Ocean pollution

How Plastics Impact the Environment

Plastic pollution is one of the reasons our planet’s health is deteriorating considerably. It is among the most vital environmental challenges that the world is facing today. The pollution affects the atmosphere and people’s health and wellness. However, it is the same people that have led to the pollution problem. They need to work towards reducing and finally ending it. The paper will look into various aspects of plastics, including the threats posed by plastics to human beings, the ocean, and its life.

Amount of Plastics we produce every day and the amount that Enter the Ocean

According to research, oceans make up the Earth’s life support. Oceans hold approximately 97% of the planet’s water. The damage caused by ocean life and ecosystems is massive and hardly reversible because there is a generation of quite a lot of waste released in the aquatic system. Notably, there is the release of about eight million plastic pieces into the oceans today. For instance, regarding the Great Pacific, the garbage patch amounts to about 1.6 million km2. The globe generates 381 million tonnes of plastics annually. Without effective action, the figure is set to double in the next years to come. People’s activities in the next decade will ascertain the oceans’ states (Jacobs & Miller 10).
Threats of Platic to the Ocean, the Marine Life, and Human Beings
The ocean and marine life at large are excessively affected by plastic pollution because the materials can harm aquatic life in a variety of ways. Most marine living things cannot differentiate typical plastic substances from food. Animals that consume plastic always starve since they cannot easily digest the consumed plastic. The latter fills the animals’ stomachs and prevents them from feeding on actual food. Also, mammals, birds, and other bigger animals always get stuck or entangled in debris such as fishing lines and plastic bags. Sea creatures like the turtles are particularly vulnerable. They confuse plastic materials with being jellyfish, which is their commonly consumed food. Turtles also stuck in plastic debris, a situation that limits their normal movement and growth patterns.
Apart from plastics making the ocean dirty and unattractive, they degrade into smaller pieces gradually over time. Ultimately, it degrades to the extent that it is small and can quickly enter the marine living organisms’ bloodstreams. As it is impractical for the microorganisms to digest the plastic, it remains available in the body system until the organism is consumed. The predators receive all the plastic materials taken up by the organisms. When the predators, especially fish, are caught, then human beings are the last victims in consuming the plastics. After many years of generating multiple oil-based plastic substances, the adverse outcomes of human health are shocking. Plastics usually encompass different chemical substances, including bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates (DEHP), which are hazardous to the well-being of the human body. Notably, the chemicals mostly interfere with the social immune system, as well as hormones. Heating DEHP in the microwave can easily mix with the food. Research indicates that some levels of the chemical substances are responsible for the increased risk of health complications like resistance to chemotherapy, impaired brain functions, and cancer (Chatterjee & Sharma 53).
Plastics can become invisible when they break down into micro-pieces due to exposure to the sun, water, and other aspects. The invisible plastic fragments are nearly everywhere. When a person drinks water, consumes on seafood, or when adding salt to their meals, it is highly likely that the person may also be taking in tiny plastic pieces. The so-called micro-plastics are contaminants that are not only present in the oceans but also available in soils, waterways, and the food that people consume. The digestion of plastic materials is not practical once it gets into an animal’s bloodstream. The plastic elements that an animal absorbs always bio-accumulate as they move up the food chain to the topmost predator, which is usually a human being. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the cycle of micro-plastics in the surroundings is yet to be known because further investigations are already underway (Chatterjee & Sharma 56).

What People should do to make a change of it

The human race can take action to help in reducing the impact on the ocean. Because the majority of the plastic wastes present in the water system originate from beaches due to improper trash disposal, limiting plastic pollution can be a reality if people consider making some behavioral changes. Human beings should be concerned about how they dispose of plastic waste; alternatively, people can reuse or recycle them to avoid many cases of inappropriate disposals.
Some products contain micro-beads that, in turn, have plastic elements. People must only prioritize purchasing products that lack such aspects; an example can be commodities with natural exfoliators. Individuals ought to be careful, especially when buying items online. Another critical step to realize change is through public education and sensitization. All human beings in the public space necessitate sensitization to understand the consequences of releasing plastic substances in the ocean (Chatterjee & Sharma 60). When people understand the threats or dangers of plastics, they are likely to shun away from practices that increase plastics in the marine systems.
It is everyone’s call to prevent micro-plastics’ generation by being watchful not to release plastic substances in water channels, on beaches, or any open space. Releasing the plastics intentionally is a way to promote the intake of harmful substances by aquatic life. Picking up litter, including plastics whenever one comes across, is an action that can change the plastic situation in watercourses like rivers, streams, beaches, and so forth. Beach cleanup participation is also one of the best steps to show care to the marine life. Plastic debris is a typical scene around the vicinity of a beach. Therefore, collecting them can save sea animals from suffering the consequences of plastics.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the human populace around the world is exceedingly expanding at an alarming rate. As a result, assuming that there will be no enforcement of appropriate measures to ensure proper disposal of plastic wastes, the negative consequences will add up. Plastics are not independently harmful or to blame for the loss of lives and harm that results. However, the utilization of certain non-biodegradable products and people’s disposal mechanisms are to blame for causing damage to the oceans and life support. Whether through aesthetic impairments, consumption, or entanglement, plastic-related pollution is gradually negatively affecting the globe. Potential solutions to such a problem can include choosing plastics alternative and being responsible regarding proper waste disposal. Concerning any solution that people may opt to take, it is essential to stay coherent and show consistent efforts with the urge of restoring oceans or the entire marine life and the general health of the world’s population.

References

Chatterjee, Subhankar, and Shivika Sharma. “Microplastics in our oceans and marine health.” Field Actions Science Reports. The Journal of Field Actions Special Issue 19 (2019): 54-61.
Jacobs, Rachele, and James Miller. “The Ocean Pollution Crisis.” (2019).