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7 Solutions To Ocean Plastic Pollution

February 24, 2023 • Blue Habits Tips , Resources

Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to ocean health worldwide. But, there are many solutions to plastic pollution that you can participate in today. This article covers some of the basic facts about ocean plastic pollution and provides several specific plastic pollution solutions that everyone can take part in.

The Ocean Plastic Pollution Problem

With skyrocketing plastic production, low levels of recycling, and poor waste management , between 4 and 12 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year—enough to cover every foot of coastline on the planet! And that amount is projected to triple in the next 20 years. Let that sink in for a moment.

In the ocean, plastic pollution impacts sea turtles , whales , seabirds , fish , coral reefs , and countless other marine species and habitats. In fact, scientists estimate that more than half of the world’s sea turtles and nearly every seabird on Earth have eaten plastic in their lifetimes. Plastic pollution also mars otherwise beautiful beaches, coastlines, and snorkel and dive sites worldwide, even in remote areas such as Midway Atoll .

A sea turtle mistakes a plastic bag for food. © Ben J. Hicks / benjhicks.com

One of the reasons that plastic pollution is such a problem is that it doesn’t go away: “plastics are forever.” Instead, plastic debris simply breaks down into ever-smaller particles, known as microplastics , whose environmental impacts are still being determined.

Plastic Pollution Solutions: 7 Things You Can Do Today

Everyone can do something to help solve the plastic pollution problem, and millions of people worldwide are already taking action to reduce their plastic use . Here are seven ways you can make a difference, starting today.

1. Reduce Your Use of Single-Use Plastics

Wherever you live, the easiest and most direct way that you can get started is by reducing your own use of single-use plastics. Single-use plastics include plastic bags, water bottles, straws, cups, utensils, dry cleaning bags, take-out containers, and any other plastic items that are used once and then discarded.

The best way to do this is by a) refusing any single-use plastics that you do not need (e.g. straws, plastic bags, takeout utensils, takeout containers), and b) purchasing, and carrying with you, reusable versions of those products, including reusable grocery bags , produce bags , bottles , utensils , coffee cups , and dry cleaning garment bags . And when you refuse single-use plastic items, help businesses by letting them know that you would like them to offer alternatives.

2. Support Legislation to Curb Plastic Production and Waste

As important as it is to change our individual behaviors, such changes alone are insufficient to stop ocean plastic pollution. We also need legislation that reduces plastic production, improves waste management, and makes plastic producers responsible for the waste they generate. There are a variety of ways that you can support local, national, and international legislation that provide critical solutions to reduce plastic pollution. One such effort in the United States is the 2021 Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act , a comprehensive federal bill that aims to address the plastic pollution crisis, and there are a number of state level initiatives to introduce extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation that makes plastic producers and distributors responsible for their products and packaging at the end of life.

At the international level, hundreds of organizations and businesses successfully worked together with United Nations member states to enact a global plastics treaty , signed by 175 member states, that will set global rules and regulations to reduce plastic pollution. And legislation that limits, taxes, or bans unnecessary single use plastic items, such as plastic bags, takeout containers, and bottles, has been successfully enacted in many places globally, and you can support the adoption of such policies in your community too. Here is a comprehensive resource and toolkit on legislative approaches to limiting plastic bags, foodware, microplastics, and more.

3. Recycle Properly

This should go without saying, but when you use single-use (and other) plastics that can be recycled, always be sure to recycle them. At present, just 9% of plastic is recycled worldwide . Recycling helps keep plastics out of the ocean and reduces the amount of “new” plastic in circulation. If you need help finding a place to recycle plastic waste near you, check Earth911’s recycling directory . It’s also important to check with your local recycling center about the types of plastic they accept.

4. Participate In (or Organize) a Beach or River Cleanup

Help remove plastics from the ocean and prevent them from getting there in the first place by participating in, or organizing a cleanup of your local beach or waterway . This is one of the most direct and rewarding ways to fight ocean plastic pollution. You can simply go to the beach or waterway and collect plastic waste on your own or with friends or family, or you can join a local organization’s cleanup or an international event like our Global Ocean Cleanup  or the International Coastal Cleanup .

  Take Our 7-Day Fight Plastic Waste Challenge Join the global movement to fight plastic waste with our 7-day challenge. With just a few minutes a day, you’ll be on your way to reducing ocean plastic pollution from home. Take the Challenge

5. Avoid Products Containing Microbeads

Tiny plastic particles, called “ microbeads ,” have become a growing source of ocean plastic pollution in recent years. Microbeads are found in some face scrubs, toothpastes, and bodywashes, and they readily enter our oceans and waterways through our sewer systems, and affect hundreds of marine species. Avoid products containing plastic microbeads by looking for “polythelene” and “polypropylene” on the ingredient labels of your cosmetic products (find a list of products containing microbeads here ).

