Plastic Ocean Research Paper

Plastic Ocean Research Paper
Plastic Ocean Walking through the traditional grocery store, consumers find hundreds of plastic
items to make their lives more convenient. Individually wrapped pop tarts, plastic zip lock bags to
store sub sandwiches for lunch, deodorant cases, plastic combs to groom hair, diapers, and soda
bottles. Unless specifically requested to carry a cloth bag, even the bags we use to carry our
groceries home are produced plastic. To society, these are items of convenience and not necessity.
But to marine animals that reside in our ocean, they can be a hazardous warzone, "which ends up
polluting our oceans and killing millions of birds and fish and more than 100,000 sea turtles,
according to the Sierra Club"(D.G.22). Plastic whether it is a syringe, ... Show more content on
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What is not acknowledged to society if that the plastic bags like the ones at our grocery stores are
made of high–density polyethylene (HDPE). Most plastics break down slowly through a
combination of photo degradation, oxidation and mechanical abrasion. Thick plastic items persist
for decades, even when exposed to direct sunlight, and survive even longer when shielded from UV
radiation under water or in sediments. This substance makes any type of plastic incredibly hard to
recycle. Before the convenient uses of plastic, when fisherman at sea dumped their trash overboard
it consisted of natural materials that were easily broken down and dissolved not allowing items to
float as a solid and cause harm. The items usually consisted of Metal, cloth or paper that would
either sink to the bottom or dissolve very quickly. Plastic remains floating on the surface, the same
place where marine animals go to for food sources lie and can remain intact for up to 400 years.
Plastic is extremely malleable and durable, these traits make plastic an extremely dangerous threat
to our ocean. Out of all the plastic materials, plastic bags have to be one of the most lethal roaming
the oceans. : "Each year Americans throw out more than 100 billion plastic bags, which end up
polluting our oceans"(D.G.22)"Plastic exceed what you would anticipate would be their pollution
impact, because they're so much more mobile than other types of litter"(Williams
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Elahe Izadi Analysis
There are growing numbers of problems involving marine debris in the United States for the past
few years. There have been excessive amounts of waste and dross that washed up to the West Coast
from the 2011 Japanese Tsunami, as well as other places, in recent years. Even though voluntary
groups and other organizations are trying to clean up the ocean, the debris keeps coming, as if it has
an endless current of waste. People are frustrated of how much the ocean is being polluted; after
months of cleanup services, by obtaining hundreds and thousands tons of garbage, the ocean is still
contaminated with debris.
2. Who published the article (e.g. Wall Street Journal). (Please see requirements above in terms of
sources.) What section did it ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She used to work for the National Journal, DCentric.org, The Gazette, as well as TBD.com.
4. What conclusion did the author(s) make? What evidence was given to support the conclusion?
What are other reasonable "interpretation(s)" of the evidence than the conclusion these "experts"
have come to?
The author concluded that marine pollution is becoming a bigger problem as time goes by. As stated
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, even though 70% of the debris that was
pulled back into the ocean didn't surface the waters after the Japanese tsunami in 2009, the
remaining waste managed to spread all the way to the coasts of different continents. Karla Robinson,
an emergency and environmental manager in Ucluelet, said that the debris was becoming a really
big problem. She also stated that cleaning up requires a lot of work and time to collect the waste. A
giant lighter for clean up services traveled down the West Coast to find 3,334 bags of debris, each
weighing around1000 pounds, from its

Plastic Dumping Plastic In The Ocean
I chose to research the question, what is the effect of dumping plastic in the ocean because we might
think that dumping it in the ocean doesn't have a big impact. However, it affects more things
individually than we might know about. Dumping in the ocean as a whole has multiple effects, but
the plastic dumped adds to the problems. There are huge dilemmas in the ocean due to the dumping
of plastic, just like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. However, there are ways that we can all help to
reduce plastic dumping in the ocean.
Pollution is anything that is present or introduced into and environment which causes harm. In
general, dumping in the ocean happens by waste materials from factories, industries, tankers and
ships. Also sewerage waste ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is a gyre of marine debris particles in the central North Pacific Ocean. The patch has high
concentrations of pelagic plastics, chemicals and other debris that have been trapped by the currents
of the North Pacific Gyre. It has a large area and low density, so it can't be seen from satellite
photography. The size is estimated to be double the continental United States. It is thought that the
Great Pacific Garbage Patch formed gradually due to ocean or marine pollution gathered by oceanic
currents. The rotational pattern of the gyre draws in waste materials from across the North Pacific
Ocean. Around 80% of the garbage comes from land–based sources, and 20% from ships. The
primary source of the Pacific Ocean garbage patch is improper waste disposal, which happens from
illegal dumping and littering. Most of the debris consists of small plastic that are just below the
surface. Roughly a third of Laysan albatrosses chicks die because of being fed plastic from their
parents. This is just one example of the effect on wildlife. It might not be commonly thought, but
humans can be affected from the Great Pacific garbage patch. Toxic–containing plastic that is eaten
by jellyfish, which are then eaten by bigger fish. Once these fish are eaten by humans, we are
ingesting toxic chemicals. Research has shown that this plastic affects at least 267 species
worldwide. This just shows the scale of problems that

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Since the introduction of plastics in the early 20th century, waste production inland has accumulated
at an ever–increasing rate. Improperly disposing of waste washes through inland waterways, which
eventually carries the waste into the ocean. The north pacific garbage gyre spans the majority of the
area. The physical gyre stretches from the coast of Japan to California. Four different currents
maintain the circular motion of the gyre, which encapsulates large amounts of debris in the center of
the gyre, known as the convergence zone. All of these components lead to the term most call as the
"Great Pacific Garbage Patch". The unfortunate locations of the world's oceans, downhill and
downstream of humans, allow plastics, chemicals and any form of pollution to follow natural
transportation directly into our oceans.
In 1869, John Wesley invented the celluloid, the first plastic product to be given a name. In 1909,
Bakelite is introduced to the chemist club in New York as the "first thermoset plastic", meaning that
once the plastic mold was set it was set for life. Everywhere we look there are plastics, we have
become so accustomed to their presence that we can hardly remember a time when they did not
serve our needs. Remember, there used to be a time where our cars, plates, furniture, and airplanes
were not made almost entirely of plastic. Roughly 100 billion pounds of plastic pellets are used
every year by the United States, and current figures from India and China are

