Marine Debris: A Serious Threat to Mankind
4:03 PM Our World 0 Comments

Over the past few decades, marine debris has become one of the most perturbing problems which is ubiquitous of the world's oceans .We know that the oceans are colossal bodies composed of water, but as now, oceans beside water, contains debris which is widely scattered in large areas acting as death traps for numerous numbers of aquatic birds and animals. About 267 species have suffered from ingestion or entanglement of marine debris-Marine Mammal Commission reported. This is just due to the deliberate disposals of wastes into oceans showing the intemperate negligence of mankind.

Marine litter includes plastic materials, flotsam, cigarettes, tins, glass bottles, ghost nets and some other litter. Though, plastic is the most menacing one among the ocean debris accounting for nearly forty percent of the world's ocean surface. The scale of contamination of the marine environment by plastic is vast. Plastic debris is perilous as it resists degradation processes imperiling the environmental equilibrium. It takes nearly 300-1000 years for its degradation. Consequently, the majority of the aquatic life is endangered by large amounts of plastic disposals into oceans. Plastic encumber the animal movement and they get entangled in them or even mistake it for prey resulting injuries or deaths. After they die, their bodies get decomposed and the plastic gets released. Another animal can fall as victim and may consume it. Plastic debris disrupts the endocrine system resulting in a decrease of immunity and reproductive rates. It was found those nearly one million aquatic birds and 0.1 million aquatic animals die due to plastic every year.

It was estimated that nearly 6.4 billion tonnes of litter reach oceans every year. According to UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) report 2006, nearly 46,000 pieces of plastic are found per every square mile. Shoppers itself are using approximately 500 billion plastic bags every year which translates to 150 bags per each person on earth every year. If they are joined end to end that would circumnavigate the globe 4200 times. Approximately two-third of the fish in the oceans is in danger which puts at risk of 3 billion people lives all over the world that rely on seafood. Scientists have identified 200 areas of different oceans as "dead zones" where no organism can grow.

Today's industrialized world generates a vast number of materials resulting the most complicated situations of disposals. Only one-fourth of the refuse collected from households discarding the remaining portion into canals. This mixes up with a river, then to a sea and finally to the ocean. It was estimated that 70% of the marine litter reaches sea bed, 15% on beaches and remaining floats up in sea thus resulting in bunging up of transportation on oceans. Also the natural calamities like tsunamis contribute to the litter in the oceans. Even satellites could not identify the disappearance of Malaysian Boeing 370 due to the accumulation of debris in the ocean.

Debris becomes agile once it is waterborne and ends up where gyres are weakest. They get stored at some places occupying larger volumes. Scientists have classified as five patches as North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic and Indian Ocean patches where plastic gathers due to current circulation. The great pacific patch is a vast area which covers most of the North Pacific Ocean where nearly 3 million tons of plastic was found accounting to double the size of Texas. Scientists estimated that this gyre consists of approximately six pounds of plastic for every one pound of plankton in sea water. It was estimated that oceans may contain 100 million tons of plastic. Australia contributes much in ocean dumping of all countries.

It was first found in 1988 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of America that oceans are suffused with large disposals of litter even in its deepest layers. Many conventions are taking place to prevent further disaster and many countries are taking part actively in ablution of oceanic water. Even, many countries banned the usage of plastic bags. In 2008, the overarching framework was set up by the UN and declared 8th June as World Ocean day to protect the Law of the Sea. In conclusion, it is the duty of mankind to protect the world from this pervasive threat to maintain the economic balance.