Ocean Pollution: A Historical Perspective

Marine pollution, specifically the contamination of the ocean with plastic, has been a problem for decades. While plastic pollution was first noticed in the ocean by scientists carrying out plankton studies in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the first scientific findings of marine plastic debris were published in 1972. Since then, plastic pollution has become one of the most serious threats humanity faces, with up to 12 million tonnes of plastic debris entering the global ocean every year.

Plastic pollution was first noticed in the 1960s and 1970s

Plastic pollution has become a pressing environmental issue, with plastic debris found across all ocean basins, ecosystems, habitats, and food webs. While the history of plastic pollution dates back to the emergence of synthetic plastics, it was in the 1960s and 1970s that the problem first came to light.

During the 1960s, scientists from the National Academy of Sciences revealed that more than 100 million tonnes of waste had been dumped into the ocean. This waste primarily consisted of chemical, industrial, and sewage waste, as plastic had only recently become a mainstream material. However, this discovery shed light on the growing pollution problem in our oceans.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, scientists conducting plankton studies noticed the presence of plastic pollution in the ocean for the first time. This marked the beginning of research and awareness regarding plastic pollution as a significant environmental concern. The first scientific findings of marine plastic debris were published in the journal Science in 1972, reporting on small plastic particles found in the Sargasso Sea.

The issue of plastic pollution continued to gain attention in the following decades. By the 1980s, the Society of the Plastics Industry developed the plastic resin identification code to facilitate recycling and proper disposal of plastics. Despite these efforts, plastic pollution has persisted and even worsened over time. The amount of plastic waste generated in the early 2000s surpassed the cumulative total of the previous 40 years, highlighting the escalating nature of the problem.

Today, plastic pollution is a global crisis, with single-use plastics being the biggest contributors to marine litter. The impact of plastic pollution on marine life, human health, and the planet cannot be overstated. As a result, there is a growing movement to address this issue through scientific research, policy changes, and individual actions to reduce plastic waste.

By 2020, millions of tons of microplastics were in the ocean

Marine pollution refers to waste ending up in the ocean, causing adverse effects. It is mainly the result of human activities. For decades, the ocean has been a dumping ground for plastic, sewage, industrial, and chemical waste. While the ocean is vast, it is not bottomless and is certainly not a landfill site.

The history of research on plastic pollution began in the middle of the ocean basins, thousands of kilometres from land, in the central gyres. The first scientific findings of marine plastic debris were published in the journal Science in 1972, reporting on small plastic particles found in the Sargasso Sea. More than a decade later, in 1986, undergraduates aboard a tall ship began counting small plastic debris in surface trawls across the North Atlantic Ocean, leading to the first long-term data set on plastic pollution.

In the 1960s, scientists from the National Academy of Sciences discovered alarming news: more than 100 million tons of waste had been dumped into the ocean. This report did not include plastic pollution as it had not yet become a mainstream material. By the early 2000s, the amount of plastic waste being generated had increased more in a single decade than in the previous 40 years.

By 2020, scientists estimated that at least 14 million metric tons of microplastic particles were resting on the ocean floor. Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that can be eaten by marine animals, entering the food chain and leading to disastrous consequences for the planet and its inhabitants. They are produced as microplastics (e.g., microbeads, pre-production pellets) or degraded bits of larger plastic products (e.g., tire dust, microfibers, bottle fragments). The breakdown of plastic pollution into microplastics is caused by sunlight and seawater, which embrittle plastic.

The presence of plastic in the ocean continues to increase, and plastic pollution is a leading cause of marine species extinction, health problems for humans and animals, and ecosystem destruction. Microplastics have been found everywhere, from drinking water and salt to beer and soil. They have also been found in the organs of more than 114 aquatic species, including some in the deepest ocean trenches.

Plastic waste kills marine life and harms humans

Marine pollution has been a problem for decades, with the ocean used as a dumping ground for plastic, sewage, industrial, and chemical waste. While plastic has brought about many benefits for humanity, it has also had devastating effects on nature.

Plastic waste kills marine life through entanglement and ingestion. Marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, and endangered Hawaiian monk seals, have been found dead with their bellies full of plastic. Seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals are also killed by ingesting plastic, which can cause starvation as it fills their stomachs. It is estimated that plastic waste kills up to a million seabirds a year. Plastic waste also affects creatures large and small, from tiny seahorses to great white sharks and orcas.