Impact Of Marine Debris On Sea And Land
Alyssa Dermenjian Dr. Martha House Geology 12 Lab 11 December 2014 Impact of Marine Debris
on Sea and Land Marine habitats throughout the world are severely affected by man–made items of
debris and solid waste; marine debris contaminates the environment, as well as impacting the
economy, and the safety of humans and their health. The extent of the impacts is dictated by the type
of marine debris and the location of which it settles in the ocean; whether it be floating, submerged
or within a delicate habitat. Marine debris can be viewed as any persistent, manufactured or
processed solid material that is disposed of in the marine and coastal environment. While this
definition delineates a very comprehensive array of materials, however the most common items
usually involve plastic–polystyrene pieces, rope/cord/nets, cotton swabs, and light weight food
packaging. Marine debris commonly arise from the shoreline and recreational activities, waterway
activities, smoking, and dumping at sea. For example, fishing nets, plastic bags, and tires can sink to
the ocean floor and break and smother coral reefs. Fishing line can float along the ocean surface and
catch vessel propellers causing costly damage. A syringe can wash up on the beach and be stepped
on by a beachgoer resulting in a wound and possibly an infection. Regardless of the type or the
location of the marine debris, it can have serious impacts. Small plastic particles, fragments less than
5mm in diameter, are of concern

Oceans And Plastic Pollution
Oceans are very important factors in our environment. Our Earth is 71% water and 50%–80% of all
life on Earth lives in that 71% water. The ocean also contains 99% of the living space on the planet.
("The Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch"). So as you can see, the water we have on Earth has a big
purpose. Oceans are some families' vacations and are admired for their beauty. They give us food,
transportation, and even oxygen, but what do we do for the ocean? We pollute it. "Our ocean
contains 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris. Of that mass, 260,000 tons float on the service, while
four billion plastic microfibers per square kilometer litter the deep sea." (Laura Parker). 80% Of
marine debris comes from trash and debris in urban runoff like land–based sources. Key components
of land–based sources include litter, trash and debris from construction, ports and marinas,
commercial and industrial facilities, and trash blown out of garbage containers, trucks, and landfills.
Ocean–based sources such as overboard items from ships and fishing gear, are the other 20%. Food
containers and packaging are the largest component of the solid waste stream ("The Problem of
Marine Plastic Pollution"). These items, together with plastic bags, also represent the largest
component of marine debris. Packaging and single use disposable products are not only present in
marine debris, but they represent an unsustainable use of precious resources like oil, trees, energy
sources, and water.
The quantity of marine debris is increasing in oceans worldwide. Researchers at the Algalita Marine
Research Foundation documented an increase in plastic debris in the Central Pacific Gyre five–fold
between 1997 and 2007, where the baseline in 1997 showed plastic pieces outnumbered plankton on
the ocean surface.("Clean Water Action"). Each year the pollution increases, making marine life
decrease. The pollution also makes their living conditions worse, to the point where they have to
leave their homes and live somewhere cleaner. "Tens of thousands of individual animals from
hundreds of marine species, including every kind of sea turtle and around half of marine mammals,
have encountered plastic, glass, and other garbage in the ocean, according to a

Research: Plastic Pollution in Water
Solutions to Plastic Pollution in our Oceans
The Basics
We 're treating the oceans like a trash bin: around 80 percent of marine litter originates on land, and
most of that is plastic. Plastic that pollutes our oceans and waterways has severe impacts on our
environment and our economy. Seabirds, whales, sea turtles and other marine life are eating marine
plastic pollution and dying from choking, intestinal blockage and starvation. Scientists are
investigating the long–term impacts of toxic pollutants absorbed, transported, and consumed by fish
and other marine life, including the potential effects on human health.
What it means to you
Plastic pollution affects every waterway, sea and ocean in the world. When we damage our water ...
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Seabirds that feed on the ocean surface are especially prone to ingesting plastic debris that floats.
Adults feed these items to their chicks resulting in detrimental effects on chick growth and
survival.8 One study found that approximately 98% of chicks sampled contained plastic and the
quantity of plastic being ingested was increasing over time.9
Because persistent organic pollutants in the marine environment attach to the surface of plastic
debris, floating plastics in the oceans have been found to accumulate pollutants and transport them
through ocean currents.10 Floating and migrating plastic debris has also been found to transport
invasive marine species.11 Increasingly, research shows that marine life that ingests plastics coated
with pollutants can absorb these pollutants their bodies.
Plastic debris is polluting the human food chain. In a 2008 Pacific Gyre voyage, Algalita researchers
began finding that fish are ingesting plastic fragments and debris. Of the 672 fish caught during that
voyage, 35% had ingested plastic pieces.
The plastics industry, through the leadership of the American Chemical Council (ACC), spends
millions of dollars each year to convince policy makers and Californians that solutions to plastic
pollution lie in anti–litter campaigns that attribute the responsibility for marine debris on individual
behavior. Yet they have devoted little funding to public education and much more on promoting

Obama's Battle In Midway
Early this year, President Barack Obama has created the world's largest protected marine sanctuary
in the area surrounding the tiny archipelagos of Midway Atoll. Midway is a tiny rings of coral reef
with a population of only 50 people. Midway is only 1,300 miles away from Honolulu, Hawaii
located it in the Middle of the North Pacific Ocean. "The expansion will add 442,781 square miles
to the monument making its now a total of 582,578 square miles."[2] Which is nearly the size of the
Gulf of Mexico. During the Second World War, the island served as a strategic location for the US
naval; that brought us victory defeating Japan at the Battle of Midway in 1942. Nowadays, the
island is home to more than 7,000 marine and bird species. Not only that, but today's battle in
Midway is the impact of plastic debris on seabirds. The seabirds are picking up tiny ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
One of the reasons, President Obama visited the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
as he stated in his own words was to ensured "That the entire ecosystem will be able to generate the
kind of biodiversity that allows us to study it, research and understand our oceans better than we
ever have before."[1] This demonstrates that Obama's expansion will protected the reefs, and
marines animals like whales and sea turtles that are classified as endangered species. More
important the expansion will served as an example of to fight against climate change that are
threatening many ecosystems around the world as well as plastic pollution. Eventually, the
endangered species that share the marine environment in Midway, will be protected under the
Obama's expansion like the green turtles, monk seals, tiger sharks and as well as the birds species
such as the red–footed booby and the black–footed

The Effects Of Marine Debris And The Entanglement On The...
In 2014, NOAA provides this report with detailed and sufficient information relating to the effects
of marine debris and the entanglement that happens to the ocean's animals. The report done by
NOAA's Marine Debris Programs gives amazing information to help argue my opinion in the future,
since it is referring to debris and animals. The information regarding the effects of marine species in
marine pollution, specifically pinnipeds is stated in the report about how many different marine
animals are being entangled by the pollution humans are creating. This report provides excellent
background information with facts dating all the way back to 1983 to 2014. I believe with all these
years of research the report helps me find other information relating to marine debris. NOAA has
made is very easy to identify who has published this report along with who was involved. NOAA
being The Nation Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration makes them quite qualified to speak on
marine pollution and they allow all contact information to be found. For the most part NOAA has
done their own research in order to create this report, therefore there is not any other sources. With
NOAA being almost all about marine life the administration is biased, but they provide valid
information that can easily be verified.
"Ingestion Occurrence and Health Effects of Anthropogenic Debis Ingested by Marine Organisms."
Noaa.org. Noaa, 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
2014, NOAA did this report in order to inform

