Plastic Pollution in the Ocean

Oceans are among the largest water bodies on Earth. Over years, human activities have profoundly affected marine life in the oceans. Pollution of oceans or marine pollution involves the spreading of harmful substances into the oceans. The materials include oil, agricultural wastes, chemicals, industrial wastes and plastics. The substances have massive effects in the life of marine organisms and beyond. It is then necessary
for all citizens to take the responsibility to make the oceans clean maintaining the life of the marine species. The serious repercussions that have been experienced as a result of plastic pollution-enhanced the development of this discussion. Hence, the manuscript within is focused on the effects and solutions adapted to work towards ocean clean up in the past and current times (Derraik 847).
The world of sea receives millions of tons of rubbish. The tons of waste contain paper, glass, plastic materials and dirty solutions. The different residues have varied degrees of decomposition though plastic never truly breaks down into smaller pieces. Therefore, all the plastics used by people over years are still in existence to date. The existing plastic pollutants still ride the ocean's currents getting to the furthest corners of the seas. The plastic components are currently reported to accumulate in areas where current converge; the gyres (Marcuset al. 76).
The travel of plastic parts from the land to the sea is an easy process. Plastic wastes blew in from homes through the garbage dumps and carried by storm waters to be drained in the oceans and seas. In the oceans, the plastic elements are broken down into smaller pieces that are later consumed by animals and plants that are the bottom of human food chains. The food chain clearly explains to people how their activities turn around to affect their health and well-being. Derraik reports “harmful chemicals found in common plastic items include Phthalates: chemicals used to create soft and flexible plastics that are commonly used in the food and construction industries, as well as in beauty products, pesticides, wood finishes, insect repellents and solvents” (p. 841). The breakdown of marine debris into small particles and ingestion by marine organisms has resulted in so many deaths. The marine ecosystem is no longer conducive to the survival of organisms due to poor circulation of gas. Additionally, bio diversity is inhibited as the organisms have a reduced breeding area as well as cross-breeding with other species. The serious effects experienced by plastic pollution motivate one to find out the cause of the phenomenon (Derraik 842).
The vast Pacific trash vortex is a gyre of marine debris that came into existence through the garbage disposal in the ocean. Human beings have always treated the oceans as trash bins. Negative perceptions and attitudes accorded to oceans have a core influence on the disposal of plastic materials in the area. The opening of sewage drainages through the rivers and lakes directly pollute oceans. Through such drainages, macro and micro plastic have found their way into the ocean reducing the oxygen level in the water affecting marine life. Additionally, toxic chemicals from agricultural and industrial wastes directly discharged into the sea are hazardous to aquatic life. The chemicals alter the air and temperature balance in the water affecting the marine ecosystem. Since animals and plants in the ocean cannot survive at high temperatures they perish (Marcus et al. 73).
Land runoff is another contributing factor to ocean pollution. It is experienced when water infiltrates the soil to the maximum and the excess water from the rains flood or flow over the land into the sea. During the flow, the water carries harmful man-made contaminants such as fertilizers, petroleum, pesticides and others polluting the ocean. The fertilizers and waste from land animals are a huge detriment to ocean life as they lead to the development of dead zones in the sea. Large scale oils spill and, on the other hand, have a devastating effect on the ocean life. Crude oil is mainly made up of synthetic polymer elements that suffocate the marine animals to death once it entraps them. The oil spillages in oceans are highly involving to clean up and when in the oceans it stays. Other than the mentioned aspects that lead to the disposition of polymer are ocean mining, littering, and crashes pollute the oceans. However, regardless of the cause of pollution, it is necessary for causation to be taken to protect oceans from the Earth (Derraik 843).
The different causes of plastic pollution in oceans have been reported to have varied effects. Toxic wastes such as chemicals and oil spills get to the gills of fish and the feathers of marine animals inhibiting their movement as well as their day-to-day activities. Long-term effects of toxic wastes in marine organisms result into cancer, behavioral changes, the impact on their productive system and loss of life. Additionally, toxic wastes disrupt the cycle of the Coral Reefs by preventing sunlight from reaching the marine plants affecting the process of photosynthesis. In the long run, marine life can experience skin, lung, and liver irritation as the ecosystem is depleted (Marcus et al. 71).
Some debris in the marine ecosystem fails to decompose. Science shows that oxygen plays a core role in decomposition. Therefore, the longer the debris stays in the water, the more oxygen it consumes to decay reducing the oxygen levels in the water. Reduction in the oxygen levels equates reduced chances of survival of marine animals. In turn, this affects the population of marine animals and plants through death. Industrial and agricultural wastes produce a chemical that accumulate in the fatty tissues marine organisms leading to a failing reproductive system. The chemicals get into the organism’s system through ingestion as they fail to resolve sinking at the bottom of the ocean. Though it appears like only the marine life is affected, human beings are also in the hazardous chain as they consume some marine organisms that have ingested the chemicals and polymer elements. Therefore, plastic pollution in oceans in turn affects the human health and well-being (Derraik 851).
