Plastic pollution involves the increasing problem of plastic products in the environment that dramatically affects wildlife or humans. Many types of plastic pollution exist. Plastic pollution can affect massive amounts of lands, waterways and oceans.
Certain types of plastic can release harmful chemicals into the soil, which can then seep into underground water or surrounding water sources. This can cause serious harm to animals, plants or other animals that drink the polluted water.
Plastics in oceans typically decompose within a year, but not entirely, and in the process release toxic chemicals into the water. Toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A and polystyrene can leach into water sources or streams from the decomposition of some plastics. Polystyrene pieces and nurdles are the most common types of plastic pollution in oceans, and combined with plastic bags it makes up the majority of oceanic debris.
Some marine animals, such as sea turtles have been found to contain large amounts of plastic in their stomach. If the animal is affected by or has swallowed plastic, the animal typically starves, because the plastic blocks the animal's digestive system. Marine mammals sometimes become entangled in plastic such as nets, which can kill them. Over 260 species have been found to have either ingested plastic or have become entangled in the plastic. It has been estimated that over 400,000 marine mammals die annually due to plastic pollution in the oceans. In 2004, it was predicted that seagulls in the North Sea had an average of thirty pieces of plastic in their stomachs. Marine plastic pollution can even reach birds that have never been at the sea.
Tens of thousands of whales, birds, seals and turtles are killed every year from plastic bag waist in oceanic environments, as they often mistake plastic bags for prey such as jellyfish. Once ingested, plastic bags cannot be digested so it stays in the gut. Plastic in an animal's gut can prevent food digestion and can lead to a very slow and painful death. Plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to break down. After the animal has died and the body slowly starts to decay the plastic is then fed back into the ocean environment to slowly kill other wildlife.
Wildlife are often found entangled in plastic debris. They cannot move or eat, resulting in a very slow, painful death. Plastic waste breaks down into nurdles, which are small plastic pieces. Fish, turtles, and birds mistake the pieces of plastic for food and when they eat it they often die because they suffocate or digest the poisonous plastics. If a fish has consumed toxic plastic and then has been caught and served to humans, there is a risk to people's health as well. This is because the chemicals that the fish consumes is then eaten by humans making people very sick which allows toxins to enter the body.
A significant proportion of plastic gets into the waterways and inevitably ends up in the oceans. Once the plastic waste enters the oceans it is dragged by strong currents that distribute it around the world or in gyres. In some occasions some plastic travels with the ocean currents and eventually ends up in other countries coastal regions. It’s estimated that there are also 100 millions tons of plastic debris floating around in the marine environments alone. This threatens the health and safety of marine life.
Certain types of plastic can release harmful chemicals into the soil, which can then seep into underground water or surrounding water sources. This can cause serious harm to animals, plants or other animals that drink the polluted water.
Plastics in oceans typically decompose within a year, but not entirely, and in the process release toxic chemicals into the water. Toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A and polystyrene can leach into water sources or streams from the decomposition of some plastics. Polystyrene pieces and nurdles are the most common types of plastic pollution in oceans, and combined with plastic bags it makes up the majority of oceanic debris.
Some marine animals, such as sea turtles have been found to contain large amounts of plastic in their stomach. If the animal is affected by or has swallowed plastic, the animal typically starves, because the plastic blocks the animal's digestive system. Marine mammals sometimes become entangled in plastic such as nets, which can kill them. Over 260 species have been found to have either ingested plastic or have become entangled in the plastic. It has been estimated that over 400,000 marine mammals die annually due to plastic pollution in the oceans. In 2004, it was predicted that seagulls in the North Sea had an average of thirty pieces of plastic in their stomachs. Marine plastic pollution can even reach birds that have never been at the sea.
Tens of thousands of whales, birds, seals and turtles are killed every year from plastic bag waist in oceanic environments, as they often mistake plastic bags for prey such as jellyfish. Once ingested, plastic bags cannot be digested so it stays in the gut. Plastic in an animal's gut can prevent food digestion and can lead to a very slow and painful death. Plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to break down. After the animal has died and the body slowly starts to decay the plastic is then fed back into the ocean environment to slowly kill other wildlife.
Wildlife are often found entangled in plastic debris. They cannot move or eat, resulting in a very slow, painful death. Plastic waste breaks down into nurdles, which are small plastic pieces. Fish, turtles, and birds mistake the pieces of plastic for food and when they eat it they often die because they suffocate or digest the poisonous plastics. If a fish has consumed toxic plastic and then has been caught and served to humans, there is a risk to people's health as well. This is because the chemicals that the fish consumes is then eaten by humans making people very sick which allows toxins to enter the body.
A significant proportion of plastic gets into the waterways and inevitably ends up in the oceans. Once the plastic waste enters the oceans it is dragged by strong currents that distribute it around the world or in gyres. In some occasions some plastic travels with the ocean currents and eventually ends up in other countries coastal regions. It’s estimated that there are also 100 millions tons of plastic debris floating around in the marine environments alone. This threatens the health and safety of marine life.
Wikipedia, 18 of October 2014 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_pollution
Planet Ark, 1 December 2011 http://plasticbags.planetark.org/about/wildlife.cfm
Techno Kids, 2014 http://www.technokids.com/documents/intermediate/environment-plastic-pollution-fact-sheet.pdf
Meat Free Designs, 2010 http://www.plasticoceans.net/the-facts/a-global-issue/
Plastic2oil, 2014 http://www.plastic2oil.com/site/problem
Columbia, 2014 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/01/31/what-happens-to-all-that-plastic/
Planet Ark, 1 December 2011 http://plasticbags.planetark.org/about/wildlife.cfm
Techno Kids, 2014 http://www.technokids.com/documents/intermediate/environment-plastic-pollution-fact-sheet.pdf
Meat Free Designs, 2010 http://www.plasticoceans.net/the-facts/a-global-issue/
Plastic2oil, 2014 http://www.plastic2oil.com/site/problem
Columbia, 2014 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/01/31/what-happens-to-all-that-plastic/