Persuasive Essay On Marine Pollution
With the amount of pollution around the world many marine animals, especially sea turtles, have
been impacted. Research has shown that sea turtles have begun to have a decrease in their
population size with 6 of the 7 sea turtle species being endangered. Sea turtles face many threats in
their life time most of them are natural threats that they face while they are being nested for on
beaches around the world. Although many of these natural threats are easy to over come with the
help of preservation acts, the biggest challenge sea turtles face is from the carelessness of humans.
The main human threat they face comes from the increase of pollution which contributes to the
increase of the rate at which these turtles are affected and eventually killed off. With the increase of
pollution comes roadblocks the turtles are presented with such as having to live in an extremely
polluted waters, climate change and dealing with life threating health concerns. Today's oceans
contain more pollution than they ever have before. With this increase in pollution it has effected the
way marine animals live. From recent studies that have been conducted there is an estimated 5.25
trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean (Duncan, et al., 2016). The amount of pollution that
enters the ocean can be attributed to the fact that 85% of the debris comes from landfills and less
than 7% of plastic is recycled around the world (Fardim, et al., 2016). The harm of such debris has
been detrimental

The Negative Effects Of Marine Plastic Pollution
Marine Plastic Pollution
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.
Early 1950's marked the introduction of the plastic industry and has in the last 67 years become a
useful and versatile material with a wide range of applications, due to its durability, lightweight and
low cost. Plastic comes in many different variations such as Nylon, Acrylic, PVC, Polythene,
Polypropylene, Polycarbonate and much more. These are created using a combination of cellulose,
coal, natural gas, salt and crude oil forming chains of like molecules linked together named
polymers (Le Guern, 2009). In many cases plastics are disposed of after one use, especially
packaging, water bottles, plastic bags, straws and cutlery, however, these same attributes that make
plastics such a versatile material also pose a threat to ecosystems due to their durability and
persistence in terrestrial, aquatic, and marine environments adversely affecting wildlife, wildlife
habitat and humans globally (Plastic Waste: Ecological and Human Health

Solution Of Plastic Pollution
Plastic pollution makes up the majority of pollution problems all over the world, on land and off
land. There are few solutions to fixing this pollution problem overall because of plastic properties.
The pollution in the ocean poses a great problem to marine ecosystems, and to the health of the
human population due to its durability. Over the years the consumption of plastic products has risen
a marginal amount making the issue of pollution even larger ("When the Mermaids Cry: The Great
Plastic Tide"). The pollution causes damage to the economy, environment, marine life, human
health, along with the global impact. If the plastic pollution problem does not decrease, or
completely disappear, then there will be great consequences in the oceans and on land. Plastic is a
non biodegradable material that is made to last forever, yet only about 50% of plastic products are
used once then thrown away. (Plastic Oceans Foundation). The world uses 300 million tons of
plastic every year for various uses, "Plastic is cheap and incredibly versatile with properties that
make it ideal for many applications" (Plastic Oceans Foundation). Every few seconds humans are
producing about 20,000 plastic bottles and "a million plastic bottles are bought around the world
every minute and the number will jump another 20% by 2021, creating an environmental crisis some
campaigners predict will be as serious as climate change." (Laville, Sandra, and Matthew Taylor).
With the way the world is going with

The Pacific Ocean is a Plastic Garbage Dump Essay
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
1.1. Distribution of plastic objects into the Pacific Ocean
1.2. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch characteristic
1.3. The discovery of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
2. Effects on wildlife
2.1. Characteristics of plastics
2.2. Plastic with marine birds and animals
3. Examples of reducing the plastic garbage
3.1. Clean up
3.2. Law toward solving plastic pollution
4. Recommendations
5. Conclusion
References
1. Introduction Oceans make up seventy percent of earth's surface, and are the largest place to
sustain and accumulate various species. However, humans' wastes, such as oil spill, industrial toxic
wastewater, and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
According to the Quantitative Distribution and Characteristics of Neuston Plastic in the North
Pacific Ocean (1985), the usual way to find the plastic objects are brought by ships such as lines,
nets, and floats. In addition, it is possibly any kind of plastic package or object would be discarded
and lost to the sea. Plastic objects would suffer natural division to turn into small fragments.
Moreover, the plastics' density, or trapped gas will lead to plastic fragments float on the ocean and
cannot sink.
2.2 The Great Pacific Garbage Patch characteristic The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the massive
and immovable region of the North Pacific Ocean bound by the North Pacific Gyre. The gyre's
rotational pattern attracts waste debris across the North Pacific Ocean. Moreover, when the waste
debris imprisons in the currents, wind– driven surface currents move floating fragments slowly
toward the center, and trapping them in the section. The garbage patch's size is still unknown
because large and visible waste items are uncommon to see and lots of small fragments are
suspended at or just below the surface that they are difficult to measure by aircraft and satellite. Sea
Studio Foundation reports that the garbage patch's is roughly twice the size of Texas, and containing
approximately 3.5 million tons of

How has the Great Pacific Garbage Patch affected marine...
Recently, it has been said that an eighth continent has formed, but this is no ordinary landmass,
instead it is made entirely out of manmade trash. In the Pacific Ocean, between the coast of
California and the Hawaiian Islands, lies a so–called "patch" of waste, mainly consisting of plastic
(Transoceanic Trash). It is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific Trash
Vortex. The patch extends over a vast area in the North Pacific Ocean, its true size today is still
considered undetermined because it estimates vary greatly, no estimates are exact due to the
changing wind and ocean currents, as well as the growing volume of debris (Great Pacific Garbage
Patch). The trash that makes up this mass, comes from all over the ... Show more content on
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These plastic bits are so small it is almost impossible for fish and other marine life to distinguish
them between plankton, which many fish and other larger animals such as whales eat (Great Pacific
Garbage Patch). Many animals are consuming this trash ultimately leading to their death. For
example loggerhead sea turtles it is common for them to mistake plastic grocery bags as their
favorite food, which is jellyfish (Great Pacific Garbage Patch). Many other larger mammals and
water birds have been strangled in plastic rings that holds canned drinks together (Great Pacific
Garbage Patch). Many birds will commonly fly over the Pacific Garbage Patch, including the
albatross, and unfortunately many mistake the garbage as food (The Great Pacific Garbage). A
shocking number of 200,000 to 500,000 chicks that were born died, many of them having trash in
their stomachs, not only plastics but also bottle caps and various items were found (The Great
Pacific Garbage). It has been predicted that about 100,000 marine mammals will die from trash–
related deaths per year, many pieces of plastic and garbage has been found in deceased animals'
digestive systems (Great Pacific Garbage Patch). Rusty Brainard, working for the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric

