Plastic Coasts: The Story of An Uninhabitable Ocean
- greenerwoods
- Jul 29, 2018
- 5 min read
It’s May 2018 in the Indian Ocean. A plastic bag drifts just below the surface of the ocean.
Flowing with the currents, this plastic bag, weighing a mere 5.5 grams, is a minuscule part of the 8 million metric tons of plastic trash that makes it into our oceans each year.
Image Credit: Getty
Struggling to Live
Off the coast of Thailand, struggling to swim and breathe, rescuers and veterinarians attempt to save the life of a small pilot whale. Unable to dive for relief from the sun, rescuers were forced to cover the skin of the whale by propping up big, red umbrellas and keeping him afloat with large buoys.
Thai Marine Biologist officials rescue an ailing and immobile short-finned pilot whale at a canal in Songkhla province, southern Thailand, May 30, 2018. EPA
Pilot whales are large, therefore, they do not have many natural predators. This specific species of whale need only protect itself from killer whales and larger shark species. Over the course of five days, this pilot whale will fight for his life, not from a shark or killer whale, but from plastic pollution.
Plastic pollution has become one of the largest environmental issues facing our planet.
Often mistaken for food, plastic waste in the oceans has proven hazardous to over 700 species worldwide. Marine life, including sea birds impacted from multiple forms of plastic pollution suffer from starvation, suffocation, infection, drowning, entanglement and death. Plymouth University released a study stating that a staggering 100,000 marine animals are killed each year from plastic debris.
Image Credit: Plastic Pollution Coalition
Swirling Patches of Microscopic Plastic Waste
Traveling west from Thailand, through the Pacific Ocean, we find ourselves in the newly confirmed South Pacific Garbage Patch. Discovered by Captain Charles Moore in 2017, the South Pacific Garbage Patch is his second discovery of microplastics. Moore first discovered the North Pacific Garbage Patch in 1997 which is now estimated to weigh 88,000 tons and contains roughly 1.8 trillion pieces of trash. This is the largest of five trash patches in the ocean.
Image Credit: Aqua.org
Microplastics are not normally visible to the naked eye and can go undetected if water samples are not tested. The newly discovered garbage patch, located in the South Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Chile and Peru, consists of tiny particles or remnants of larger products that have been broken down by weather elements. Initial analysis of the garbage patch sized it around 1.5 times the size of Texas. Although microplastics don’t pose a direct threat to larger marine life or humans, we ingest the microscopic particles through a process called trophic transfer. Organisms lower on the food chain ingest microplastics and as a result, larger animals (including humans) up the food chain indirectly transfer the particles into their digestive systems, putting their health at risk.
The Dangers of Single-Use Plastic Products
Among the greatest contributors to plastic pollution are single-use food containers including water bottles, plastic bags, cups and straws. Human plastic consumption and disposal methods are causing the hazardous environment marine life has yet to adapt to. It is estimated that around 50% of plastic is used just once and thrown away. In the United States, Americans buy 29 billion water bottles a year and an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. Only 9% of plastics get recycled, resulting in up to 91% of plastics winding up in the oceans.
As a consumer, it is vital to understand the harmful impact single-use plastic has on the Earth’s oceans.
Concerned organizations have raised awareness on the deteriorating state of the oceans but many individuals do not think their personal efforts can help solve this global crisis. Those living inland cannot visibly see the impact of their non-recycled products, however, the planet's ecosystems will not be able to sustain an out-of-sight, out-of-mind attitude.
Reduce-Reuse-Recycle; It's Not Just a Catchy Phrase
Fortunately, there are actions consumers can take to reduce their consumption of plastics which will result in less global pollution. Individuals are encouraged to replace single-use items, like water bottles, with multi-use products made from materials such as glass, metal, cloth or multi-use plastic alternatives.
The most effective way to reduce plastic pollution is to recycle. On average, a common plastic bag is used for a few minutes while one reusable grocery bag will last about three to five years, depending on use. The same is true for plastic water bottles. Waste disposal companies offer recycling services such as curb pick-up to customers. The national average reported for curb-side recycling services is $5-$25 for weekly, or biweekly service. When compared to the effect recycling has on the environment, it is a small price to pay. Other opportunities to recycle include drop off centers and refund programs.
Recycling plastic products creates the biggest impact on the environment overall.
A Grueling Week
For close to a week, rescuers attempted to save the life of the young pilot whale. Over the course of the rescue, with his body rejecting the plastic, the young whale vomited five plastic bags. Unable to digest the plastic blocking his digestive tract, he ultimately lost his struggle to live.
Five days after the discovery of the whale, dozens of people gather around its lifeless body. A necropsy (animal autopsy) found 80 plastic bags and various other plastic waste, totaling 17 pounds, in the stomach of the whale.
Volunteers and marine veterinarians from Department of Marine and Coastal Resources attempted to rescue a sick male pilot whale in the coastal area of southern Thailand near the Malaysian border, May 28, 2018. ThaiWhales / AFP - Getty Images
Unfortunately, this scene is no longer a rare occurrence. Annually, 300 endangered sea turtles and 100 to 150 dolphins and whales wash up on Thailand beaches after ingesting some form of plastic. Only a month prior, a sperm whale died on beach on the southern coast Mexico. The whale was found to have 60 pounds of plastic waste in its stomach including plastic bags, nets, ropes and plastic fragments.
The Future of Plastic Oceans
Without intervention, scientists have estimated that by the year 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean will outweigh the quantity of fish.
A report, published by the UK's Government Office for Science with contributions from the UK's National Oceanography Centre, found that the amount of plastic pollution in the ocean is set to triple between 2015 and 2025. Thus, putting the ocean ecosystem at an increased risk for destruction. The report analyzes the future condition of the oceans, challenges, and intervention opportunities.
Plastic pollution is hazardous to the environment, human and animal health. It is vital that we increase our knowledge of the hazards of plastic waste as well as actively participate in sustainable solutions to aid in reducing plastic pollution. Our action is instrumental in reversing the harmful environmental effects we have inadvertently created by our use of plastic.
One small change, one big impact.
Resources Used:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/science/plastic-pollution/
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/07/ocean-plastic-patch-south-pacific-spd/
www.costowl.com/home-improvement/home-services-recycling-pickup-cost.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/plastic-pollution-killed-sperm-whale-dead-spain-beach-bags-blue-planet-a8293446.html
https://plasticoceans.org/the-facts/
https://futurism.com/microplastics-endanger-marine-life-fish-predators/
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/07/plastic-produced-recycling-waste-ocean-trash-debris-environment/
Images Used:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/dead-whale-found-thailand-17-pounds-plastic-its-stomach-n879581
https://aqua.org/blog/2012/October/5-gyres-last-straw-plastic-pollution-bike-tour-events-at-national-aquarium
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