Plastic Ocean Research Paper

The problem with plastic ending up in the ocean is that marine life is being harmed by the presence of it. A study done on the harbor seals in the Netherlands found that more than 12% had plastic in the digestive system (California Coastal Commission). The list of affected species indicates that marine debris is affecting a significant number of species. It affects at least 267 species worldwide, including 86% of all sea turtle species, 44% of all seabird species, and 43% of all marine mammal species (Save our shores). The problem is underestimated because the marine life that ingests plastic or dies from entanglement often goes undiscovered due to the vastness of the ocean, as they either sink or are eaten by predators before they are discovered (Plastic Debris). The potential harm from ingestion of plastics is not restricted to seabirds. Plastic bags drifting on ocean currents resemble the prey of turtles. There is evidence that their survival is being hindered by plastic debris with young sea turtles being vulnerable (Ocean pollution). Over the past 20 years polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have polluted marine food webs at an increasing rate, and are prevalent in seabirds. Though their adverse effects may not always be apparent, PCBs lead to reproductive disorders, increase the risk of disease and alter hormone levels. These chemicals have a detrimental effect on marine organisms even at very low levels and plastic pellets could be a route for PCBs into marine food

One extreme issue with plastic being so easily accessible is that consumers throw it away without hesitation, as is especially true with plastic bags. Plastic bags are made of one of the most flexible and flimsy types of plastic, which means that they can be broken down much easier, especially once they reach the ocean, which is where an alarming amount of our trash ends up. “Plastic doesn't biodegrade in any meaningful timeframe, but it photodegrades” which means that “ultraviolet rays from the sun break the polymer chains of hydrocarbon molecules into smaller pieces and what you end up with is small fragments...” (Wilson) of plastic floating all over our oceans, and those tiny fragments will truly

Plastic bags that we throw in trash stays in landfills for many years. Furthermore, According to research conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency, “somewhere between five hundred billion and one trillion disposable bags are used each year around the world. Plastic bags, while only used for an average of about twelve minutes, remain in landfills, oceans, and other places for thousands of years.” In addition, ever since the new law took place, the amount of plastic being thrown in landfills has been reduced because less bags are made now. An article states, “the use of natural resources and waste from plastic bag production, plastic bags can increase the risk of flooding. Because they never break down completely, plastic bags can clog storm drains and other areas which can eventually cause severe flooding. Plastic products are also causing serious issues in the world's oceans, where pieces of plastic actually outnumber the amount of plankton in the water.” As a result,

It can take up to 1000 years to decompose. That means that if someone drops a plastic bag right now, in 1000 years it will still be there. That's if the wildlife doesn't pick it up first. Each year tens of thousands of whales, birds, seals, and turtles eat plastic bags, mistaking the for food and die. In 2010 a gray whale that was beached and died in seattle was found to have more than 20 plastic bags in its stomach. Bag cleanups on the cost have been going of almost three years, with little progress. Over the last 25 years, the International Coastal Cleanup has collected, 7,825,319, plastic bags of coasts worldwide. That's enough petroleum to drive a car 281711484 feet (53354.4 miles). Plastic bags could be used for that instead of polluting the

Plastics that end up as ocean debris contribute to habitat destruction and entangle and kill tens of thousands of marine animals each year. To limit your impact, carry a reusable water bottle, store food in non-disposable containers, bring your own cloth tote or other reusable bag when shopping, and recycle whenever possible.

Throughout my research on Plastic Pollution I learned that plastic is a material that our planet cannot digest but it has become the lubricant growth of globalization. Thus, Plastic is made from oil that contains many chemicals harmful to humans and animals. Humans are barely aware that Plastic is so part of our lives that it can be found in everyday products that we consume and even the food we eat. Humanity plastic foot print in the oceans has caused a major garbage path located thousands of miles off the coast of California, called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This is caused due to humans that throw their waste into the sea and went those plastics are in the water, it breaks down into smaller particles; then pushed by winds, tides and currents, plastic particles form with other debris into large swirling glutinous accumulation zones. For instance, The World Economic Forum (WEF) report stated that if we keep producing plastic and improperly dispose of it, there will be more pound of plastic debris than fish by 2050 because we have been made three times more plastic stuff since we did in 2014. The dangers of over-produced plastic, is that much of it escapes from collection systems that end up floating in the ocean than into the stomachs of marine birds and sea turtles. This is very alarming to me because we are killing thousands of marine’s lives and its ecosystem by over producing plastic.