Plastic Pollution : The Environmental Effects Of Plastics
Many people remain oblivious to the seriousness of plastic pollution, a member of the Council of
the British Plastics Federation and a Fellow of the Plastics Institute, stated that "Plastics litter is a
very small proportion of all litter and causes no harm to the environment except as an eyesore"
(Peña). "His comments not only illustrates how the deleterious environmental effects of plastics
were entirely overlooked, but also that, apparently, even the plastics industry failed to predict the
great boom in the production and use of plastics of the past 30 years. In the marine environment, the
perceived abundance of marine life and the vastness of the oceans have lead to the dismissal of the
proliferation of plastic debris as a potential hazard." (Derraik) A recent study conducted by several
United States scientists counted up the amount of plastic produced since the 1950s. "The number
they came to is mind–boggling: 8.3 billion metric tons of virgin plastics produced worldwide since
1950. That's as heavy as 25,000 Empire State Buildings or a billion elephants, according to the
BBC." (Mosbergen). That amount really puts the problem into perspective, the problem is not only
about what humans do with the plastic but the amount we produce in our country alone. "That's just
really a staggering amount," lead author Roland Geyer, an industrial ecologist at the University of
California, Santa Barbara, told NPR. If you spread all that plastic out ankle–deep, "it [could] cover
an area

Plastic Pollution And Its Effects
There are many forms of pollution that occur from oil spills, radioactive wastes, urban air pollution,
the release of greenhouse gases, or agricultural pollution, and one of the most preventable, plastic
pollution. Plastic pollution is an accumulation in the environment of man–made plastic products to
the point that they become problematic and harmful to wildlife, wildlife habitats, or human
populations. This accumulation is due to the excessive use of plastics, which has become a
worldwide issue, and is accountable for approximately 10% of discarded waste. It has been
calculated that 275 million metric tons (MT) of plastic waste was produced in 192 coastal countries
in 2010, with as much as 12.7 million MT entering the ocean (Jambeck et al., 2015). Plastic
pollution can be classified based on the overall size and thickness, as microdebris (2 µm),
mesodebris (1–5 mm), or macrodebris (>20 mm). Plastic can be very harmful to the land,
waterways, and the ocean due to its extremely slow biodegrading process, which can exceed
hundreds of years. Plastic debris can also be harmful to marine life causing, entanglement, ingestion
of plastic waste, and exposure to the chemicals within plastics, which ultimately affect humans as
well.
There are many types of plastics that exist. These varieties are classified based on the method of
their polymerization. Some of these classifications are as follows: polyethylene terephthalate (PET
or PETE), high–density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl

North Pacific Gyre Research Paper
The North Pacific Gyre is one of the five major ocean gyres and one of the most biggest too. It is
roughly the size of Texas. This gyre is obviously located in the northern Pacific Ocean. This gyre is
often called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. An oceanic gyre is like a giant mass of water that is
moved by the currents, sometimes people compare them to vortexes. The North Pacific Gyre is
created by the currents of California, North Equatorial, Kuroshiro, and North Pacific Ocean. These
four currents move in a somewhat clockwise direction around an area of about 7.7 million square
miles. The area in the center of the gyre is the calmest and this is where the debris collects and then
it becomes trapped here and is often not cleaned up. Most of the trash and things that are collected in
the garbage patch can not be broken down.
The actual garbage patch was predicted in a 1988 paper that was published by the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration of the United States. This prediction was based off of results from
several alaskan based researchers between 1985 and 1988. Charles J. Moore, returning home
through the North Pacific Gyre after competing in the Transpac sailing race in 1997, came upon an
enormous ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The other 20% will come from offshore oil rigs, boaters, and sometimes very large cargo ships. The
debris that appears at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch varies greatly. There has been computer
monitors, plastic, legos, bottle caps, plastic bags, and even lots of fishing nets. All of this trash can
cause major disruptions in marine food webs and ecosystems. For example, the plastic could block
the sunlight from getting to the ocean plants, algae, and plankton, this will result in the producers to
suffer and then the animals that consume them will then be without a decent meal. The overall
outcome of this scenario would be a smaller access to seafood and this will cause seafood prices to
spike

What Is Ocean Pollution Persuasive Speech
Speech Preparation Outline Template
Speech Title: Ocean Pollution and its effects on Florida Wildlife
I. Introduction
A. Attention Getter: What is the one thing we all have in common in this room– We all live in
Florida. And Florida is known for its beaches and wildlife. It is currently estimated that there is 100
million tons of plastic is in our oceans, and the impacts on local marine wildlife include fatalities
from ingestion, starvation, suffocation, infection, drowning, and entanglement.
B. Purpose Statement: Plastic pollution in our waterways is killing local marine wildlife.
C. Credibility: I chose this topic because I kayak in our Florida waterways and I see the pollution
and damage it does to our ecosystem
D. Preview of Main ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
According to NOAA, "Scientists have found plastic fragments in literally hundreds of species
including 86% of all sea turtles, 44% of all seabird species, and 43% of marine mammal species"
a. Sea turtles are dying because they try to eat plastic bags mistaking them for jellyfish
2. According to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, sea turtles have a downward facing spine in their
throats which makes it impossible for regurgitation.
a. Therefore, plastics get stuck in their stomach preventing them from swallowing food properly.
3. Many Sea turtles suffer from "bubble butt" because harmful gas gets trapped due to
decomposition, causing the turtle to float, usually resulting in starvation, or making them easy prey.
Transition: However, Sea turtles are not the only species to suffer from plastic pollution. Our local
fish also suffer and die.
B. Main Point #2: Fish bring in water through their gills and ingest micro plastics causing a chain
reaction
1. So what are "microplastics"? "NOAA classifies microplastics as small plastic pieces less than 5
mm in diameter which can be harmful to our ocean and aquatic life". Microbeads are also tiny
pieces of plastic added to health and beauty products, such as some cleansers and

The Long Term Effects Of Plastic Usage And Its Disposal
Plastic can be made in to just about anything we use everyday. Just look around you, just about
almost anything you use is made out of plastic. Despite its effortless attainability, plastic has
transformed the world and the way, we as consumers, use it on a daily basis. There is questions
arising to whether or not we should be using plastics the way we are. What will be the long–term
effect of plastic usage and its disposal? Many experts and researchers have tried to come to a solid
conclusion to the topic. However, its complexity and the way its use is evolving, leaves many holes
open to discussion. Eventually, will we have to completely stop using plastic?
Throughout this research paper, we will analyze different standpoints to the ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
What exactly does it mean to be eco–friendly? This research paper discusses what environmental
experts VS. people working at plastic companies have to say. Plastic brings in a huge amount of
money to the economy, and that is why it's such a strong industry that is being conserved. However,
it is vital for the people to know the harms and long–term effects of using too much plastic. All in
all, plastic is something we won't be able to stop using for a long time. It is important to inform
everyone on what could happen if we use it too much. Also, let it be analyzed how much plastic
different parts of the world are using. What region is using the most, and what can be done about it?
Very few people worry about this issue, and that is why everyone should be reached and informed.
What We Know Before conducting any formal research, we should address any information that we
know, assume, or want to know. Plastic has become essential in our lives, perhaps we take plastic–
made objects for granted. It is something that we don't often think about because there is so much of
it. However, plastic never goes away or disappears, and consequently ends up in our world's oceans.
Oceans have a natural cycling pattern called gyres in which plastics end up getting stuck. These can
accumulate for years and create –what are called– garbage patches. The Great Pacific Garbage patch
is the most commonly known, and is compared to the size of Texas. After it gets to the

