Greta Jimenez
Oceans are one of the Earth's most valuable natural resources, governing the weather, cleaning the air, helping feed the world, and providing a living for millions. However, human activity is polluting the oceans with billions of pounds of trash and other pollutants every year. This includes plastic debris, chemical runoff, crude oil, sewage, and noise pollution. Marine debris, such as microplastics, derelict fishing gear, and abandoned vessels, can harm or kill marine animals through ingestion or entanglement and can also interfere with navigation safety and pose risks to human health. While some debris ends up on beaches or sinks, much of it accumulates in ocean gyres, forming patches like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Oil spills, such as the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, are particularly devastating, with long-lasting impacts and challenging cleanup processes. Nonpoint source pollution, like dirt and oil runoff from roads, farms, and construction sites, also significantly contributes to ocean pollution. Addressing ocean pollution requires collective efforts, including reducing water pollution, being mindful of plastic consumption, and advocating for climate policies that protect marine ecosystems.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Marine debris | Plastic items like shopping bags, beverage bottles, cigarette butts, bottle caps, food wrappers, fishing gear, detergent bottles, crates, buoys, combs, water bottles, etc. |
| Marine debris size | Tiny microplastics to derelict fishing gear and abandoned vessels |
| Marine debris impact | Marine debris has impacted hundreds of marine species. It can harm or kill animals when ingested or when they become entangled. It can also threaten their habitats and interfere with navigation safety. |
| Marine debris origin | Majority of the marine debris comes from land-based sources and enters the ocean through littering, poor waste management practices, storm water discharge, and extreme natural events such as tsunamis and hurricanes. Some debris, such as derelict fishing gear, can also come from ocean-based sources. |
| Plastic waste | Plastic waste is particularly problematic as a pollutant because it is long-lasting and can take hundreds of years to decompose. It is also often ingested by animals. |
| Plastic waste volume | It is estimated that the world's oceans are polluted by roughly 171 trillion plastic particles that, if gathered, would weigh roughly 2.3 million tons. Another estimate puts the number of plastic microfibers in the ocean at 4 billion per square kilometer. |
| Plastic waste control | More than sixty countries have enacted regulations to limit or ban the use of disposable plastic items. |
| Nonpoint source pollution | Nonpoint source pollution is the accumulation of pollution from small sources that can't be exactly pinpointed, such as individual cars, boats, farms, and construction sites. It typically becomes ocean pollution via runoff, which occurs when rain or snow moves pollutants from the ground into the ocean. |
| Sewage | Sewage contributes to ocean pollution, although it has been banned in the USA. |
| Oil spills | Oil spills are a major contributor to ocean pollution and can be caused by ships. Crude oil lasts for years in the ocean and is difficult to clean up. |
| Atmospheric pollution | Atmospheric pollution is caused by objects, especially single-use plastics and styrofoam containers, being carried by the wind into the ocean. |
| Chemical contamination | Manufactured chemicals such as phthalates, bisphenol A, flame retardants, and perfluorinated chemicals are released into the ocean from plastic waste. These chemicals can have harmful effects on human and marine life, including disrupting endocrine signaling, reducing male fertility, damaging the nervous system, and increasing the risk of cancer. |
| Noise pollution | Noise pollution generated by shipping and military activity can cause cellular damage to a class of invertebrates that includes jellyfish and anemones, which are a vital food source for many marine creatures. |
| Human impact | Ocean pollution poses a clear and present danger to human health, causing disease, disability, and premature death. It is responsible for an estimated nine million premature deaths per year. |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic pollution
Once in the ocean, plastic debris can persist for hundreds of years, as it does not readily biodegrade. It can entangle marine life, be ingested by fish, whales, turtles, and seabirds, and even transport invasive species and pollutants through ocean currents. The impacts of ingesting plastic on marine life include starvation, suffocation, infection, and drowning. In addition, microplastics, which are smaller than 5 mm in size, can be ingested by filter-feeding species such as shellfish, and make their way into the human food chain.
The problem of plastic pollution in our oceans is a pressing issue that requires global action. Individuals can play a role by reducing their plastic consumption, being mindful of proper waste disposal, and participating in local waterway cleanups. Additionally, advocating for policies that promote sustainable practices and protect marine ecosystems is crucial in mitigating plastic pollution in our oceans.
To combat the issue of plastic pollution, it is essential to address the manufacturing and packaging industries, as well as reduce the use of single-use and short-lived plastic products. Implementing measures to trap plastic particles at river mouths before they enter the ocean and cleaning up ocean gyres are also potential solutions to this global problem.