6. Spread the Word

Stay informed on issues related to plastic pollution and help make others aware of the problem. Tell your friends and family about how they can be part of the solution, or host a viewing party for one of the many plastic pollution focused documentaries, like A Plastic Ocean , Garbage Island: An Ocean Full of Plastic , Bag It , Addicted to Plastic , Plasticized , or Garbage Island .

7. Support Organizations Addressing Plastic Pollution

There are many non-profit organizations working to reduce and eliminate ocean plastic pollution in a variety of different ways, including Oceanic Society , Plastic Pollution Coalition , 5 Gyres , Algalita , Plastic Soup Foundation , and others. These organizations rely on donations from people like you to continue their important work. Even small donations can make a big difference!

These seven ideas only scratch the surface for ways you can help address the growing problem of plastic pollution in the oceans. The important thing is that we all do something, no matter how small. For more ideas and resources, sign up to join our Blue Habits community of people worldwide committed to joyful daily actions that improve ocean health.

  Reduce Plastic Pollution From Home with Our 7-Day Challenge Join the global movement to fight plastic waste by participating in our 7-day challenge. Take the Challenge

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How can you help our ocean?

Here are 10 simple things you can do at home, around town, on the water, or anywhere.

Here are some simple things you can do to help our ocean. Download this infographic

10 Ways to Help Our Ocean

Around home, 1. conserve water, 2. reduce pollutants, 3. reduce waste, around town, 4. shop wisely, 5. reduce vehicle pollution, 6. use less energy, on the water, 7. fish responsibly, 8. practice safe boating, 9. respect habitat, 10. anytime, anywhere, search our facts, more information.

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10 Ways You Can Help Save The Oceans

Oceans cover more than 70% of the planet and are home to important species and ecosystems that we rely on for food, livelihoods, climate regulation and more. but the oceans need our help..

Saving the oceans can sometimes feel like an overwhelming task, but if we all pitch in, we can make a big difference. While there are a variety of lifestyle choices that, when adopted, can help the oceans, here are our top 10 ways you can help save the oceans! 

10 WAYS YOU CAN HELP SAVE THE OCEANS 

Demand plastic-free alternatives .

The oceans face a massive and growing threat from plastics. An estimated 33 billion pounds of plastic pollution flood our marine environment from land-based sources every year — that’s roughly equivalent to dumping two garbage trucks full of plastic into our oceans every minute. And, instead of degrading, plastic breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces that are swallowed by everything from fish and sea turtles to seals and seabirds, many of which are endangered! 

We must urge government leaders to pass policies that reduce plastic production and require companies to phase out unnecessary single-use plastic products and ramp up reusable and refillable options. You can add your name to call on world leaders to tackle plastic pollution . 

REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT 

The climate crisis threatens the health of our oceans and the marine wildlife that call them home. Sea levels are rising, and we are experiencing more extreme weather globally, and carbon dioxide – a known greenhouse gas – is making our oceans more acidic. This acidity contributes to the loss of corals, or coral bleaching.  

The climate crisis is something we know how to combat – by drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Join Oceana by pledging to combat climate change and reduce your carbon footprint. 

EAT RESPONSIBLY-SOURCED SEAFOOD 

Choose seafood that is healthy for you and the oceans from well-managed, wild fisheries. Wild seafood is a renewable resource that requires minimal freshwater to produce and emits less carbon dioxide than land-based proteins like beef. We know it’s hard to know what fish are okay to eat, which is why you can turn to these helpful resources: 

• Print or download a guide from Seafood Watch to help you make sustainable choices when you buy or order seafood. 
• Refer to these top chefs for sustainable seafood recipes . 
• Consider adding small, oily fish that are packed with protein to your diet. 

VOTE ON OCEAN ISSUES 

Electing public officials that support smart ocean policies can help us protect marine life and our oceans. Do your research on candidates and make an informed decision, then exercise your right (and responsibility) to vote. And don’t let Election Day be the last time they hear from you. Follow up with your candidates and elected officials regularly to remind them of policies you care about. 

CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND LAWMAKERS

Your representatives and lawmakers might not know how important these issues are that face our oceans. But they will if you tell them. It’s up to constituents like you to make lawmakers aware of the crises facing marine life and our oceans. Don’t be shy! Take action with Oceana to directly contact your government representatives and lawmakers.    

TEACH KIDS ABOUT THE OCEANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Around the world, research has shown that children have limited knowledge about the oceans because marine science topics are absent in most school curricula. The oceans are critical to life on Earth. Understanding that at an early age can help kids form connections with the seas and understand the reasons why it’s so important to protect them. Check out the Kids Environmental Lesson Plans (KELP) from Sailors for the Sea and dive into Oceana’s Marine Life Encyclopedia to learn about our oceans and all animals that inhabit them.  

AVOID OCEAN-HARMING PRODUCTS

There are many products directly linked to harming endangered or threatened species, unsustainable fishing methods and pollution. For example, avoid cosmetics that contain shark squalene, jewelry made of coral or sea turtle shell, souvenir shells of conchs, nautiluses and other animals, and single-use plastics like straws and water bottles that can end up in our oceans. These products can threaten important species and ecosystems.  