Research Paper On The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
PLASTIC ISLANDS IN THE OCEAN
For thousands, maybe even millions, of years, marine debris has built up on these little islands in the
pacific ocean. However one may know it as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. ?The Great Pacific
Garbage Patch spans waters from the West Coast of North America to Japan? (Great Pacific
Garbage Patch). Marine Debris is litter that ends up in oceans, and other large bodies of water. This
in turn makes the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
The patch also includes the Western and Eastern regions between Hawaii and California. There is
also a convergence zone in which warm water and cool water meet up from the South Pacific and
the Arctic. In this zone, the debris moves from warm water to cool water. So in turn the debris is
able to move freely throughout these zones. They are also able to travel through and into the Pacific
ocean.
That leads us to our second topic, an ocean gyre. ?An ocean gyre is a system of circular ocean
currents formed by the Earth?s wind patterns and the forces created by the rotation of the planet?
(Great Pacific Garbage Patch). The gyre that we will be talking about is the one in the North Pacific
Subtropical Gyre. California, North Equatorial, Kuroshiro, and North Pacific currents interact with
the gyre. As ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
( Connor, Microplastic Waste; This massive(tiny) threat to sea life is now in every ocean).
Microplastics can also range in size from invisible to millimeters in diameters. Because of this, it is
quite hard for scientists to identify. Although it is also very easy for microplastics to stick together
and make these islands. These tiny plastics are also beginning to spread everywhere in the oceans.
Because they are everywhere that means they are also polluting the water and endangering marine

Plastic Pollution Essay
The Hawaiian Archipelago, for example, is among the longest and most remote island chains in the
world. The 19 islands of the archipelago, including Midway atolls, receive massive quantities of
plastic debris, shot out from the Pacific gyres (Smith, 2011). Some beaches are buried under 5 to 10
feet of plastic, while other beaches are riddled with "plastic sand". One of the reasons marine debris
accumulates in these islands is the movement of debris within the North Pacific Subtropical
Convergence Zone (STCZ) (Steiner and Helgesen, 2016).
Images of wounded and tangled marine wildlife have engulfed the media for many years and
attempts are being made around the world to curb the increasing levels of macro–plastic pollution
(large, visible pieces of plastic debris). Marine plastic pollution has a global impact on marine
wildlife, habitat and human health and economy in various ways. The most publicized of which is
through entanglement and ingestion (refer to graph 1 in appendices) (Allsopp et al., n.d.). However,
once the human–made polymers are ingested, they can lead to physical blockages, gut impaction
and perforation, choking, the transfer of toxic compounds, reduced food intake that leads to
malnutrition and eventually starvation (Plastic Waste: Ecological and Human Health Impacts, 2011).
While macro–plastic debris, such as fishing lines and plastic bags, is the main contributor to
entanglement, both micro– and macro–debris are ingested across a wide range of marine

Plastic In The Ocean
It is said that every year 8 million metric tons of plastic ends up in our oceans but how does it get
there in the first place? Well 80% of the plastics in the ocean come from land–based activities. Such
as, plastic litter when we are not responsible on how we dispose our plastic including plastic water
bottles and plastic packaging. These things seem convenient to most of us but in the end they do
more harm than good. The remainder 20% comes from plastics released at sea, such as lost and
discarded fishing gear.
Once plastic gets into the ocean there is no way out due to the fact that it does not biodegrade.
Plastic bags can take 20 years to decompose, plastic bottles up to 450 years, and fishing line, 600
years; but in fact, no one really knows how long plastics will remain in the ocean. With exposure to
UV rays and the ocean environment, plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller fragments. Not
only this, since plastic is lighter than water it ends up floating in the ocean being swept by currents.
As a result, a lot of plastic gets caught in the spiralling ocean gyres. The circular motion of the gyre
draws the debris into the centre where it becomes trapped and builds up. While the water in the
centre of the gyres sinks, the plastic is too light ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the ocean, plastic debris injures and kills fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Marine plastic
pollution has impacted at least 267 species worldwide, including 86% of all sea turtle species, 44%
of all seabird species and 43% of all marine mammal species. The impacts include fatalities as a
result of ingestion, starvation, suffocation, infection, drowning, and entanglement. For example,
Leatherback turtles often mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish. A plastic bag can cause a turtle
to choke and eventually die. Our marine life is hurt as a result of our irresponsible actions and it's on
our power to change

Pacific Trash Vortex
As humans we forget how much of what we do is polluting the Earth. Dumping trash on the side of
the road because you are too lazy to throw it in the trash or recycles at home can be disastrous.
People may forget that wind can pick up the plastic or other floating material into the ocean.
Causing you to end up polluting the ocean with non–consumable things for animals. All that
pollution from others from Japan to North America pollutes and it can all build up. The place with
some of the largest trash in the world in the Pacific Trash Vortex.
The vortex has so much trash its estimated length is unknown due to scientists saying that about
70% of marine debris sinks to the bottom of the ocean. Knowing that what you see on the surface
cannot add up to what you see underneath. The trash vortex is confined by the North Pacific Gyre.
Which is a system created by a system of circular ocean currents formed by Earths wind patterns
and the forces created by the rotation of the planet. The currents that affect this vortex of trash is
California North Equatorial, Kuroshiro, and North Pacific currents. They move in a clockwise
direction around an area of about 20 million square kilometers. This is what causes the trash to
accumulate in the pacific. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Wrong it is actually a formation of tiny bits of plastic floating on the ocean called micro plastics.
Some cannot be seen by the human eye it is like a cloudy water. Still underneath bigger items are
found like tools, boots, and

Plastic Plague: Negative Effects Of Oceanic Debris
The Plastic Plague: The Negative Effects of Oceanic Debris The earth's oceans take up roughly three
fourths of the planet's surface area and hold roughly 97 percent of all water on earth (Silverman). It
is important that people make sure that the oceans are kept clean because the ocean contains many
essential elements for the survival of both humans and animals. A rising problem that is not often
brought up is the increasing amounts of man–made debris, especially plastic, that are accumulating
in these waters that is slowly effecting the oceans ecosystem as well as the health of humans. Some
may argue that the plastics have little effect on the environment but the facts show that this is not the
case. The amount of ocean debris has increased ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Humans will most likely be unable to clean up all of the debris in the ocean but we may be able to
stop oceanic pollution over time. One step we must take is to start using re–usable grocery bags and
water bottles. Doing so will greatly decrease the amounts of plastics going into the ocean every day.
According to the EPA, "Shoppers worldwide use approximately 500 billion single–use plastic bags
per year". If grocery stores began to require shoppers to use cloth bags these numbers would
decrease drastically and in turn cut down the amounts of plastic sent into the ocean. Another
startling fact by the EPA is that on average, Americans throw away 1500 plastic bottles every
second. If even half of the population cut out plastic bottles and replaced them with re–useable
water bottles, the amounts of plastics transferred into the oceans every day would be cut down

