Brian Barton
The New England ocean, like all oceans, is susceptible to pollution from a variety of sources. While the exact amount of pollution in this particular ocean is difficult to determine, it is clear that plastic pollution is a significant issue, with billions of pounds of plastic and other debris ending up in our oceans each year. Nonpoint source pollution, such as runoff from farms, vehicles, and septic tanks, is a major contributor, as are oil spills and noise pollution from shipping and military activity. The impact of this pollution on marine life and ecosystems is devastating, and it is crucial that efforts are made to reduce and clean up the pollution to protect the health of our oceans and the communities that depend on them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main sources of pollution | Nonpoint source pollution, oil spills, plastic pollution, noise pollution, air pollution |
| Percentage of oil in the ocean from spills | 12% |
| Amount of plastic dumped into the ocean each year | 12 million metric tons |
| Percentage of plastic recycled | 9% |
| Percentage of plastic waste not collected, improperly disposed of, or ending up as litter | 22% |
| Number of garbage patches in the ocean | 5 |
| Largest garbage patch | Great Pacific Garbage Patch |
| Number of hypoxic zones in the ocean in 2004 | 146 |
| Number of hypoxic zones in the ocean in 2008 | 400+ |
| Countries with the highest ocean plastic waste in 2025 | Primarily Asian countries, including China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand |
| Percentage of ocean pollution from land-based sources | 80% |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic pollution
The majority of plastic pollution in the ocean is caused by littering and improper waste disposal. Single-use plastics, such as food wrappings, plastic bags, razors, and bottles, are commonly used and often not disposed of properly, ending up in waterways and eventually in the ocean. This issue is exacerbated by the low recycling rates of plastic, with only about 10% of plastic being recycled globally. The rest is either incinerated, contributing to air pollution, or ends up in landfills and the ocean.
The impact of plastic pollution on marine life and ecosystems is devastating. Marine animals, such as sea turtles, seabirds, seals, and whales, ingest plastic or become entangled in it, leading to injuries, suffocation, and even death. Plastic pollution also affects the reproduction of certain species and contaminates the food chain, with microplastics being consumed by marine organisms.
To combat plastic pollution, it is crucial to reduce plastic consumption and improve waste management practices. Individuals can contribute by reducing their use of single-use plastics, reusing and recycling plastic items, and supporting initiatives that advocate for the regulation of plastics as hazardous pollutants. Additionally, organizations like The Ocean Cleanup are working to clean up plastic pollution from rivers and oceans and identify sources of mismanaged waste to optimize cleanup efforts.
While the specific data for the New England ocean may not be readily available, the global extent and impact of plastic pollution underscore the urgency of addressing this issue in all marine environments, including regional areas like New England.
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Oil spills
One of the most well-known oil spills to affect New England waters was the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. This spill occurred when an oil rig exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in an estimated 3.19 million barrels of oil leaking into the ocean. The spill had a significant impact on the marine life in the area, with thousands of "visibly" oiled animals, including birds, sea turtles, and marine mammals, collected by authorities. The New England Aquarium was involved in rehabilitating and releasing affected animals, including Kemp's ridley sea turtles.
Another example of an oil spill affecting New England waters is the World Progression tanker spill in 1969. This spill occurred when the tanker collided with another ship in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, releasing over 250,000 gallons of oil into the water. The spill had significant impacts on the environment and local industries, including fishing and tourism.
While headline-grabbing oil spills are a significant problem, it's important to note that they account for only 12% of the oil in our oceans. A more significant source of oil pollution is runoff from roads, rivers, and drainpipes, which contributes two to three times as much oil to the ocean. This type of pollution is known as nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff from various sources, including vehicles, farms, and timber harvest areas.
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Nonpoint source pollution
NPS pollution is primarily caused by land runoff, precipitation, drainage, and seepage. When rainfall or snowmelt moves over the ground, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, which are eventually deposited into bodies of water like lakes, rivers, wetlands, and coastal waters. This runoff can come from various sources, including septic tanks, vehicles, farms, livestock ranches, and timber harvest areas. For example, motor vehicles leak small amounts of oil onto roads and parking lots, which can be washed away by rainwater and eventually make their way into oceans. Similarly, dirt, topsoil, or silt from construction sites or fields can run off into waterways, harming aquatic habitats.