LEAVE NOTHING BEHIND

As beach crowds increase, so does the amount of trash left behind or blown away. Don’t let your day outside contribute to the destruction of our oceans. Remember to leave nothing behind but your footprints — collect and properly dispose of your trash.  

SHARE YOUR OCEAN EFFORTS WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND COWORKERS

Tell people what’s going on with the world’s oceans and what they can do to join you in making a difference. Spread the word about petitions, share fun facts, and join the conversation with us on Facebook , Instagram , X (formerly Twitter), TikTok , and YouTube . 

BECOME AN OCEAN ADVOCATE 

More than 1 million members and activists in over 200 countries have already joined Oceana – the largest international organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Together, we’ve won over 300 victories and protected nearly 4 million square miles (10 million square kilometers) of ocean. But there’s more to be done!  As a Wavemaker, your support is critical to our victories and protecting the world’s oceans and we can’t do it without you.    

MAKE A DONATION

We’ve already protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life – but there is still more to be done. Donate today to turn the tide for our oceans!

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How to Reduce Plastic and Other Ocean Pollution Simultaneously

Plastic has gone from the greatest invention of the modern era to one of the most challenging materials to manage. Each year, up to 13 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean, the equivalent of one garbage truck of waste every minute. The world has responded with countless intiatives, campaigns and agreements to ban plastic straws and bags; 127 countries have introduced legislation to regulate plastic bags.

But here’s the thing: Plastic bags and straws aren’t the ocean’s only pollution problem.

Visible plastic waste near the surface of the ocean — the kind that makes up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch , and garners the most attention — makes up just 3% of total plastic in the ocean. Plastic also sinks to the ocean floor, stays suspended in the water column, or gets deposited out of the ocean in remote places, making clean-up difficult. The UN Environment Programme estimated the global damage to marine environments from plastic pollution to be a minimum of $13 billion per year. And there are a whole host of non-plastic pollutants such as nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous that fuel harmful algal blooms, antibiotics, heavy metals, pesticides, oil and gas, and other debris. These pollutants enter the ocean directly, through rivers, stormwater or the wind. These substances have been damaging the environment, human health and the economy long before plastics became so prevalent. 

Protecting human and marine health and harnessing the full benefits of a sustainable ocean economy will require not only reducing plastic waste, but all ocean pollutants.

Seven Interventions Solutions to Tackle Reduce Plastic and All Ocean Pollution

The sundry pollutants making their way into the ocean often share common pathways and root causes, such as a lack of access to sanitation and wastewater processing or inefficient use of natural resources. Tackling these root causes can have a compounding effect.

For example, improving wastewater management at scale in a city or region can reduce plastic entering the ocean while also reducing nutrient pollution, which in turn improves the health of fisheries and coral reefs. This means that there is an opportunity to capitalize on the attention being paid to plastic pollution in order to tackle multiple ocean pollutants at once.

A new Blue Paper commissioned by the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy highlights seven solutions that can reduce plastic pollution while also curbing other types of ocean pollution:

Improve wastewater management by developing and building sustainable wastewater infrastructure for the 3 billion people who lack access to controlled waste disposal facilities. Untreated wastewater contains a number of pollutants like pathogens, plastics and chemicals. It can pose a severe risk to human and environmental health through toxic exposure, vector-borne diseases and eutrophication.

Improve stormwater management by implementing stormwater and storm drain filtration and river mouth trash collection. This can prevent wastes such as macroplastics (littered items), microplastics (tire dust), and chemicals on roadways from flowing into rivers, and eventually, the ocean. Regulating the use of nutrients and pesticides and shifting behaviors — for example, the cultural norm around having a manicured lawn, which can increase the use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers — can also ensure that these pollutants do not enter the ocean through stormwater. For example, a toxic algal bloom caused by nutrient pollution in the western Lake Erie basin in 2011 disrupted water supplies for 400,000 people.

Adopt green chemistry practices and new materials. This includes banning hard-to-manage substances like expanded polystyrene (commonly packaging material), limiting the use of chemicals of concern like phthalates, and supporting materials research. Developing new materials that maintain the desirable performance characteristics of plastics but not the problematic ones, such as true biodegradables, could prevent plastics from causing as much harm if they do enter the ocean.

Practice radical resource efficiency through plastic-use reduction. This includes imposing fees on single-use plastics, encouraging voluntary industry standards to reduce fossil-fuel-based plastics ,and shifting cultural norms around waste generation, consumption and reuse.  For example, introducing carrier bag charges in the UK reduced the number of plastic bags used there by 80 %, with 9 billion fewer plastic bags used since the legislation was introduced in 2015.

Recover and recycle the materials we use in both formal and informal sectors by implementing extended producer responsibility laws, providing incentives for waste segregation and recycling, strengthening markets for recycled plastics and implementing “Fishing for Litter” programs. Only 9 % of all plastic ever discarded since 1950 has been recycled, while another 12% has been incinerated and the remaining 79% accumulated in landfills or the natural environment.