Impact Of The Marine Debris
The marine Debris starts off at the surface and make sure it's all cleared to move on deep into the
ocean. They dive deep into the ocean and take a backpack and take all the plastic out of the ocean.
Some other things that they do to help is get a group of people that want to help as well. The people
that are helping usually help around the surface area to even prevent it from spreading deeper. The
way they do it is reasearch, prevent, reduce and impact of the marine debris. The program also
spredheads to try and help at most of all of the ocean parts.Each year (October through September),
the Marine Debris Program supports projects across the country that use outreach and education as a
way to prevent plastic ending up in the ocean. These projects aim to change behavior, especially
among kids, and provide them with hands–on experiences that deepen their understanding of the
marine debris problem.

Post Industrial Revolution: The Cause Of Water Pollution
Before the industrial revolution, contamination of water came from waste products from human and
animals. In the 19th century relatively small amounts of organic and metal materials were in
production. Post industrial revolution production of metals was on a large scale and burning coal
was more predominant (Cullers). Industrialization in human society has continued to increase over
the decades leading to more water pollution. Humans have been studied to put over 8 million tons of
marine litter and pollution into the ocean each year (Parker). This pollution comes in many forms,
whether it is plastic, oil, garbage, or motor vehicle emissions. The largest contributor of oceanic
pollution comes from land–based sources. Land–based sources include ... Show more content on
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Heavy metals such as Zn, Fe, Co, Cu, Cr, Mn, and Ni are bio–accumulative and are stable in
ecosystems. These elements are needed for metabolism in small doses. If said elements accumulate
too high they cause toxic effects. Toxicity of these elements causes an environmental concern
(Sharma). Causes of accumulations of heavy metals are caused by rapid industrialization. This
pollution causes an environmental threat to aquatic organisms, due to the toxic effects in the food
chain (Majumder). Cyanobacteria are the primary organisms affected by heavy metals. Challenged
by toxic oxygen species, cyanobacteria produce photosynthetic electrons that are exceeded in their
assimilation of inorganic nutrients. Metals affect growth, which are consistently being spread out in
the environment due to human activities. Corrine, C. & Franck, C.). Said metals cannot be degraded
and high levels in cyanobacteria affect the food chain. Cyanobacteria are vital in aquatic
communities as they provide oxygen, which is a source of life for phytoplankton. Once the
phytoplankton eats the cyanobacteria, zooplanktons eat the phytoplankton. Metal concentration in
tissues are raised each step up on the food chain; A study by Kafkas University uncovered.
Magnification of toxic metals that bio accumulate throughout the food chain are heavily prevalent in
fish. Researchers in Tanzania have noted that metal concentrations in

A Research On Plastic Pollution
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.
However, I learned that it's never too late to decrease the amount of

Ocean Pollution Causes
The Causes of Ocean Pollution Ocean Pollution has been occurring for years. It is important because
trash and toxic substances are harmful to humans and animals. Animals are continuously dying
either by being choked from trash caught around their neck or them mistaking it for food. Humans
are responsible for overfishing. There is less fish species due to overfishing. Ocean Pollution is
caused by people, natural disasters and animals. When looking at the ocean pollution caused by
people it impacts animals and ourselves as humans. For many years, the unregulated dumping of
chemicals, toxins and other waste directly into lakes, rivers, streams and oceans triggered disease
and other risks to humans and wildlife(Calhoun 89). This can affect ... Show more content on
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If seabirds and marine life keep dying from eating cast–off garbage they will eventually become
extinct. The dumping of toxic liquids in the ocean directly affects the marine life as they are
considered hazardous and secondly, they raise the temperature of the ocean, known as thermal
pollution, as the temperature of these liquids is quite high(causes and effects). Toxic liquids are not
good for the water, humans and marine life. The temperature of the ocean is highly affected by
carbon dioxide and climate changes, which impacts primarily the ecosystems and fish communities
that live in the ocean(causes and effects). Too much carbon dioxide is a bad thing because too much
can make the water warmer than it should be. Landfills urban runoff, ocean dumpsites, ocean
vessels and the dumping of fossil fuel are just a few of the pathways that lead to the oceans(Calhoun
109). All these pathways to pollution are making it unsafe for marine life to be in the water. The
release of other chemical nutrients into the ocean's ecosystem leads to reductions in oxygen levels,
the decay of plant life, a severe decline in the quality of the seawater itself(causes and effects). The
less oxygen there is in the water, the harder it will be for marine life to breathe and the harder it will
be for plants to grow. Sewage or polluting substances flow through rivers or drainages directly into
the ocean(causes and effects). The sewage harms animals in the

Solution And The Effects Of Plastic Pollution
The effect of plastic pollution and why it needs to be stopped In a society that wants everything
convenient and ready to use, plastic found the perfect market for its thousands of uses. Food, toys,
medical equipment, and even clothing come either from plastic or at least wrapped or pre–portioned
in plastic. While plastic makes the modern world so much cheaper and easier, it also comes with an
environmental cost. With the endless amount of products made from or housed in plastic comes an
endless amount of discarded wrappers, bags, straws, bottles, toys and even car parts. Some people
wonder where all the plastic bottles and trash go that people carelessly drop on the daily, or think
about about how recycling works, and if it even does work. For years the human race has been
treating the environment like a landfill itself, and its about time there was some awareness raised.
Plastic pollution is a major problem in today's society. Our first Earth day was celebrated 47 years
ago while the nation was very poisoned. Places like Los Angeles were covered in thick smog. There
were even rivers on fire in Cleveland due to massive pollution (Lytle). Ever since WWII the
production of industrial chemicals has risen very rapidly. The USA generates and imports over 42
billion pounds of chemicals per day! These aren't just chemicals from a scientist's lab, they are
hidden in everyday items from baby bottles to big screen tv's (Lytle). The Toxic Substances act
(TCSA) of 34 years has been a failure. The government is chosen to decide which chemicals are
safe and which are hazardous, and the only way they test if it's safe is inspecting the data given to
them by the factories. These industries can lie and hide major details when providing reports to the
government (Lytle). Some chemicals like BPA can have strange effects at even the lowest dosage.
BPA has been used since the 1940's to harden polycarbonate plastics and make epoxy resin which is
then used in the lining of food and beverage containers. Polycarbonates can be identified by the
recycling number 7 on the bottom of their containers, this is known as the resin identification code.
BPA does its job in plastic very well, over 6 billion pounds of it are produced

