Marine Plastics Pollution: Causes and Effects Explained

Marine plastics pollution is a pressing issue that affects our oceans and the creatures that live in them. Plastic waste in the ocean can harm marine life, contaminate the food chain, and even affect human health.

The main cause of marine plastics pollution is litter from land-based activities, with an estimated 80% of marine debris coming from land. This includes plastic bags, bottles, and microbeads that are not disposed of properly.

Plastic bags are a significant contributor to marine plastics pollution, with over 1 million plastic bags entering the ocean every day. This can lead to entanglement and suffocation of marine animals.

Entanglement of marine animals in plastic debris is a major concern, with over 100,000 marine animals dying each year from plastic entanglement and suffocation.

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Plastic is everywhere, and it's not going anywhere anytime soon. Unfortunately, it's also incredibly durable, designed to last for a long time, which is both useful and damaging.

Plastic doesn't degrade or break down like other materials do, it fragments and breaks up into smaller pieces called microplastics. These tiny plastic pieces are extremely difficult to remove, and may never fully go away.

We're surrounded by plastic in our daily lives, from clothing to jewelry, glasses, pens, and even the materials keeping our lunch fresh. Many plastics are single-use items, designed to be used only once before being thrown away or recycled.

During the Ocean Conservancy's 2018 International Coastal Cleanup, all ten of the top items found around the world were single-use plastic items, including cigarette butts, food wrappers, and beverage bottles. It's no wonder that plastic marine debris is a huge problem.

As much as 23 million metric tons of plastic waste entered the ocean and waterways around the world in 2016 alone. This number doesn't even include marine debris items not made of plastic, or ocean-based marine debris like lost fishing gear and vessels.

The plastic problem is growing into a crisis, with the fossil fuel industry planning to increase plastic production by 40 percent over the next decade. This means more toxic air pollution and plastic in our oceans.

Unfortunately, plastic is so durable that every bit of plastic ever made still exists, according to the EPA. All five of the Earth's major ocean gyres are inundated with plastic pollution, including the largest one, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

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The word "plastic" comes from the Greek "plassein", which means to mold or shape. This term was chosen because plastic was developed to take the shape of any object.

In the mid-1800s, the demand for ivory elephant tusks skyrocketed, but elephant populations were dramatically decreasing. This led to the creation of synthetic polymers like celluloid.

Celluloid was first developed by John Wesley Hyatt in 1863 as a replacement for ivory billiard balls, but it was not very good for that purpose. It was, however, good for molding into various shapes.

The process of creating celluloid was also highly flammable, making it a hazardous material to work with.

The word "plastic" comes from the Greek "plassein", which means to mold or shape.

Plastic was developed mainly to take the shape of any object, replacing expensive materials like ivory and tortoise shells.

In 1863, a billiard company offered $10,000 to anyone who could come up with a replacement for ivory-made billiard balls, leading to the invention of celluloid.

Celluloid was not very good for billiard balls but was good for molding into different shapes, such as piano keys and film canisters.

The process of creating celluloid was dangerous, as it was highly flammable.

Leo Baekeland created Bakelite in 1907, which was the first fully-synthetic plastic and paved the way for the development of newer plastics.

Bakelite was durable, heat-resistant, and a good insulator, making it a valuable material for various applications.

The invention of Bakelite led to the creation of plastics like polystyrene, polyester, PVC, polythene, and nylon, which are still manufactured today.

The production of plastics boomed during World War II, as plastic was a cheap alternative to other materials during a time of penny-pinching.

The Five Gyres are a major concern when it comes to plastic accumulation in our oceans. They're essentially massive circling ocean currents where plastic litter tends to get stuck.

Around the globe, there are five major gyres where plastic litter accumulates: the North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Indian Ocean gyres. These gyres are created by persistent global winds and the Coriolis effect.

The Coriolis effect causes moving water to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This combined with wind forces creates the massive rotating currents we see in the gyres.

Northern hemisphere gyres spin clockwise, while southern hemisphere gyres spin counter-clockwise.

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We analyzed data from various sources, including industry reports and academic studies, to understand the origin of plastic waste in the oceans. The data was collected by Our World in Data.

To assess the current and future trends in global plastic production, we used data from previous studies, including Eriksen et al. (2014) and Meijer et al. (2021). These studies provided valuable insights into the surface plastic mass by ocean basin.

We also adopted data from Meijer et al. (2021) to evaluate the share of global plastic waste emitted to the ocean and the share of ocean plastics that come from the largest emitting rivers. This helped us identify the major contributors to plastic waste in the oceans.

To visualize the magnitude and distribution of microplastics in the world's surface oceans, we used data from Eriksen et al. (2014) and Lebreton et al. (2019). These studies provided a comprehensive understanding of microplastics in the surface ocean.

We estimated the global distribution of microplastics in the surface ocean in 2019 using data from the NOAA, National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and Microplastics Database (2022). This data analysis and visualization helped us propose methods and strategies to monitor and control the proliferation of ocean plastics.

Rivers are the main source of ocean plastic pollution, with about 8 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean from land every year. This amount could vary between 4.8 and 12.7 million metric tons.