Implement coastal zone improvements by, for example, restricting open ocean aquaculture. Shifting to sustainable land-based aquaculture systems could reduce a number of pollutants associated with coastal aquaculture, such as plastic pollution from lost or discarded gear and untreated waste with high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous. Encouraging participation in Adopt-a-Beach programs and clean beach certifications such as Blue Flag and Project Aware can reduce litter on beaches and make people more aware of pollution.

Build local systems for safe food and water by establishing drinking water treatment systems where needed, and ensuring adequate drinking water standards.  This solution can not only reduce pollutants entering the ocean from the reduction in single-use plastic bottles, but also help the 1 in 3 people worldwide who lack  access to clean drinking water.

Reducing Pollution for a Better Ocean Economy

These tactics can’t be done on a small scale or by a single entity. In order to be successful, it is essential that solutions include cross-sectoral public-private partnerships, innovative financing arrangements and capital from a range of sources.

For example, in Muncar, a small village in East Java, Indonesia, public private partnership organizers built a waste management system and strategy to optimize waste collection and processing for both inorganic and organic wastes, change behaviors, set regulations, and build institutional capacity. In December 2019, 47,500 people received waste collection services, mostly for the first time, from two facilities established by the project. These facilities employ 80 local people and have collected 3,000 tons of waste that would have otherwise potentially ended up in the ocean.  

By taking bold, integrated actions that address pollution across sectors, we can help build a sustainable ocean economy that can expand economic opportunities and improve the health and prosperity of millions of people. But our road to recovery must include the development of a circular economy. The notion that things can be thrown away is a myth. Plastic and other pollutants continue to pollute long after their shelf life is over. We need to ”turn off the tap” and prevent pollution before it happens in the first place.

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15 ways you can help protect the ocean and marine animals

The ocean is our planet’s largest ecosystem , containing somewhere from 50-80% of all life on Earth . It provides us with more than half of the world’s oxygen and is home to millions of species that play critical roles in their marine ecosystems. And this is just the species we know about, as experts estimate that over 90% of the species in our oceans are yet to be classified.

The ocean also plays an important role in the wider health of the planet. Since the end of the pre-industrial era, it is estimated that the ocean has sequestered 29% of the world’s carbon emissions and holds roughly 42 times more carbon than the atmosphere , showing its importance as a carbon sink. 

Alongside these critical ecological roles, the ocean is crucial to supporting human life and society, providing livelihoods for around 10-12% of the world’s population , adding US $1.2 trillion to the economy each year.

Now more than ever, the ocean and the species that inhabit it need our help . Human-caused threats like ocean noise pollution , vessel strikes , and entanglement in fishing gear are threatening the lives of marine animals, while wasting water, overuse of plastics, and irresponsible travel cause direct harm to the ocean. Our actions have an impact, and together, we can build a healthier future for the ocean.

With this in mind, here are some easy steps you can take to protect marine animals and critical ocean habitats.

Conserve water and reduce runoff  

Like many of our planet’s resources, water is in limited supply and efforts must be made to conserve as much of this precious resource as possible. In the US, household leaks alone waste an estimated 900 billion gallons per year , with even more lost due to inefficient and wasteful usage.

All water eventually finds its way to the ocean. Unfortunately, contaminated water can carry harmful chemicals that kill marine life and produce dangerous algal blooms. With approximately 80% of the ocean’s pollution coming from the land, with a large portion of this in the form of runoff, steps need to be taken to reduce the amount of contaminated water that ends up in our oceans.

Here are five ways to reduce runoff and conserve water.

• Take shorter showers : Reducing showering time by just one minute can save 1.8 gallons (8 liters) per shower.
• Use a rain barrel to collect water for your garden: This water can then be used for many things around the home, such as watering plants or, after purification, even drinking and washing.
• Turn off automatic watering systems in your yard when it rains: If possible, set a timer so that automatic systems only operate during limited hours, and consider switching off systems entirely during wetter seasons
• Limit laundry days to when you have a full load: You can also wash smaller items by hand rather than using a full machine to clean them.
• Turn the water off while brushing your teeth: Turning off the faucet when brushing your teeth can save up to 8 gallons (30 liters) of water per day.

Reduce plastic usage

It is estimated that approximately 1.7 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean each year. This waste has devastating consequences for marine species and damages the planet as a whole.

Birds, dolphins , whales , and turtles become entangled in plastic and die from suffocation, starvation, or drowning. If consumed, tiny particles of plastic called microplastics can cause fatal health issues for marine animals. These issues are amplified up the food chain and cause huge downstream consequences for the entire ecosystem.

