Once plastics are released into the marine environment, large chunks suffocate wildlife and disrupt fragile habitats like coral reefs before breaking down into toxic microplastics that poison the food chain. Even when they have completely physically disintegrated, their chemical bonds remain and the impacts persist.
Today, more than 4,000 marine species They are known to be affected by plastics.according to the Global Ocean Assessment, the only analysis of the world’s oceans across the three pillars (environmental, economic and social) of sustainable development.
Dr. Ian Butler, editor of the 1,600-page report that includes contributions from more than 650 experts, said the entire marine system is being affected: “It’s their diet, their metabolism, their immune function, their growth and reproduction. It weakens them and kills them, and changes populations.”
Ahead of World Oceans Day on June 8, here are five things you need to know about ocean plastics:
1. Ocean plastic pollution continues to increase
The amount of plastic in the ocean continues to increase, driven by poor waste management, litter, microplastic abrasion and marine activities. Plastic waste emissions are estimated at 52.1 million metric tons per year.
There are also different regional patterns: garbage is described as the largest source of pollution in the Global North, while uncollected waste dominates in the Global South.
These ‘leaks’ are what cause so much damage to the ocean. “What our eyes see is the tip of the iceberg,” Dr. Butler warned.
Floating and beach macro- and microplastics represent only three to four percent of total ocean plasticmeaning that much of the problem is dispersed, submerged, fragmented or difficult to recover.
Marine debris, including plastics, paper, wood, metal and other manufactured materials, is found on beaches around the world and in all depths of the ocean.
2. Smaller plastics are the biggest unknown
Once plastic reaches the ocean, it’s not just limited to beaches or floating trash patches: microplastics have been found from surface waters to the deepest depths of the ocean.
It is estimated that there are some 24.4 billion pieces of microplastic in the upper oceans of the world. Microplastics are small pieces of plastic less than five millimeters long, They often break down into larger plastic objects and can cause immune system disruption, inflammation, decreased growth rates, and energy imbalance.
However, our understanding of nanoplastics and its long-term biological effects remain very limited: the less visible plastic becomes, the more difficult it is to detect, monitor, eliminate and assess its risks. At the same time, plastic finds it easier to pass through natural biological barriers, such as cell membranes.
The concentration of these small plastics also “magnifies up the food chain, from the smallest creatures, which are devoured, and then builds up higher and higher,” Dr. Butler said.
3. Single-use plastic is a major source of trash
Single-use plastics They represent around 40 percent of the world’s trashwhile fishing contributes about 15 percentwith patterns varying between higher and lower income countries.
Reducing the problem requires reducing production, promoting reuse, rethinking product design, improving innovation in recycling and finding alternatives to single-use plastics. The attached water bottle cap is a fairly concise recent invention, although single-use bottles also need to be addressed.
Recycling should not be considered the complete answer: the most important change is preventing waste before it reaches the ocean.
When it comes to sustainable alternatives to plastics, Dr. Butler said that “changing the plastic recipe helps, but changing our dependence on disposable plastic is more important for the ocean.”
4. Plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue: it is social and economic
While plastic pollution poses a significant threat to marine habitats, it also significantly reduces ecosystem resilience, human livelihoods and food security.
The costs of pollution fall largely on ocean-dependent sectors. Tourism, fishing and maritime transport. lose billions of US dollars each year through lower revenue and cleaning costs.
Small-scale fisheries may be especially vulnerable: plastic pollution is now a major coastal and fisheries challenge, with potential implications for human health, including evidence of Plastic ingestion in 386 species of marine fish.
5. Prevention is key, a global treaty on plastics is needed
The solution is not just more beach cleaning or more recycling. According to the Assessment, actions should also focus on reducing production, improving materials science and finding alternatives to single-use plastics.
Potentially the most effective method to reduce plastic pollution is through an international agreement or treaty. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution, led by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), was founded to develop a legally binding international “instrument” on plastic pollution.
After six years of negotiations, no agreement has been reached among the 193 UN member states.
“Some countries feel that certain types of restrictions unfairly disadvantage them and their economies will be disproportionately affected compared to other countries that do not rely on plastic manufacturing,” Dr Butler said.