Why is Plastic Bad for the Ocean?

I’m sure you already have some idea of why plastics are bad for the ocean but let’s start with the basics and then dive in a little deeper.

The basic answer is:

1) larger plastic items strangle or physically harm sea life

2) smaller plastic items are eaten, fill the stomachs of the animal and cause starvation

The more complicated answer is that in addition to the answers above

1) plastic acts as a sponge absorbing chemical pollutants and passing them into animal and human tissue which can cause toxic effects

2) the unknown cumulative effects of absorbing tiny amounts of toxic chemicals over time can lead to a butterfly effect in our ocean’s ecosystems

3) in every stage of plastic manufacturing there are environmental consequences which are not factored into the real cost of the cheap disposable item they become

Let’s dig (or swim) deeper.

Plastic is a synthetic, or man-made, material derived from oil. Plastics are valuable to industry because they are cheap, malleable, and can be durable.

In every stage of plastic production there are environmental consequences including carbon emission (release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere) and oil spills. As previously mentioned, plastics are derived from oil. In the extraction of oil there is a known amount that is always spilled. So, any extraction of oil from the ocean leads to oil leaking into our ocean. During the refining process carbon emissions and oftentimes other harmful pollutants are released. Oil refineries are commonly located in poor neighborhoods and thus its our poorer citizens who suffer the health effects of pollution–this is an environmental justice issue.

Plastic pellets called “nurdles” are the starting point of plastic products. These tiny pellets, 2 – 5 mm in size, are melted and then formed into a finished product. Oftentimes chemicals such as flame retardants, UV stabilizers, and colorants are added during this process. In the production and transportation of these tiny pellets millions are washed down the drain, or littered near the production plant and along transportation routes.

After the final product has been used and discarded it starts the very long process of breaking down. Some plastics can take up to a thousand years to break down. Typically, the plastic photodegrades (breaks down from exposure to the sun) or is slowly worn away. Along the way these discarded items and the pieces that break off get washed into our waterways. Since plastic acts like a sponge it can absorb toxic chemicals throughout it’s journey to and around the ocean.

From the surface to the deepest trenches, plastic is found at every level of the ocean. The most visible consequences are that sea animals become entangled or eat this plastic. When they eat the plastic a few things happen, the chemicals in the plastic (like flame retardants mentioned earlier) gets absorbed in their tissue and if enough plastic is ingested it blocks their digestive path and they end up starving to death. If the animals don’t wash up on shore with a stomach full of plastic, sometimes they can end up on our dinner plate. According to a 2015 report 25% of the fish sold in markets in California contained plastic in their gut. For fish that might have eaten plastic but not enough to starve itself, they’ve absorbed the chemicals from the plastic and when you eat that fish you absorb those chemicals. Who wants a side of flame retardant with their fish? Not me.

While these microdoses of unknown chemicals might not cause immediate harm to us, the cumulative effects of years of exposure are still unknown. And this is happening along the entire food chain. From the smallest zooplankton to the largest whales, every size of sea life has been shown to have plastic inside them–and thus have absorbed chemical pollutants.

So, I’ve talked about the problem–plastics breakdown and carry toxic chemicals. Now let’s talk about scale. Plastics were invented in 1907 and given the time it takes to break down, this means every piece of plastic that has ever been created still exists. Just considering the 4 trillion plastic water bottles used in the last ten years, this would create a pile that would tower over New York City.

The massive scale of plastic usage and thus pollution can have catastrophic effects on our oceans. Every minute enough plastic to fill a dump truck enters our ocean. While the ocean is massive, it’s only a matter of time before our plastic waste suffocates our ocean.

The best solution is to stop plastic from entering the ocean by stopping the usage and production of disposable plastic. As individuals we can do our best to live plastic-free but even though choices are growing, they are still limited. Manufacturers need to stop contributing to our throw-away culture and need to design reusability into their products. If we are to move from a linear economy where we extract natural resources, create products that are used for minutes, and then throw them out, we will run out of resources. In building a circular economy and designing continual use of products we can save our precious resources and stop destroying our oceans.

What changes do you want to see from manufacturers?