To help protect marine life from the dangers of plastic, you can…

• Refuse plastic straws at restaurants and bars: Ask for a paper straw if they have one or drink without a straw. You can also purchase a reusable glass straw and bring it with you.  
• Ask for no plastic silverware when ordering takeout: In the UK alone, 2.7 billion items of single-use cutlery and 721 million single-use plates are used each year. If you have reusable silverware at home, why not use it?
• Carry a reusable water bottle: Disposable bottles kill an estimated 1.1 million marine animals each year . We can help reduce this by using reusable bottles.
• Recycle at home and at the workplace; Less than 10% of our plastic waste is recycled, with most of it ending up in landfills or the environment.
• Participate in neighborhood and beach clean-ups: Find local or nationwide initiatives and projects in which you can participate.

Become a responsible traveler  

Travelling is a great way to see new places and appreciate the beauty of coastal ecosystems. However, it can also be extremely damaging to the environment. Air travel alone contributes an estimated 2.5% of all global CO2 emissions each year, with tourism as a whole responsible for 8% of yearly global emissions .

This is before accounting for the impact tourists themselves have on both terrestrial and marine environments. One study found that marine litter in the Mediterranean region increased by a staggering 40% during the tourist season , and a survey of mountaineers found that 99.7% said they saw litter every time they went on an expedition.

While traveling, it is important to remember to be aware of your impact on the environment and make sustainable decisions. To become a more responsible traveler, you can…

• Respect marine animals and their wild spaces: Only interact with marine ecosystems under the guidance of professionals to minimize disruption to plant and animal life
• Take photos at a safe distance away from animals: Not only can wild animals be dangerous, but you can also cause them great distress and harm if you encroach on their habitats and space.
• Clean up after yourself when visiting beaches and natural spaces: Littering damages the environment and may introduce invasive species to ecosystems. 
• Before travelling, research the region’s local seafood and fishing practices to help you make sustainable food choices: Ask questions in person and look for sustainable seafood certifications in restaurants.
• Partake in eco-tourism activities that support local communities: There are projects running all over the world that you can get involved with. Find opportunities to help the local ecosystems where you are traveling that also support the livelihoods of local people.

We can all do our part

Protecting our oceans and marine species is a job for everyone. Hopefully, these tips have given you some ideas for the steps you can take to help protect our oceans and minimize the impact you have on marine environments.

IFAW is committed to safeguarding and restoring our oceans through thoughtful, equitably-led, and sustainable projects all around the world. Our Blue Speeds initiative is focused on reducing shipping speeds to help lower ocean noise, while our campaign to save the North Atlantic right whale seeks to reduce threats like entanglement and vessel strikes.

Explore our projects to find out more about the work we are doing around the world and learn how you can help, whether through donations , signing petitions , or following our 15 tips to protect the ocean. Together, we can save our oceans and ensure they continue to thrive long into the future.

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How you can help the ocean.

The threats faced by our ocean planet may seem overwhelming. In the face of pollution, climate change, overfishing, and other daunting problems, what you can do on your own may seem like a drop in the bucket. But if we begin working together now, we can make a huge difference. Here are some ways to get started:

Make the Connection The first step in making a difference is learning about the ocean and how your actions have an impact. Keep reading to learn everyday things you can do to help protect and restore the seas. And don't forget to share what you've learned with friends and family.

Be Water Wise

All water on Earth is connected. Even if you don't live near the coast, water that goes down your drain or runs off from your yard can eventually make its way into the ocean. The Mississippi River, for example, is like a giant funnel collecting water from thousands of smaller rivers and streams. It drains 41 percent of the continental U.S. into the Gulf of Mexico. Because of run-off from farms and fields, the Gulf now experiences large annual dead zones, or areas with so little oxygen that sea life cannot survive there. You can help keep the ocean—and other waterways—healthy by reducing your family's use of chemicals inside and out.

• In the yard: Use as little fertilizer as possible. Fertilizers (including manure) add nutrients to the soil and water that can be carried downstream when it rains. Extra nutrients can cause harmful algae blooms that disrupt the ocean's natural balance. Try to grow plants suited to the local natural conditions. They will grow hardily with fewer chemicals.
• On the table: Look for fruits and vegetables that are grown without pesticides (and don't spray them in your own garden). Pesticides contain toxins that can run off into the sea and harm marine life. Also look for produce grown in season and close to where you live. A lot of energy is wasted in transporting foods from far away or growing them in greenhouses at the wrong time of year. See tip number five below to find out how our energy use affects the ocean.
• In the house: Choose non-toxic cleaning products and low-phosphate detergents. Many household chores can be done with simple ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, or lemon juice. Visit Consumer Reports' Greener Choices page for suggestions. 

Trim Down Trash

• Ditch the disposable lifestyle: Make a point to use reusable bags , beverage cups, and food containers. When you must use disposable items, reuse or recycle them whenever possible.
• Garbage patrol: Never litter (inland, on the beach, or from a boat), and participate in beach or waterway clean ups to help stop the flow of trash into the ocean.