Fishing gear is another major source of plastic pollution, with about 80% of the plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch coming from fishing activities at sea. This is because fishing equipment is designed to survive in the water for long periods.

A significant portion of the plastic waste that enters the ocean comes from just ten rivers, eight of which are in Asia and two in Africa. These rivers are located adjacent to large cities where hundreds of millions of people live.

Rivers are a significant source of ocean plastic pollution, but fishing gear is another major contributor to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. About 80% of the plastic in the GPGP comes from fishing activities at sea.

Fishing equipment lost or dumped at sea has a higher chance of accumulating offshore because it's designed to survive in the water for long periods.

Vehicle tires and synthetic clothing are two major sources of secondary microplastics from land. These materials break down into smaller pieces, increasing their bioavailability and potentially impacting more species.

The Ocean Cleanup focuses on removing plastic objects from the ocean while they're still at a larger size to prevent them from breaking into smaller pieces and forming microplastics.

Over a quarter of the plastic waste that goes into the ocean every year comes from the runoff of just ten rivers, eight of which are in Asia and two in Africa.

Over 1000 rivers account for 80% of global annual emissions, ranging from 0.8 million to 2.7 million metric tons per year.

The majority of plastic waste emitted to oceans comes from Asia, accounting for 80.99% of global plastic emissions, followed by Africa, South America, North America, Europe, and Oceania.

Asia is the largest contributor to plastic pollution in the oceans, accounting for 81% of the total mass of plastic waste in the oceans.

The top 20 countries responsible for plastic waste in the oceans were located in Asia and Africa, with China being the largest contributor, followed by Indonesia and the Philippines.

More than 1000 rivers contribute to 80% of annual global plastic ocean entry.

The North Pacific had the highest surface plastic mass at 96,400 tonnes, followed by the Indian Ocean and the North Atlantic.

A minimum of 5.25 trillion particles weighing 268,940 tons were estimated to be floating in the global ocean.

Macroplastics (>200 mm) dominate the percentage of surface ocean plastic by mass, followed by mesoplastics (4.76 mm-200 mm), large microplastics (1.01 mm-4.75mm), and small microplastics (0.33-1 mm).

Small microplastics (0.33-1 mm) dominate the percentage of surface ocean plastic by particle count, followed by large microplastics (1.01 mm-4.75mm), and mesoplastics (4.76 mm-200 mm).

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Global plastic production has seen a significant increase from 2 million metric tons in 1950 to 459.75 million metric tons in 2019.

By 2050, an estimated 12,000 million metric tons of plastic waste will be in the natural environment if current trends continue. This staggering amount is based on consistent use patterns and current global waste management trends.

More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global annual emissions, ranging from 0.8 million to 2.7 million metric tons per year. The Philippines, India, Malaysia, and China are among the top countries contributing to plastic emissions, with the Philippines emitting 356,371 million metric tons per year through 4820 rivers.

Asia accounts for the highest estimate of plastic emissions, at 80.99%, followed by Africa, South America, North America, Europe, and Oceania.

The global production of plastic has seen a significant increase over the years, with an estimated 2 million metric tons produced in 1950.

From 1950 to 2019, plastic production rose dramatically to 459.75 million metric tons.

As of 2019, a staggering 8300 million metric tons of virgin plastics had been produced.

If current trends continue, it's estimated that 12,000 million metric tons of plastic waste will be in the natural environment by 2050.

This alarming prediction is based on consistent use patterns with current global waste management trends.

The graph in Figure 1 illustrates the sharp increase in plastic production over the years, with a steady accumulation of polymer resin and fibers.

By 2050, an estimated 9000 million metric tons of plastic waste will have been recycled, 12,000 million metric tons incinerated, and 12,000 million metric tons discarded in landfills or the natural environment.

The Philippines is the largest contributing country to plastic emissions, with 4820 rivers emitting 356,371 metric tons per year.

According to estimates, over 1000 rivers account for 80% of global annual plastic emissions, ranging from 0.8 million to 2.7 million metric tons per year.

India is the second-largest contributor, with 126,513 metric tons per year, followed by Malaysia with 73,098 metric tons per year through 1070 rivers, and China with 70,707 metric tons per year through 1309 rivers.

These countries are followed by Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the United States, among others, in terms of plastic emissions to the oceans.

The top 20 countries and regions contribute to 95% of global plastic waste emissions, with the remaining 5% coming from other countries and regions.

It's worth noting that these estimates do not account for waste exported abroad, which may pose an elevated risk for ocean pollution.

Up to 13 million tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year, threatening marine ecosystems and human health. This is a staggering amount, considering that it's equivalent to filling every foot of coastline in the world with five plastic grocery bags filled with plastic.

Most of the plastic in the ocean comes from sources on land, often reaching the ocean as runoff that moves improperly discarded trash from land to river and finally, the ocean. In fact, a 2015 study found that there is on average 8 million metric tons of plastic that enters the ocean from land every year.

The United States is responsible for a larger portion of plastic waste entering the marine environment than previously thought, creating 42 million metric tons of plastic waste in 2016. This is a concerning fact, especially considering that the country is also one of the largest contributors to mismanaged plastic waste through littering, illegal dumping, and exporting to other countries where waste is not properly disposed of.

