How does plastic end up in the ocean

Take a plastic bottle in a town as an example. The bottle is put in a rubbish bin on the street, it blows from the trash can into the street and then into a storm drain, and from here it can enter a river and be carried out to the sea. This all shows us that when we throw items "away", there really is no such thing. Looking further at plastic waste from land-based sources, research by the Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey highlighted that plastic leakage in five countries studied could broadly be split into two types: uncollected and collected waste.

Uncollected waste e. This could be due to the waste management system having insufficient controls in place or from storing waste in unfit locations, such as too close to waterways. This study is just one example from around the world — ocean plastic is truly a global issue. The findings highlight that a crucial first step in managing plastic waste is establishing effective collection methods on land.

For example, in a deposit return scheme , in which a refundable deposit is added to the price of a beverage, an empty bottle is no longer waste — it has a monetary value to be redeemed. It is a simple, but effective shift in thinking: from waste, to value. While these may enter as bigger items, we know that the plastic will degrade over time into tiny microplastics that can be hard to see.

While larger pieces of plastic from land eventually break down into microplastics in the ocean, some plastic starts its journey as microplastics. These are known as "primary microplastics", as they enter the waterways as particles of less than 5mm. Estimates break this down into two broad areas.

There are regional fluctuations, such as in the North East Atlantic where fishing and shipping are much bigger sources of ocean plastic than land-based sources. We also see differences when we look at different types of plastic in the ocean, particularly macroplastics, which is plastic more than 20cm in size. With most plastic waste originating on land, solutions should largely focus on the source. There are several projects that have successfully removed large amounts of fishing gear from the ocean, which is important in protecting sea life from getting entangled.

Ocean-based plastic originates mainly from the fishing industry, nautical activities and aquaculture. Under the influence of solar UV radiation, wind, currents and other natural factors, plastic fragments into small particles, termed microplastics particles smaller than 5 mm or nanoplastics particles smaller than nm. Plastic pollution is the most widespread problem affecting the marine environment.

It also threatens ocean health, food safety and quality, human health, coastal tourism, and contributes to climate change. Impacts on marine environment The most visible and disturbing impacts of marine plastics are the ingestion, suffocation and entanglement of hundreds of marine species.

Marine wildlife such as seabirds, whales, fishes and turtles, mistake plastic waste for prey, and most die of starvation as their stomachs are filled with plastic debris. They also suffer from lacerations, infections, reduced ability to swim, and internal injuries. Floating plastics also contribute to the spread of invasive marine organisms and bacteria, which disrupt ecosystems.

Toxic contaminants also accumulate on the surface of plastic materials as a result of prolonged exposure to seawater. When marine organisms ingest plastic debris, these contaminants enter their digestive systems, and overtime accumulate in the food web.

The transfer of contaminants between marine species and humans through consumption of seafood has been identified as a health hazard, but has not yet been adequately researched. Impacts on climate change Plastic, which is a petroleum product, also contributes to global warming. If plastic waste is incinerated, it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thereby increasing carbon emissions. Impacts on tourism Plastic waste damages the aesthetic value of tourist destinations, leading to decreased tourism-related incomes and major economic costs related to the cleaning and maintenance of the sites.

Global concern and public awareness regarding the impact of plastic on the marine environment are currently increasing. The United Nations Environment Program UNEP considers plastic marine debris and its ability to transport harmful substances as one of the main emerging issues affecting the environment.

Legal efforts have been made at the international and national levels to address marine pollution. However, compliance with these laws is still poor, partly due to limited financial resources to enforce them. Existing international legally binding instruments should be further explored to address plastic pollution. How to help? Reduce, reuse, recycle. Dispose of waste properly no matter where you are. Get involved and participate in local cleanups in your area.

Remember that our land and sea are connected. Microplastics are small plastics less that 5mm. They can come from large plastics breaking down, or can be produced as small plastics such as microbeads, which can be found in products such as toothpaste and face wash. While photodegradable plastics plastics capable of being broken down by light may break down from its first state or created state , these plastics never completely degrade, but actually divide into tiny pieces called microplastics.

Microplastics are the multi-colored pieces of plastic that can be found in a handful of sand on the beach or in the ocean. Scientists are still investigating the impact of microplastics on our ocean and marine life. Marine Debris Program. Marine Debris. Trash Talk Video. Reduce plastic use. Participate in a cleanup. Entanglement: Marine life can get caught and killed in derelict fishing nets and other plastic debris. Ingestion: Animals can easily mistake plastic debris for food.