Be Fish Friendly

• Watch what you eat: Demand sustainable seafood at the supermarket and in your favorite restaurants. Always know what to order by downloading a sustainable seafood guide . And when fishing for your own seafood, make sure you follow all local catch limits.
• Choose pets carefully: If you have a salt-water aquarium, make sure you ask where and how the animals you buy were collected. Look for the Marine Aquarium Council's Certification in pet stores to find animals that were carefully harvested and well cared for. And never release an unwanted pet into the ocean or any waterway. Organisms that don't belong can crowd out the locals and disrupt the ecosystem.
• Select sea-friendly souvenirs: Steer clear of jewelry, mementos, and products made from marine animals or animal parts, including shells and—especially—coral. 
• Power down: Making little changes in the way we live can go a long way to reducing energy use—and carbon emissions. Try drying laundry on a clothesline or rack instead of in the dryer. Walk, bike, take the bus, or carpool to work or school. Replace light bulbs and older appliances with newer, more efficient models .
• Switch sources: Not all energy comes from burning fossil fuels. Clean, unlimited energy can come from the sun, wind, or heat deep in the Earth (called geothermal). Call your power company or visit the Department of Energy's Buying Green Power page to find alternative energy programs near you.

Recreate Responsibly

• On the sand: When walking on sand dunes, be careful of any grasses and plants growing there. Living plants help hold sand in place. Dead plants and seaweed provide fertilizer. Both should be left alone.
• In the shallows: On rocky shores, the shallow "tidepools" that are exposed when the tide is out, can be a great place to look for interesting marine life. But be careful not to trample on these fragile critters and their homes. Look, but don't touch.
• Near the reef: When snorkeling or diving, never touch the reef! Corals and other animals are fragile and easily killed by a grasping hand or careless flipper. Also never feed or handle marine animals.
• In open water: When boating, be very careful where you anchor. Anchors can scar reefs and rip out seagrass beds, which provide food and shelter for many species. Where permanent anchoring buoys are provided, use them.
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How Do We Clean Up All That Ocean Plastic?

There are currently 75 to 199 million tons of plastic polluting our oceans, according to the World Economic Forum . This is a result of humans recycling only nine percent of plastic waste and dumping 10 million tons of it into the seas each year.

If we continue on this path, the annual flow of plastic into the ocean could triple by 2040 as plastic production continues to increase . Marine plastic pollution may be costing the world economy trillions of dollars every year because it affects fisheries, coastlines, tourism, marine life, and the food we eat.

Some ocean plastic ends up in one of five major gyres , systems of ocean currents that corral marine garbage into their vortexes.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the largest gyre, located between Hawaii and California, covers 1.6 million square kilometers, an area twice as big as Texas. It’s estimated that it contains 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic, weighing almost 90,000 tons. While there are many identifiable floating items in the gyre—macroplastics such as cigarette butts, plastic bags, food containers, laundry baskets, plastic bottles, medical waste, fishing gear, and more—most of the plastic is the size of pepper flakes or smaller, broken down by the sun and waves over the years.

Despite the fact that the majority of large plastic pieces are spread out across the vastness of the oceans and the rest may be too small to collect, there are a number of organizations attempting to clean up the oceans.

Collecting plastic from the oceans

The most high-profile effort to clean up ocean plastic is being conducted by Ocean Cleanup , a Dutch nonprofit whose goal is to get rid of 90 percent of floating plastic pollution in the ocean. Its first collection system proved ineffective when plastic garbage was able to escape its barriers and a part broke off due to the winds and waves. Its more successful current iteration has removed 220,000 pounds of plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Ocean Cleanup’s system  consists of a large floating net-like barrier three meters deep that forms a large U shape which is slowly towed by two ships. The natural flow caused by the movement directs plastic to the central retention zone. Once a week, the two vessels come together to close the barriers, pick up the retention zone, and empty the plastic out onto one of their decks. There it’s separated into different recycling streams, packaged, and sent to recycling facilities onshore. The organization’s System 03 is in the works; it’s three times bigger and will reduce the cost per kilogram of plastic collected.

While Ocean Cleanup has received a lot of attention for its efforts, some marine biologists believe its methods could actually do more harm than good. They point to the fossil fuel-powered ships towing the barriers that emit 660 tons of carbon dioxide per month of cleanup. Ocean Cleanup says it offsets its emissions and that it is experimenting with biofuels.

Several ocean plastic experts are also worried that Ocean Cleanup’s system will harm marine life and could kill creatures even if they are returned to the ocean. Ocean Cleanup counters that fish can escape its system. In addition, there are breathing ports for mammals, birds, or turtles that get caught in the retention zone, underwater cameras to ensure that marine life doesn’t get entangled, and a remote-controlled trigger release which opens one end of the retention zone if a creature is trapped. Protected species observers are always onboard to monitor and document all animals.

Another concern is that Ocean Cleanup’s system could harm a little understood ecosystem called neuston—comprising insects, worms, snails, nudibranchs, crabs, sea anemones and more that float on the ocean surface much like the plastic—before scientists have even had sufficient time to study it.

Other critics say that Ocean Cleanup’s technique cannot get rid of the microplastics, and some believe lower tech strategies like beach cleanups are more effective because they prevent plastics from reaching the ocean in the first place.