The Long Term Effects Of Plastic Usage And Its Disposal
Introduction
Plastic can be made in to just about anything we use everyday. Just look around you, just about
almost anything you use is made out of plastic. Despite its effortless attainability, plastic has
transformed the world and the way, we as consumers, use it on a daily basis. There is questions
arising to whether or not we should be using plastics the way we are. What will be the long–term
effect of plastic usage and its disposal? Many experts and researchers have tried to come to a solid
conclusion to the topic. However, its complexity and the way its use is evolving, leaves many holes
open to discussion. Eventually, will we have to completely stop using plastic?
Throughout this research paper, we will analyze different standpoints to the plastic phenomenon.
Humans have created this new form of synthetic polymer to use as a sustainable and dominant
source that can outlive any living organism in Earth. However, there is harms to the environment by
this overuse. "The scale of contamination of the marine environment by plastic debris is vast. It is
found floating in all the world's oceans, everywhere from polar regions to the equator" (Plastic
Debris 2015). It is no doubt that plastic has extended all over the world including developed and
developing countries. At the end of the day, there is not one particular group of people to blame for
the cause; the whole world plays a part in this.
Many Plastic Manufacturing companies might come to an agreement and say they are

Plastic Pollution and the Effects on Human Health Essay...
Where does all the plastic go. Every bit of plastic that has been created is still here. This is because
plastic is one–hundred percent non–biodegradable! Even the most degraded plastic down to
polymers cannot be digested by bacteria (Laist, 1997). If global issues like starvation and climate
change are not enough to stress on, the weight of an issue literally churning in the Pacific Ocean is
startling. For decades the majority of the world's population has not been properly educated on the
nature of plastic and the potential harm it can do to our environment and our physical health. Due to
factors of man and the natural effects of nature, a major problem has developed that is now harming
our food.
Marine plastic is a visible sign of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Due to their regurgitation ability; most studies have focused on the ingestion of plastic pollution by
bird, this does little harm to birds used in the studies. The effects of ingestible plastic on fish have
not been studied as thoroughly and no studies have been conducted on filter–feeding organisms,
which do not possess a feeding mechanism which would allow them to distinguish between plastic
and plankton. Plastic pollution is only getting worse due to increasing population of developing
countries. A wide variety of marine species is known to be harmed by plastic debris. This could
threaten the survival of certain species, especially since many are sadly endangered by other types of
anthropogenic actions.
Plastic debris pollution in the marine environment is greatest in oceanographic convergences and
eddies, where plastic bits accumulate (Day 1986). Gyres make up a large proportion, approximately
seventy–five percent, of what we refer to as the open ocean, or the area of the ocean that does not
consist of coastal areas. Gyres are an area of junction that forces plastic into a central area with little
to no wind and current influence. In oceanography, a subtropical gyre is a connected system of
ocean currents rotating clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the
Southern. Typically they form in large open ocean areas. A large volume of high–pressure air

Marine Debris Research Paper
What is Marine Debris?
Every potato chip bag thrown on the floor, every balloon released into the air, and every gum
wrapper discarded on the sidewalk has an affect on our planet. In the short term we view these acts
as miniscule and irrelevant, but what most of us fail to understand is that every act of pollution has a
snowball effect that only harms us and our environment. Unfortunately, most of the plastic waste we
throw on the floor ends up on our beaches, in our waterways, and in our oceans. Especially in
Florida, where everyone is at most 45 mins from the beach, it is not difficult for trash to find its way
to our oceans. Marine debris, ocean trash or ocean pollution, regardless of its many names the
rhetoric still stands; every piece of litter has a ripple effect that ultimately makes it to our oceans.
What are the challenges with Marine Debris? Causes: The causes for Marine Debris are not very
complicated. Any man made object that intentionally or unintentionally ends up in our oceans is
considered marine debris ("Trash pollution," 2015) . This can be cigarette buds, plastic containers or
beer glasses. According to an article published by the Ocean Health ... Show more content on
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("Impacts," n.d.)Areas with beautiful beaches, such as Florida, can loose tourism due to blemish
marine debris can leave on the shoreline. Furthermore, the environment and wildlife are both
affected by marine debris. Coral reefs can become polluted and eventually die, and marine life often
ingests or becomes entangled in the debris. Also, debris can be hidden under the surface of the
water, and because of this boats can damage their engines and propellers if they fail to see the trash
and end up boating over the debris. Additionally, invasive species can attach to debris and drift
thousands of miles into foreign habitats. ("Impacts,"

Marine Debris In The Florida Keys
Abstract:
Marine debris was collected and placed into categories at Long Key State Park in the Florida Keys.
Data was taken on Thursday, March 26th, 2015. The total number of debris collected totaled at 835
items. The most common type of marine debris collected during this experiment was assorted
plastics totaling at 513 pieces (61.43%). Many of the debris collected where small and
unidentifiable.
Introduction:
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) define marine debris as "any
persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or
unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment" (NOAA, 2015). Marine
debris is classified into two categories: ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For millennia, terrestrial plant matter, seeds, and driftwood have travelled across the open oceans
with the help of surface currents. Even floating islands, also known as tussocks, floatons, or sudds
are common in many Florida lakes and across the world (Mallison, C.T., 2001). These islands have
been known to carry exotic plants and vertebrate animals. Floating islands promote trans–ocean
dispersal of marine and terrestrial organisms. This increases biodiversity and helps new barren
islands thrive. However, in the last five decades, with the growing number of plastics in the marine
environment, the dispersal and occurrence of these organisms has increased exceedingly (Gregory,
R.M., 2009). This paves the way for invasions by alien and even aggressive invasive species to
establish themselves in new ecosystems beyond their native range. A survey done in 2009 reported
that over 150 marine species have established themselves due to marine debris stranded on the
shores of northern New Zealand. Most of these organisms were identified as crustaceans. Four of
those organisms discovered are featured in figure 3. Specimen A shows various crustaceans on
unknown plastic, specimen B depicts warm water Indo–Pacific oysters growing on nylon rope,
specimen C depicts crustaceans growing on a plastic pellet, and specimen D depicts a bryozoan
colony attached

Ocean Pollution Research Paper
In the world today, not a single of us can truly say that we don't at lest come in contact with plastic.
They are everywhere, in our cars, carpets, food, and virtually every other product we consume; it
has becomes a globalization needs that we can't run away from. As according to the National
oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) state the approximately 1.4 billion pounds of trash
enters the ocean per year. Most of it get washed up on the beaches by waves and tides, some of it
sinks to the bottom of the ocean floor, some got eaten up by marine animals mistaking it for food.
Ultimately plastic pollution is a man made catastrophe, as soon as it enter the Oceans it is causing
harm to the ecosystems and environment, as wells as affecting ... Show more content on
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But the sieve–like skimmers they use, no matter how technologically sophisticated, will never be
able to clean up remote garbage gyres: There's too much turbulent ocean dispersing and mixing up
the mess.The problem is compounded by the aquaculture industry, which uses enormous amounts of
plastic in its floats, nets, lines and tubes. The most common floats and tubes found in the deep ocean
and on Hawaiian beaches come from huge sea–urchin and oyster farms like the one that created the
oyster–buoy island. Those buoys were torn from their moorings by the tsunami that walloped Japan
on March 11, 2011. But no regulatory remedies exist to deal with tons of plastic equipment lost
accidentally and in storms. Government and industry organizations purporting to certify sustainably
farmed seafood, despite their dozens of pages of standards, fail to mention gear that is lost and floats
away. Governments, which are rightly concerned with depletion of marine food sources, should
ensure that plastic from cages, buoys and other equipment used for aquaculture does not escape into
the waters.But, in the end, the real challenge is to combat an economic model that thrives on
wasteful products and packaging, and leaves the associated problem of clean–up costs. Changing the
way we produce and consume plastics is a challenge greater than reining in our production of carbon

