Polluting our Waters
It is estimated that about 14 billion pounds of the trash get dumped into the ocean each year. That is about 1.5 million pounds of trash per hour and by 2050 experts predict trash will outweigh fish in the ocean.
Causes of Pollution
The oceans are the world's largest body of water and over the years as pollution has become more and more of a problem the oceans have become a dump to people. Not only has marine life been affected but is affecting the human race. Much of the atmosphere pollution is due to the pollution of water. There are many factors of pollution but 3 main ways are littering, land runoff, and sewage.
Land runoff is one of many ways that the ocean gets polluted, it is said that 80% of the pollution in the ocean is from the land. Land runoff is when “water infiltrates the soil to its maximum extent, and the excess water from rain, flooding or melting flows over the land and into the ocean.” When this occurs, many man-made pollutants from the soil like fertilizer and pesticides spill into the ocean. When this happens, the waste can make ocean dead zones. Ocean dead zones are when there is not really any ocean life living there it's just algae and dying plants.
Sewage is another big factor in ocean pollution. This is a little different than the other ways pollution goes into the ocean. This form of pollution-free flows into the ocean by drainages, rivers, and/or sewage. When this happens a lot of minerals from mining camps get into the ocean. This affects plant life and marine life in the ocean and reduces oxygen levels in the ocean.
One of the most obvious ways the ocean is polluted is by littering. Littering happens when trash from land is blown or even just thrown into the ocean. much of the trash that ends up in the ocean is plastic and cannot decompose. Therefore, it will sit in the ocean or end up on a random island along with existing trash already there.
Plastic is a detrimental effect on marine life. Animals are eating it and mistaking the trash for food. They are also being snagged or caught in the trash resulting in discomfort or can even kill the animals. The trash just sits inside of them slowing killing them. The most affected animals are turtles, dolphins, sharks, and fish.
Effects on Marine Animals
When talking about water pollution you can’t not include the detrimental effect on marine life. Animals are dying due to having so much plastic in their stomach, or suffocate because of plastic, or because trash gets stuck in their nose and is super uncomfortable. These are some of the many things that go on because of pollution.
Oil spills are another effect on marine life. “Immediately after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, more than 100,000 sea birds died, along with more than 1,000 sea otters. At least 144 bald eagles are known to have died as well.” Not only does oil affect the animals but also their habitats.
Smarter animals like dolpins are smart enough to know to not eat plastic, but if their prey does. They will eventually get the plastic in their stomach to just stay their. Plastic shown in many dying animals is very deadly to the animals.
Sources
Stevens, Diane. “How to Calculate LC50 Values.” Sciencing, 2 Mar. 2019, sciencing.com/calculate-lc50-values-6873345.html.
“Plastic Pollution Affects Sea Life Throughout the Ocean.” The Pew Charitable Trusts, www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2018/09/24/plastic-pollution-affects-sea-life-throughout-the-ocean.
Onekind-Scot, et al. “Our Love of Plastic Is Killing Our Wildlife.” OneKind, 20 June 2018, www.onekind.scot/our-love-of-plastic-is-killing-our-wildlife/.