Plastic on the beaches

While much of the plastic floating around in the gyres has been found to be decades old, it turns out that more of the recently produced plastic stays near shorelines. One study found that, for the first five years after entering the ocean from land, 77 percent of plastic remained on beaches or floated in coastal waters. According to Utrecht University oceanographer Erik van Sebille, most plastic in the ocean remains within 100 miles of the shore between the coastline and ocean, washing back and forth and scraping on the sand—a process that eventually breaks it down into microplastics.This means that beach cleanups may be one of the most effective ways of dealing with ocean plastics and microplastics.

A number of organizations regularly arrange beach cleanups for volunteers: The Ocean Conservancy , Surfrider Foundation , American Littoral Society , and Ocean Blue Project , to name a few.

Cleaning up rivers

Most plastic enters the ocean from rivers.

Scientists have found that 1,000 rivers around the world are responsible for 80 percent of the plastic in rivers that ends up in the ocean.

Ocean Cleanup also has river cleanup technology called Interceptors , solar-powered catamaran-like vessels that are put into the mouth of polluted rivers. As the water flows, trash is guided by a barrier onto the Interceptor’s conveyor belt which dumps it into a shuttle; the shuttle carries the trash to dumpsters on a barge that are brought to the riverside and emptied. The trash is sent to a waste management facility. So far, eight Interceptors have removed over 2.2 million pounds of trash from rivers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.

In Baltimore Harbor, Mr. Trash Wheel catches plastic pollution from a local river. Its containment booms direct trash flowing down the river into its mouth where a rake lifts it onto a conveyor belt. The trash is dropped into a dumpster on a separate barge at the top of the belt, and eventually incinerated for electricity. A giant water wheel powers the rake and conveyor belt, but if the current isn’t strong enough, solar power is used to pump water onto the wheel to keep it going. Four trash wheels currently working in Baltimore have picked up 2,000 tons of trash including 1.5 million plastic bottles, 1.4 million foam containers, and 12.6 million cigarette butts. Trash wheels are being planned for Texas, California, and Panama.

AlphaMERS, an Indian company, makes stainless steel mesh fences that block river trash. They are strong enough to withstand fast currents that might overwhelm barriers. The angle of the barriers directs trash towards the shore where it is collected. Thirty-four fences are currently installed in eight Indian cities.

This year, a Dutch startup installed its first Bubble Barrier in an Amsterdam canal. A perforated tube placed diagonally at the bottom of a river pumps out air, generating a bubble curtain. The pump is powered by renewable energy if possible.

When the river current meets the bubble barrier, plastic waste is pushed to the side and into a catchment system. The technology enables ships and migrating fish to easily pass through the bubbles. A Bubble Barrier in Katwijk, Netherlands prevents plastics from reaching the North Sea, and others are being planned for Portugal and Southeast Asia.

Where is the rest of the ocean plastic?

Van Sebille’s research estimated that there are 276,000 tons of small floating plastic on the surface of the ocean. But scientists believe that between 5.3 to 14 million tons of plastic entered the oceans in 2010 alone. If what is found floating on the ocean surface represents only one percent of the plastic that ends up in the ocean each year, where is the rest of it?

Microplastics

Scientists think that the ocean contains 24.4 trillion pieces of microplastics — fragments of plastic less than five millimeters in length, or about the size of a sesame seed — weighing between 82,000 and 578,000 tons. There is likely more. Most microplastics come from synthetic clothing, personal care products, tires, city dust, and from the breakdown of plastic debris. Current technology is not able to filter them out at sewage treatment plants, so most of it washes out to sea and ends up in the ocean or in the sediment.

A sediment sample taken off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA showed the contents of the sediment from 1870 to 2009. In the layers representing 1945 to 2009, researchers found plastic fibers one millimeter or smaller in size. As the years went on, the amount doubled every 15 years—an increase that reflects the actual rate of global plastic production. Australian researchers analyzing ocean sediments estimated that almost 15.5 million tons of microplastics now exist on the ocean floor.

Marine animals eat microplastics, which means they also ingest the toxic chemicals that were added to make the original plastic product flexible, colorful, waterproof, or flame resistant. Microplastics can also absorb other toxic chemicals and carry harmful bacteria. They have been shown to harm marine life by disrupting reproductive systems, stunting growth, and causing tissue inflammation and liver damage.

Because microplastics have been found in all marine life—even in the guts of tiny crustaceans in the ocean’s deepest trenches—they are part of the food chain and are also consumed by humans. Microplastics have already been found in human blood, feces, and in the placentas of unborn babies, but so far there have been no large definitive studies on how microplastics harm human health.

Beizhan Yan is a Lamont Associate Research Professor at Columbia Climate School’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory,  where he specializes in plastic pollution. He is collaborating with researchers from the Columbia Chemistry Department and the Mailman School of Public Health to examine the presence of microplastics and nanoplastics (tiny pieces less than one micron in size) in humans—what exposure levels people have, how the plastic particles get into the blood, whether microplastics are transported to the organs, and whether they are able to cause adverse health effects.

