Plastic Pollution: Unseen Threats to Oceans and Marine Life

Plastic waste poses a threat to our planet at present. With particular emphasis on its detrimental impact on our oceans, is a cause of concern for many people today. Though the majority of plastic debris is noticeable on the water's surface, not many are aware that 70% of it descends to the seabed, resulting in the accumulation of volumes of enduring waste. The amount of waste in the oceans is a concern worldwide each year as approximately 12 million metric tons of plastic find their way into marine ecosystems, contributing to the growing accumulation of plastic debris in oceanic environments globally due to human disregard for the environment and lack of concern shown through improper disposal practices and industrial waste discharge as reported by the Center for Biological Diversity estimates place the number of plastic pieces, in our oceans between 15 and 51 trillion. By the year 2050, it's quite likely that the amount of plastic in our oceans could surpass the weight of all the fish swimming in them.

The effect of plastic pollution on life is not one that can be downplayed. Large marine animals, like marine mammals and sea turtles, can, and are, getting snared in abandoned fishing gear and other plastic waste. Ghost nets — abandoned fishing nets — can tangle animals up, harm, and even drown them. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of mammals, such as whales and dolphins, perish each year worldwide as a result of incidents.

The ingestion of plastic also poses a danger to these creatures. Many animals, like seabirds, fish, and turtles, mistake plastic for food. Consumed plastic can lead to critical health issues such as internal injuries, starvation, and exposure to toxic substances. Studies have shown that around half of all sea turtles ingest plastic, thereby hindering their diet and reproductive ability. Larger debris can disturb vital habitats like coral reefs and seagrass beds, which are important for the survival of many marine species. The alteration of seafloor sediment composition by plastic waste can negatively impact benthic organisms that rely on the seabed for food and breeding. The introduction of plastics can lead to reduced biodiversity, making ecosystems less adapted to changes and threats. Moreover, the ocean floor's role in carbon sequestration is jeopardized by plastic pollution. The sediments of the ocean floor play a critical part in storing carbon dioxide, a key process that helps combat climate change. Plastics can disrupt the activities of sediment-dwelling organisms that contribute to carbon capture. This leads to less carbon being sequestered in the ocean.

This disruption presents significant implications for global climate change efforts and the health of marine environments.

How to Deal with the Crisis:

Prevention and Innovation Reducing plastic production and consumption at the source, improving waste management, and increasing recycling is an Ongoing one. It is a shared responsibility of government agencies, corporations, and individuals to foster a culture of sustainability around plastic usage. These strategies may involve improving plastic production regulations and promoting alternatives to the use of single-use plastics. Other explorations are around plastic removal technologies.

Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and advanced techniques are under development to remove existing plastic debris from the depths of the ocean. Initiatives like Ecodrive's technology focus on providing businesses with options to contribute to ocean clean-up efforts by linking product sales or other actions to ocean plastic removal credits. Increasing public awareness is crucial for gathering support for action. By accentuating the urgent need to address this insidious crisis, stakeholders can strengthen efforts to protect marine ecosystems and enhance public understanding of the long-term effects of plastic waste.