Plastic debris in the ocean breaks down into microplastics, which are pieces smaller than a grain of sand. These microplastics are then ingested by zooplankton and other small marine animals, which can lead to bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals in apex predators at the top of the food chain. Microplastics have been found in the organs of over 114 aquatic species, and in the guts of a quarter of fish sold at markets in California. Humans are not immune to this threat, as microplastics can end up in the seafood we eat.

The problem of plastic pollution in the ocean has been recognised for several decades, with the first scientific findings of marine plastic debris published in 1972. However, it was not until the early 2000s that the amount of plastic waste being generated began to rise sharply. Today, up to 422 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually, with half of it being single-use plastic. The durability of plastic means that it can take hundreds, if not thousands, of years to degrade. As a result, the ocean has become filled with plastic waste, threatening marine ecosystems and human health.

Plastic production increased after World War II

The story of plastic pollution in the ocean began decades ago, with scientific findings of marine plastic debris published as early as 1972. The first long-term data set on plastic debris was established in 1986, and in 1996, the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" was discovered—a vast accumulation of plastic waste in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. While plastic pollution has become a pressing global issue in recent years, the roots of this problem can be traced back to the post-World War II era, when plastic production underwent a significant expansion.

During World War II, traditional materials like steel and rubber were heavily diverted towards the war effort, creating a scarcity for consumer goods. This prompted manufacturers to turn to plastics as a substitute, particularly polyethylene, which had been developed during the war for insulating electrical wiring in wartime devices. With the end of the war, polyethylene was readily adapted for civilian use, giving rise to a wide range of plastic products, from garbage pails and squeeze bottles to hula-hoops.

The post-war period also witnessed a surge in consumerism, as countries sought to rebuild and people aspired to improve their quality of life. Plastic, with its versatility, durability, and mouldability, became the material of choice for this expanding consumer market. Manufacturers capitalised on this demand, promoting plastic as a symbol of progress and convenience. This shift in consumer culture, driven by plastic production, laid the foundation for the widespread use of single-use plastics, which have become one of the biggest contributors to marine litter.

The plastics industry recognised the environmental concerns surrounding plastic waste and proposed recycling as a solution in the 1980s. However, despite these efforts, plastic pollution continued to increase, with the amount of plastic waste generated in the early 2000s surpassing the previous four decades combined. The persistence of plastic in the environment, coupled with inadequate waste management and disposal practices, has led to the ubiquitous presence of plastic debris in all ocean basins, ecosystems, and food webs.

Today, the impact of plastic pollution on marine life and human health is undeniable. Plastic kills marine animals through entanglement and ingestion, and microplastics, formed from the breakdown of larger plastic objects, have been found in the organs of numerous aquatic species. As awareness of this global crisis grows, legislative attempts, such as the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, have been enacted to address ocean de-pollution and the removal of plastic from waterways.

Legislation has been passed to restrict ocean dumping

Marine pollution has been a concern since the 1960s, when scientists from the National Academy of Sciences discovered that more than 100 million tonnes of waste had been dumped into the ocean. While plastic pollution was not yet a mainstream issue, the ocean pollution reported by these scientists largely related to chemical, industrial, and sewage waste.

Since then, plastic pollution has become a pressing global issue, with plastic debris found across all ocean basins, ecosystems, habitats, and food webs. The first scientific findings of marine plastic debris were published in the journal Science in 1972, reporting on small plastic particles found in the Sargasso Sea. In response to the growing concern over ocean pollution, legislation has been passed to restrict ocean dumping and protect human health and the marine environment.

In the United States, the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), also known as the Ocean Dumping Act, was passed in 1972. This legislation prohibits the dumping of materials that would unreasonably degrade or endanger human health or the marine environment. The MPRSA requires permits for the transportation and disposal of specific materials into the ocean, with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) responsible for designating and managing ocean sites.

Internationally, the London Convention and London Protocol are treaties that aim to protect the marine environment from pollution caused by the dumping of wastes and other matter into the ocean. The MPRSA implements the requirements of the London Convention in the United States.

In addition to legislation, there have been efforts to improve recycling and disposal practices for plastics. For example, in the 1980s, the Society of the Plastics Industry developed the plastic resin identification code to facilitate easier recycling and disposal of plastics. However, plastic pollution continues to be a critical issue, with single-use plastics being the biggest contributors to marine litter. As awareness of the problem grows, there is a pressing need to address plastic pollution through scientific solutions and collective action.

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