Ocean Plastics
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Map of Ocean Plastic
Marine Plastic gathers in ocean gyres where extensive systems of rotating currents converge.
The Earth has the following five major gyres where marine debris accumulates:
- North Pacific Gyre
- South Pacific Gyre
- North Atlantic Gyre
- South Atlantic Gyre
- Indian Oceanic Gyre
We need to cleanse them all to remediate the oceans!
How Plastic Injures and Kills Marine Animals
Albatross Mistakes Plastic for Food and Eats It
The plastic stays in its stomach and is never digested. Soon there is no room for real food, and the albatross starves.
Seals Ensnared by Discarded Large Fishing Net
Seals are curious about ghost nets, so they explore them not sensing their danger. Seals end up getting entangled in the nets and may drown.
Marine Plastics Entering the Food Chain
Even tiny plankton eat tiny nano fragments of plastics, entering the marine food chain when fish eat plankton.
Plastic Pollution Ruins Our Beautiful Beaches
Finding plastic debris in the sand makes beach walks less enjoyable and discouraging.
Plastic Pollution Mars the Beauty of Coastal Waters
Snorkelers and scuba divers find marine plastic throughout the water column in offshore waters.
Plastic Pollution Requires Human Cleanup of Beaches
To prevent plastic from amassing on our beaches, many communities must have frequent cleanup events to preserve the beauty of the shores.
Marine Animals of All Sizes Eat Plastic by Mistake
From plankton to whales, marine animals ingest plastic when mistaken for food or by accident. Plastic cannot be digested.
Marine Plastics Leech Chemicals Into the Ocean
When ocean plastic breaks down, it releases chemicals such as bisphenol A and polystyrene-based oligomers. These damage ecosystems and can impact animal reproduction.
Are Humans at Risk From Eating Seafood?
No definitive studies exist on human health and nano-plastics found in fish muscle tissue. We hope researchers will study the possible impact of ocean plastic on human health.
Marine Plastic Causes Global Economic Losses
The Marine Pollution Bulletin published a study estimating ocean plastic creates losses of $2.5 T (trillions) every year as a result of damage to fisheries, tourism, and shipping.
Marine Plastic Reduces Earth’s Environmental Value
This study estimates the cost of one ton of marine plastic is $33,000 in reduced environmental value.
Every Year More Plastic Enters the Ocean
Studies by Dr. Jambeck, University of Georgia, estimate an average of 8M metric tons of plastic per year is dumped in the ocean, where it has accumulated for over 50 year.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has Estimated Statistics on Ocean Plastic Pollution
300M tons of plastic are produced every year.
Only 10% of plastic is recycled, with the remaining 90% ending up in the ocean or in landfills.
80% of marine debris is made of plastic.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the north-central area of the Pacific Ocean is the largest accumulation of plastic debris in the world.