Plastic, a lightweight, tough and flexible material, first invented in 1907, and is constantly present in daily, modern life. Ironically, it was invented to save animals as it replaced materials such as ivory and whale bone. Plastic production isn’t slowing down - in 2012 there was a 4% increase in production of plastic from 2013 worldwide. In New Zealand, we use 1 billion shopping bags per year and around 60 kg on average of plastic per person per year! Astoundingly, only 5.58 kg on average of plastic per person is recycled. Plastic never goes away completely and it’s only increasingly going into oceans and onto beaches. Plastic can take up to 500 years or more to biodegrade. Plastics pollution in oceans has a direct and deadly

This essay will examine the effects of plastic pollution on international, national, state and local levels in the marine ecosystem, the impacts on the health of marine animals and humans, the legislation and management strategies put in place to counteract the negative impacts of the issue and its origins including the evaluation of the effectiveness of these measures and the conflicting perspectives of the stakeholders involved such as, intergovernmental, governmental, corporations, environmental and community groups.

The problem concerning plastic waste in our oceans is the deleterious effects it has on the oceans environment, marine life, and humans. Do you remember a day where you went for a stroll on the beach and never noticed a single piece of plastic? Nearly everyone will answer this question saying no. Beaches are covered with large plastic debris and millions of plastic particles that are taking place of the sand. Plastic is being washed ashore and swept into the ocean. Plastic enters the oceans in numerous

To begin with, plastic in the ocean hurts the animals within it. Humans are not the only inhabitants of the Earth. The animals inside the ocean pay for our consequences. What is failed to be seen is that every time we abuse of what we have, we are hit just as bad. Humans dump the trash and animals have to adapt to it. However, “It has been only around 60 years since plastic came to be,” and it doesn’t give them animals much room to work with (“Measuring biodegradability”). An example of how animals are hurt by plastic is when animals in the ocean consume plastic. It might appear weird that they are interested in eating plastic. However,

Plastic causes pollution in the ocean and endangers the inhabitants of many sea creatures. Plastic comes in many different kinds and variety, some are largely noticeable and some are micro-particles. Tiny plastic objects are the most dangerous to the sea creatures especially to the marine mammals. These micro or tiny bits and pieces of plastics tend to get consumed accidentally by many marine animals. “Plastic is the great pretender, conceived in mimicry and dedicated to the simulation of everything else in art and nature (208, Ebbesmeyer).” Ebbesmeyer claims that plastics can be any sort of form(s). Just like any other object in the world has some plastic incorporated into it such as toys, appliances/electronics, and people’s daily

In today's society, one of the main problems we face is pollution. The role of plastic playing in the daily lives of people is interminable. The main problem with plastic is that it is tossed into the ocean and that it can travel long distances with the currents and winds. Marine animals and other animals that depend on the ocean for sustenance wind up eating the trash thinking that it’s food. This is especially true for plastic trash (Parker, 2015). For those of us who live on the coast, a mere walk on the beach gives us insight to how much our misuse of plastic has become. The number of seabirds that have ingested the plastic waste and have died is increasing, however, efforts to clean the plastic has stopped due to the cost of the clean-up.

To begin with, plastic in the ocean hurts the animals within it. Humans are not the only inhabitants of the Earth. The animals inside the ocean pay for the consequences. What is failed to be seen is that every time humans abuse of what there is, they are hit just as bad. Humans dump the trash and animals have to adapt to it. However, “It has been only around 60 years since plastic came to be,” and it doesn’t give them animals much room to work with (“Measuring biodegradability”). An example of how animals are hurt by plastic is

Plastics currently “represent the vast majority of human-made debris present in the oceans” (Reisser, Shaw, Wilcox, Hardersty, Proietti, Thums, & Pattiaratchi, n.d., p.1). According to Sigler (2014), “the magnitude of plastic pollution carried to sea has significantly multiplied over the past several decades” (p. 2). Due to this increase in plastic pollution, oceans are becoming increasingly dangerous to marine wildlife, the environment and human health; which is why policies that ban plastic bags and single use, disposable dishes are crucial to the sustainability of Earth’s water supply.

Plastic is one of the most important material for items production because plastic is very flexible. For examples, water bottle can be made with plastic, chair can be made with plastic, and utensils can be made with plastic. Plastic has helped many manufacture company to reduce the cost for material and increase the amount of production. As a result plastic is a very helpful material for human. However, plastic is also one of the major consequences human are facing, because production of new plastic items are increasing but the old plastic items are not decreasing. Therefore, causing numerous places to have piles of plastics, and ocean is the place that contains most of the plastic waste. As a result, many sea species are being kill by these plastic waste that human dump into the ocean. According to the article “Polymers Are Forever” by Alan Weisman, he wrote that “In 1975, the U.S. National Academy of Science had estimated that all oceangoing vessels together dumped 8 million pounds of plastic annually” (Weisman). The quote demonstrated how much plastic was dumped into the ocean forty-years ago. Over the forty years, human’s population is continuously increasing, which mean amount of plastic will also increase because most of the product are made by plastic. Therefore, human are once again ignoring the consequence of over producing plastic, and continue with the benefit that plastic provides. Moreover, plastic will not only affect sea animals, it will affect the quality of