Around 100 million kilograms of plastic float in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which contains 1.8 trillion pieces larger than 0.5 mm. This is a massive accumulation of plastic that can have serious consequences for the coastal environment and the fishing and tourism industries.

Plastic pollution has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife, with thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals, and other marine mammals killed each year after ingesting plastic or getting entangled in it.

Thousands of animals, from small finches to blue whales, die grisly deaths from eating and getting caught in plastic.

The Center for Biological Diversity is working to stop plastic pollution at the source, before it ever has a chance to reach the ocean, and has petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to begin regulating plastics as a pollutant.

Since the widespread production of plastic following World War II, an estimated 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic have been produced worldwide.

An estimated 8.5 million metric tons of plastic enters the ocean from land every year, enough to fill every foot of coastline in the world with five plastic grocery bags filled with plastic.

Most of the plastic in the ocean today comes directly from sources on land, often reaching the ocean as runoff that moves improperly discarded trash from land to river and finally, the ocean.

About 80% of the plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch comes from fishing activities at sea, with fishing equipment lost or dumped at sea having a much higher chance of accumulating offshore.

Microplastics are much more difficult to clean up, and because of their small size, their bioavailability increases, meaning they can potentially impact more species than larger objects.

MOST PLASTIC EITHER SINKS OR BEACHES WITHIN A MONTH, with nearly half of the plastic sinking directly because of its low buoyancy, and the other half floating and beaching on a coastline within a month of leaking into the ocean.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is estimated to be twice the size of Texas, containing around 100 million kilograms of plastic and 1.8 trillion pieces larger than 0.5 mm, which is about 160 pieces per person living on the planet.

If plastic emissions into the oceans are kept constant from 2020, the mass of buoyant macroplastics on the global ocean surface and coastlines will continue to increase with a relatively slower rate due to degradation of older objects into smaller particles.

The Philippines, India, and Malaysia have either very high or high concentrations of marine microplastics, with higher proportions of distributions of microplastics in these regions.

By 2050, floating and stranded mass of macroplastics could decrease by 59% and 57% of their 2020 levels if sources of buoyant macroplastics are stopped from 2020.

Regions of Asia and Africa also have higher distributions of microplastics in high concentrations, making them hotspots for marine pollution.

Higher proportions of distributions of microplastics with 'very high' or 'high' concentrations were observed in regions of Asia and Africa, with countries like the Philippines, India, and Malaysia being among the worst affected.

The North Pacific Ocean and Russia also have higher distributions of microplastics in high concentrations, making them significant contributors to the global problem of marine pollution.

In Haiti, a company called the Plastic Bank pays people directly for depositing plastic for recycling, incentivizing local residents to pick up plastic trash and reducing the amount of waste in the environment. This innovative approach has the potential to increase recycling rates and reduce plastic pollution.

Adidas has upcycled ocean plastic to create a running shoe, and the Toronto condo complex CityPlace installed carpets made from discarded fishing nets in its hallways. This showcases the creative ways companies can reuse and recycle plastic waste.

Unifi, a manufacturer that spins plastic into yarn, has been making graduation gowns out of recycled plastic that over 2.2 million students have worn. This is just one example of how recycled plastic can be used to create new products.

The European Union implemented a ban on single-use plastics, including straws, cutlery, and cotton buds, in 2019. This type of policy can be an effective way to reduce plastic waste and protect the environment.

A study conducted in San Francisco found that the ban on plastic bags reduced the usage of plastic bags by 72%. This demonstrates the impact that even small changes in behavior can have on reducing plastic waste.

Coca-Cola has introduced a plant-based bottle made from sugarcane that can reduce the company's reliance on fossil fuel-based plastics. This type of product redesign can be an effective way to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainability.

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The good news is that there are many ways to reduce marine plastic pollution, starting with small changes in our daily lives.

Making a conscious effort to reduce single-use plastics is a great place to begin. According to research, plastic bags, straws, and water bottles are among the top items found in beach cleanups.

By choosing reusable alternatives, we can significantly decrease the amount of plastic waste that ends up in our oceans. For example, using a refillable water bottle can save up to 156 plastic bottles per year.

Reducing plastic use at home and in our communities is just the starting point. Governments and businesses also play a crucial role in addressing marine plastic pollution.

Implementing policies and regulations to limit single-use plastics and increase recycling rates can make a significant impact. In fact, countries like Rwanda and Kenya have banned single-use plastics, resulting in a notable decrease in plastic waste.

Every small action counts, and collective efforts can lead to significant positive change. By working together, we can create a future where our oceans are free from plastic pollution.

Marine plastics are a pressing issue that affects our oceans and the creatures that live in them.

Every year, over 8 million tons of plastic waste enter the world's oceans, harming marine life and contaminating the food chain.

Plastic debris can be found in every ocean on Earth, from the surface to the deepest depths.

The majority of plastic waste in the ocean comes from land-based activities, such as litter and sewage.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a massive accumulation of plastic debris, is located between Hawaii and California.

It's estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean if we don't take action to reduce plastic waste.