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Oil spills
Oil is made up of many different toxic compounds, which can cause severe health problems for animals, including heart damage, stunted growth, immune system effects, and even death. Oil spills can also damage plant life, such as saltwater marshes and mangroves, and can have long-lasting impacts on the environment and wildlife, with some oil spills persisting for decades.
The economic costs of oil spills can also be significant. Oil spills can severely affect tourism and commerce, as well as power plants and other utilities that depend on seawater. The fishing industry is particularly vulnerable to oil spills, with commercial fishing often suspended in the aftermath of a spill to prevent the sale of contaminated seafood.
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Nonpoint source pollution
One example of nonpoint source pollution is motor oil and other oil-based chemicals that are left on roads and parking lots by vehicles. When it rains or snows, the water picks up these pollutants and carries them into nearby streams, which eventually flow into larger water bodies, including oceans. This type of pollution can be identified by a rainbow-colored sheen on the water's surface.
Efforts are being made to address nonpoint source pollution, such as the NOAA's Coastal Zone Management Program, which creates pollution control plans for participating coastal states. Additionally, the US EPA has developed fact sheets and programs to help manage nonpoint source pollution from various sectors, including agriculture, forestry, boating, households, and wetlands.
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Atmospheric pollution
One of the ways in which atmospheric pollution impacts the ocean is through the deposition of nitrogen. Nitrogen is a naturally occurring element that is essential for the growth of all living organisms. However, in aquatic systems, excess nitrogen can stimulate the explosive growth of plants and algae, which deplete oxygen levels when they die and decompose. This process is known as eutrophication and can lead to the death of fish and other marine organisms due to oxygen depletion. The atmospheric deposition of nitrogen onto coastal waters is one of the many ways in which humans influence the ocean.
Another way in which atmospheric pollution affects the ocean is through carbon emissions. The oceans are the largest carbon sink on the planet, absorbing over 90% of the energy trapped by greenhouse gases. This has helped to buffer the impacts of climate change for decades. However, the oceans are now showing signs of distress, with fish finding it harder to breathe due to diminishing oxygen supplies and corals dying.
In addition to nitrogen and carbon emissions, particulate matter from air pollution can also settle into waterways and oceans. This can include dirt, topsoil, or silt from fields or construction sites, which can run off into waterways, harming fish and wildlife habitats. Nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff, can make river and ocean water unsafe for humans and wildlife. It can also be costly to restore and protect areas damaged or endangered by nonpoint source pollutants.
While atmospheric pollution is a significant contributor to ocean pollution, it is important to note that marine debris, such as plastic pollution, oil spills, and derelict fishing gear, also plays a major role in degrading the health of our oceans.
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Noise pollution
Marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises, are highly dependent on underwater sound for critical activities like breeding, foraging, maintaining social structures, and avoiding predators. Noise pollution interferes with their ability to detect natural acoustic signals, leading to changes in individual and social behaviour, altered metabolisms, and hampered population recruitment. For example, increased ship noise has caused bottlenose dolphins to simplify their vocal calls, potentially reducing the information content of their communication.
The impacts of noise pollution can be immediate and severe, including hearing loss and behavioural disruptions. In an experiment, blue whales responded to active sonar by stopping feeding, increasing their swimming speed, and moving away from the sound source. Additionally, loud ocean noise, such as naval anti-warfare sonar, can directly injure whales and dolphins, causing them to panic and attempt to escape too quickly, leading to stranding or decompression sickness.
To mitigate the impacts of noise pollution, efforts should focus on reducing propeller noise from ships and minimizing the sounds of sonar equipment, seismic air guns, pile driving, and construction. Developing quieter technologies can also play a crucial role in improving the ocean soundscape and enabling the recovery of marine life.
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Frequently asked questions
Ocean pollution, also called marine pollution, is a mixture of both chemical contamination and trash.
The sources of ocean pollution are varied and numerous. They include littering, storm winds, poor waste management, stormwater discharge, extreme natural events like tsunamis, runoff from roads, rivers and drainpipes, oil spills, sewage, and atmospheric pollution.
Ocean pollution has far-reaching consequences, including negative health outcomes for humans and marine ecosystems. It can cause entanglement and injury to marine life, be mistaken for food and ingested, and interfere with navigation safety. It also degrades the health of our seas, threatening the habitats that marine life depends on.
Nonpoint source pollution, which is the accumulation of pollution from small sources that can't be exactly pinpointed, is the biggest source of ocean pollution. Examples include pollution from individual cars, boats, farms, and construction sites.
Individuals can play a role in reducing ocean pollution by reducing water pollution and runoff at home, being mindful of plastic consumption, and organizing cleanups of local waterways. On a larger scale, governments and industries must also take action, such as implementing policies to protect marine species and their ecosystems.
