activities not only harm marine life but also contribute to the climate crisis, as they release carbon emissions and other air pollutants.
Oil exploration and extraction activities also directly contribute to ocean pollution through oil spills and leaks. Oil, as a fossil fuel, is a significant contributor to ocean pollution, and the recent acceleration of fracked gas conversion into plastic by oil companies further exacerbates this issue. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon emissions, which are absorbed by the oceans, leading to acidification and a rapid increase in ocean temperatures. This, in turn, results in coral bleaching, the destruction of glaciers and ice sheets, and rising sea levels.
Noise pollution has a significant impact on marine life, including fish, squid, crustaceans, and sea turtles. It triggers stress responses, disturbs nesting habits, affects coordination and navigation, and causes hearing damage. Seismic surveys, for example, can severely damage the internal organs of giant squid and kill zooplankton within a 1.2-kilometer radius. Ocean noise pollution also affects marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, and toothed whales, which rely on echolocation for communication and navigation. The excessive noise interferes with their echolocation signals, causing disorientation and impairing their hunting abilities.
Reducing ocean noise pollution is crucial for mitigating these harmful effects on marine life. Measures such as slowing down the speed of the global shipping fleet by 10-20% can significantly reduce noise emissions and provide additional environmental benefits. Additionally, stricter environmental impact assessments and regulations are necessary for activities such as seismic surveys and military operations that contribute significantly to noise pollution. Protecting marine life from the harmful effects of ocean noise pollution requires a combination of reduced noise emissions and the enforcement of protective regulations.
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Land-based sources
The ocean is a vast environment that covers about two-thirds of the Earth's surface. It is home to thousands of biodiverse ecosystems and provides livelihoods to billions of people worldwide. Unfortunately, human activities have contributed to ocean pollution, threatening marine life, ecosystems, human life, and economies.
Agricultural runoff is another significant contributor to ocean pollution. Nitrogen-based fertilizers used in agriculture can migrate to rivers, estuaries, and eventually the sea, promoting harmful algal growth and creating "dead zones" where marine life cannot exist due to a lack of oxygen. Industrial discharges and municipal waste also add to the pollution, with a range of substances, including chemicals and sewage, making their way into the ocean.
The impact of land-based pollution on the oceans is far-reaching and devastating. It affects not just marine life but also human livelihoods, especially in vulnerable coastal communities. Addressing this issue is complex and requires international cooperation, improved waste management systems, and a focus on reducing plastic pollution and properly recycling it.
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Frequently asked questions
There is an estimated 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste currently in our oceans, with a further 33 billion pounds of plastic entering the marine environment every year.
Plastic pollution has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife. Thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals, and other marine mammals are killed each year after ingesting plastic or getting entangled in it. It also affects marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and the food web.
Eighty percent of pollution in the marine environment comes from land-based sources. One of the biggest sources is non-point source pollution, which includes runoff from septic tanks, cars, trucks, boats, farms, ranches, and forest areas.
The majority of plastic pollution in the ocean is caused by littering. Disposable plastic items such as food wrappings, plastic bags, razors, and bottles are not disposed of properly and eventually make their way into waterways and the ocean.
Improving waste management systems and focusing on better ways to recycle plastic can help prevent the amount of plastic and trash in the oceans from increasing. California has also introduced a law that makes the producers and vendors of plastic packaging responsible for waste, which can help curb ocean plastic pollution.