The first mechanism to be considered in dealing with plastic pollution is to prevent the reach of synthetic polymers into the water bodies. Macus et al observes that “There is no island of trash (it’s more of a trashy soup), and the solution is to stop our trash – mostly made of plastic – from getting to the middle of the ocean” (p. 76). All individuals young and old need to contribute to a fair share of recycling and not littering the plastic materials in the ocean. The producing companies of plastic materials need to re-think the issue and use the alternative material in production. Producers are then left with the responsibility to re-design packaging materials to be recyclable reducing the level of wastes. Industries and manufacturers need to contribute in the amount required to help keep their products out of the ocean else an agreed solution may fail to achieve the desired objective if the dumped wastes are still in the oceans (Marcus et al. 75).
Creation of awareness is another way to do away with plastic pollution in the oceans. Nations have developed movements and organizations deemed with the responsibility to educate people on the importance of the oceans and why they do not need to dump the wastes in them. Such awareness is core in doing away with the negative perception and attitudes that people have towards oceans. For example, in San Francisco, through awareness creation people began to get involved in coastal clean-ups. Moreover, it is through the awareness that the movement gained different techniques to employ in keeping the ocean and the surrounding cities clean. Therefore, though the ocean is in a sad state today if prevention and solutions measures are put in place the oceans will be in the best state decades to come. Additionally, plastic pollution in the oceans can also be cleaned up by contributing to the practice of ocean conservation. It is true that not all people and organizations can engage physically in ocean clean-up. It is forth is reason that some organizations and individuals have offered financial support, skills, and policies to help in ocean cleanup (Derraik 850).
In the US several Americans are putting their efforts on the phenomenon based on the work of organizations working towards. The organizations such as Save Our Shoes Plastic Pollution provide the community with the opportunity to participate in the prevention and removal of plastic pollution from the oceans. The UPSTREAM documentary, place the blame on the irresponsible nature of consumer goods companies as their decisions, products and packaging turn out to be costly to the world (Fendall, Lisa & Mary 1227). Therefore, an alternative material such as glass, paper or steel needs to be used for the production to save the earth. UPSTREAM reports the testimony of an old man in 60s “We didn’t have this problem when I was a kid. There wasn’t all this single-use disposable plastic. Everything was in glass, paper, steel or aluminum. This is a problem that’s been created in my lifetime” (p.134). The uses of new technologies have also been considered essential in recycling of plastic elements. For example, several small scale organizations in the developing world have been reported recycling plastic material in exchange for money (Moore 136).
The legal systems and policy development towards plastic ban can work a miracle in preventing plastic pollution in the oceans. In California-USA a lot of energy has been spear-headed towards policies drubbed Clean Seas Coalition (CSC). The coalition is made up of a total of 30 groups such as the community, state, and national organizations that enhance change in the region. The policy developed a policy that enhanced a ban on single-use disposal bags and in the end “the coalition’s biggest success to date, they had succeeded in passing community bag and polystyrene bans for a majority of the state’s population” (p 22275). Therefore, all states, developed and underdeveloped have got different mechanisms to adopt in prevention and cleaning of plastic pollution in the oceans (Boerger et al 2276).
In conclusion, an ocean of marine pollution is a practice that has been in existence for years. The disposition of hazardous substances in the ocean has led to the destruction of marine life leading to death, jeopardy of reproduction systems and reduction of oxygen levels in the water. The damage is caused by the discharge of industrial and agricultural substances in the water. The situation can be solved through awareness creation and own initiative to avoid disposal of plastic items in water bodies. Additionally, organizations and individuals can contribute finances and labor to help clean up the ocean. A solution is essential to avoid the destruction of aquatic and non-aquatic life in the coming years.





Works Cited
Boerger, Christiana M., Lattin GL, Moore SL, Moore CJ. "Plastic Ingestion by Planktivorous Fishes in the North Pacific Central Gyre." Marine Pollution Bulletin 60.12 (2010): 2275-2278.
Derraik, Jose GB. “The Pollution of the Marine Environment by Plastic Debris: A Review.”Marine Pollution Bulletin 44.9 (2002): 842-852.
Eriksen, Marcus. “Plastic Pollution in the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre.”Marine Pollution Bulletin 68.1 (2013): 71-76.
Fendall, Lisa S., and Mary A. Sewell. "Contributing to marine pollution by washing your face: Micro plastics in facial cleansers.”Marine Pollution Bulletin 58.8 (2009): 1225-1228.
Moore, Charles James. "Synthetic polymers in the marine environment: a rapidly increasing, long-term threat." Environmental research 108.2 (2008): 131-139.