Plastics And The Plastic Age
The current period in human history is referred to as the plastic age (Cózar et al 2014). Plastic is
synthetic polymers derived from petroleum (Vikas & Dwarakish 2015), it is lightweight,
inexpensive to produce and hailed as an industrial achievement (Detloff & Istel 2016). Moreover,
plastic does not decompose, the durable material simply breaks into smaller particles, pervading the
water and marine life (Detloff & Istel 2016). Our current society has established a constant consume
and discard rhythm, fuelling the 'plastic economy'. Marine plastic pollution mainly occurs from land
based plastic debris, comprised of: littering, incessant plastic bag use and inappropriate disposal
(Derriak 2002). Microplastics are pieces of plastic less than five millimetres in size (Detloff & Istel
2016). These particles account for 92% of the plastics in the ocean (Shim & Thomposon 2015).
Microplastics have become ubiquitous in the ocean, found as far as the Arctic and Antarctic seas
(Obbard et al 2014 as cited in Shim & Thomposon 2015; Law & Thompson 2014 as cited in Shim &
Thomposon 2015). Plastic pollution is also significantly damaging the fragile marine ecosystem, as
well as massacring innocent marine creatures (Deltoff & Istell 2016; Avio, Gorbi & Regoli 2017).
Overall, preventing ocean plastic pollution is difficult, due to the large volume of production and
contamination, particularly microplastics, coupled with inadequate disposal practices of plastic.
In 2014, 311 million tonnes of plastic were produced (Detloff & Istel 2016), and half was disposed
of within the year (Singh & Sharma 2016). The most commonly used and plentiful polymers are:
high–density polyethylene, low–density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene,
polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate (Andray & Neal 2009 as cited in Li, Tse and Fok
2016). These polymers account for 90% of total plastic production, and as a result are the most
common plastics found in aquatic environments (Andray 2011 and Engel 2012 as cited in Li, Tse
and Fok 2016). Plastic debris often migrates to form five subtropical gyres, large garbage patches
colloquially dubbed 'marine soup' (Eriksen et al 2013; Weinstein 2009). It is estimated five to
thirteen tonnes of

We Are Contaminating Our Oceans in the Name of Progress
The demands of the industrial nations and newly–industrializing emerging economies, particularly
China and India, for energy and mineral resources led to an accumulation of quantities of goods
being transported from far–distant countries via seas. The use of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) is in
consideration for Russia when negotiating with Korean shippers for energy shipments. Beijing
officials believe that by the end of the decade five to fifteen percent of their country's international
trade, mainly container traffic, will use the NSR (Blank, 2014). With plans to expand polar research,
Beijing has strived to create better policies due to the change in climate. Moreover, according to an
article last May, "Singapore's 'Arctic diplomacy' is driven primarily by an ambition to exploit an
emerging market niche in which it sees itself as a technological and expertise leader" (Straits Times,
2013). However, the pursuit for the Arctic's rich resources and convenient location has caused
rivalries in trade, such as that between India and China. Nonetheless, tensions between countries
will continue to progress if not stabilized by national security or some sort of negotiation between
these countries. Markets are increasingly becoming globalized, hence escalating shipping volumes.
Trade between countries without a common border is carried mainly overseas. Due to the
spectacular rise of trade vis–à–vis economic growth, world trade since the 1950s has more than
trebled to 45 per cent of

Marine Debris : A Worldwide Problem Caused By Impacts From...
Abstract Beach marine debris is a worldwide problem caused by impacts from human activities.
This impact has an effect on marine organisms, ecological and biological processes, aesthetics and
economies. Transect surveys were conducted along a small beach in Coffs Harbour from 2012–
2015, to collect, weigh and identify the types of marine debris found in this area. The debris found
was predominantly composed of plastic of consumer items and packing items along with many
fishing related items. Marine debris is an ongoing problem that needs to be further investigated on
how to reduce the amount of debris entering the marine environment or finding alternatives to use
instead of plastic consumer items and packing items. Introduction Pollution particularly in the form
of anthropogenic debris is becoming increasingly important within the marine environment. Marine
debris has been defined by Santos et al (2009) as 'any manufactured or processes solid waste
material that enters the marine environment from any source'. Marine debris is a recognizable sign
of the impact human activities have upon the coastal environment (Taffs & Cullen, 2005). Marine
debris is recognised as a significant pollution issue that has a range of environmental consequences.
Marine debris is a global issue with impacts on marine organisms such as entanglement, ingestion
and smothering, ecological and biological processes, aesthetics and local, regional and worldwide
economies (Smith & Markic, 2013). Debris

Marine Debris
Issue Analysis: Marine Debris In an article written by Adam Vaughn for The Guardian, the issue of
marine debris is briefly addressed while a solution to the issue is analyzed. Marine debris can be
commonly known as plastics in the ocean, and Vaughn's article analyzes biodegradable plastics.
While this essay will not analyze biodegradable plastics, solutions to the issue are an important part
of creating a picture of the issue at hand. Marine debris, or plastic in the ocean, is an issue in
consequence to its negative environmental impact. It is not common for this negative environmental
impact to be argued against. It is more common for this negative environmental impact to be ignored
for the sake of human convenience. In one perspective ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
More importantly both articles also focus on highlighting consumer awareness and alternatives to
plastics. Specifically, both McGlade and the authors of the academic article use context to encourage
consumers to think about plastic, it's necessity, and it's consequence. Another specific point is that
both articles use examples of how plastic impacts marine life. The article written by Vaughn uses the
example of jellyfish and how plastics allow them to broaden their range in the ocean and affect the
food chain of other marine life. The academic article uses the example of marine life ingesting
marine debris causing death within different species. Both of these examples can serve as evidence
to marine debris interfering with the biodiversity of the ocean. As jellyfish disrupt the food chain the
cycle of disrupted food source will continue down the chain as the issue worsens. As marine life
ingests plastics and die–off marine food chains are affected even further. To sum up, both articles
use examples that analyze the issue of marine debris, and both articles turn to the need for change
that can solve the problem. Whether the change be technologies that have real biodegradability or
alternate human behaviour all the writers understand the steps that need to be

Plastic Ocean Research Paper

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