NPS pollution can have detrimental effects on drinking water supplies, recreation, fisheries, and wildlife. It can also impact the economies of coastal communities, particularly those reliant on tourism and the commercial fishing industry. The concentration of pollutants from NPS may be lower than that from point sources, but the total amount of pollutants can be higher due to the numerous sources contributing to NPS.
In New England, NPS pollution has been addressed through the Region 1 NPS success story, which celebrates the efforts of Tribal Nations in managing NPS. Additionally, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed programs and fact sheets to help control and prevent NPS pollution, providing information on how the public can get involved in reducing NPS.
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Noise pollution
Marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises, are particularly affected by noise pollution. They rely on sound to communicate, locate mates and prey, avoid predators, navigate, and defend their territories. Noise pollution can interfere with their ability to hear natural sounds in the ocean, disrupting their behaviours and communication. For example, increased ship noise has caused bottlenose dolphins to simplify their vocal calls, reducing the information content of their calls and decreasing their effective communication. Similarly, naval anti-warfare sonar can cause whales and dolphins to panic and try to escape too quickly, leading to stranding or decompression sickness.
To reduce noise pollution in the marine environment, policies must be implemented to mitigate propeller noise from ships and reduce the sounds of sonar equipment, seismic air guns, pile driving, and construction. Quieter technologies must also be developed. These actions can improve the ocean soundscape and enable the recovery of marine life. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is currently working on revising guidelines for reducing noise emissions from shipping, and technical innovations are being considered.
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Invasive species
The New England coast is no stranger to invasive species. In fact, a team of scientific experts is currently surveying marinas from Massachusetts to Maine to observe, identify, and record marine organisms as part of a rapid assessment of introduced and potentially invasive species. This is the seventh such survey since 2000.
Shipping is one of the most significant vectors for the introduction of marine invasive species. As ships move from port to port, they take on and release ballast water to maintain stability, unintentionally transferring any organisms in the ballast water to new locations. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has implemented standards such as filtering and disinfecting ballast water to reduce the spread of invasive species. However, even with these measures in place, ballast water is estimated to carry up to 7,000 species of aquatic plants, microbes, and animals every hour of every day.
In addition to ballast water, marine invasives can travel by attaching themselves to debris, such as plastic or the hulls of ships. Plastic, in particular, has become a prominent vector for the spread of invasive species due to its lightweight and durable nature, allowing it to travel great distances with hitchhiking species. The increased presence of plastic pollution in the ocean has facilitated the movement of invasive species, with pieces of plastic studied on Easter Island finding a crab species native to South Africa, over 10,000 km away.
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Frequently asked questions
The sources of ocean pollution can be traced back to human activities along coastlines and far inland. One of the biggest sources of pollution is nonpoint source pollution, which occurs when rainfall or snowmelt moves across the ground, picking up pollutants such as oil, grease, toxic chemicals, fertilisers, herbicides, and insecticides, and eventually depositing them into bodies of water. Point source pollution, on the other hand, refers to pollution from a single source, such as an oil or chemical spill, and while it occurs less frequently, it often has larger impacts.
Ocean pollution has severe impacts on marine life and ecosystems. For example, when large amounts of agricultural nutrients such as nitrogen are dumped into the sea, they stimulate the explosive growth of algae. As the algae decompose, they consume oxygen in the surrounding waters, creating dead zones that result in mass die-offs of fish and other marine organisms. Additionally, noise pollution generated by shipping and military activity can cause cellular damage to invertebrates such as jellyfish and anemones, which are a vital food source for larger creatures.
While it is difficult to determine the exact amount of plastic in the ocean, it is estimated that humans dump up to 12 million metric tons of plastic into the oceans each year. This plastic pollution forms giant garbage patches, with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch being the largest, covering an area twice the size of Texas and containing an estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of trash.
Local and global organisations, companies, and initiatives are working tirelessly to combat ocean pollution in New England and beyond. Non-profit organisations are actively removing floating plastic, scientists are developing new technologies to reduce plastic and microplastic pollution, and governments are implementing stricter bans and signing international environmental treaties. Additionally, educational programs and citizen science initiatives are empowering individuals to make conscious choices and take direct action to protect marine ecosystems.