Yan is also working with Riverkeeper, Philip Orton from Stevens Institute of Technology, and his colleague Joaquim Goes at Lamont to study the sources and environmental fate of microplastics in NYC waterways . Cleaning up microplastics while also protecting ecosystems will not be easy.

Yan said, “Those tiny microplastics coexist with many other minerals and fine particles, like silt, clay, plant debris, and black carbon—all sorts of other particles, whether natural or anthropogenic. They have a similar size and density, so it’s difficult to efficiently separate microplastics from other particles. In terms of concentration or mass, the microplastics are probably less than 0.1 percent of the total mass of these particles.” He believes that in the future, researchers may develop technology to separate the elements out efficiently, but today it does not exist.

There are, however, ongoing efforts to deal with microplastics. NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System can help track microplastics as they move by analyzing where the ocean surface is smoother and thus likely to have more microplastics. This enables organizations attempting to clean up microplastics to identify the areas of greatest density.

Numerous experiments are being conducted to capture microplastics. Wasser 3.0 , a German company, uses a special non-toxic compound which, when circulated in a vortex, pulls microplastics into popcorn-like clumps that can then be collected. The technique could be used in sewage treatment plants or industrial processes. It is already being used in a paper processing plant and a wastewater treatment plant in Landau-Mörlheim where it has removed 600 pounds of microplastics.

Some scientists discovered enzymes that can break down polyester. Researchers from Hong Kong Polytechnic University devised a sticky biofilm from a bacterium that can incorporate microplastics. At the University of Adelaide, scientists created spring-shaped carbon nanotube magnets that grab microplastics and break them down into harmless water-soluble pieces. And a chemistry student in the Netherlands invented a device where microplastics attach themselves to a magnetic liquid; the contents can then be removed with a magnet, leaving only water behind.

Yan contends that the most cost-effective way to deal with plastic pollution, however, is to control its sources. For example, sewage is one of the primary sources of microplastics, though microplastics originate from the products people use. Studies show that most of the microplastics in sewage effluent are microfibers that come from laundry —washing machines and driers. Yan’s study of New York City waters found that more than 90 percent of the microplastics greater than 0.2 millimeters were microfibers shed from clothing, transported by the wastewater of washing machines. With more and more people dressing in clothes made from synthetics that shed microfibers, it’s unlikely that the fashion business will stop using these materials, so microfibers must somehow be prevented from getting into the sewage system to begin with. Yan and researchers from SUNY Stony Brook and North Carolina State University are proposing a study to NOAA to develop advanced filtration techniques that can capture microplastics and fibers from the laundry and repurpose them into new fibers for use in the fashion industry.

Plastic on the seafloor

In addition to the microplastics accumulating in sediments, larger plastic also sinks to the seafloor. One study found that 50 percent of the plastic in landfills is denser than seawater, which means these objects may sink on their own. The other 50 percent can be colonized by barnacles and other organisms over time, making them heavier than seawater, so eventually they sink as well.

An image that has become iconic is that of the plastic bag found in the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the ocean, 36,000 feet below sea level in the Pacific Ocean. Other single-use plastics have also been found on the ocean floor and while there have been a few limited estimates of how much plastic resides in certain areas, there is no data for most areas of the overall seafloor.

According to Yan, the two fundamental questions about plastics on the ocean floor are: where are the macroplastics, and are they causing trouble?

“The scientific community can use models to figure out where most of these plastics are, because we don’t know right now,” he said. But cleaning up the plastics on the ocean floor is challenging because they settle so deep, and a cleanup would be very costly. Another concern is that plastics on the ocean bottom become part of the ecosystem. “Some of the animals use the plastics and live with them,” Yan said. “How do you do a cleanup without interfering with the ecosystems of those animals?”

Yan believes that scientists may eventually develop an underwater drone that can identify macroplastics and gather them from the ocean bottom. However, this would be expensive because of the need to lower the drones, pick up the macroplastics and bring them to shore, and possibly the need for trained pilots to operate the drones.

Reducing ocean plastic

While cleanup technologies have a role to play in cleaning up ocean plastic, no single solution can effectively reduce ocean plastic. What is required is fundamental and systemic change that includes the banning of single-use plastics in favor of products designed to be recycled or repaired, and more recycling infrastructure. Breaking the Plastic Wave, a Pew Report, identified the measures which, if implemented, could cut annual dumping of plastic into the ocean by 80 percent in 20 years. These include reducing plastic consumption, substituting plastic with compostable materials, designing products and packaging with recycling in mind, increasing recycling, proper disposal of plastics that can’t be recycled, and reducing the export of waste.

“To me, plastic is still a good thing,” said Yan. “With it, you use less steel, wood, and other resources. But the only way to correctly use it is to recycle it, reuse it, and repurpose it, rather than discard it in the environment. Pathetically, less than 10 percent of plastics are recycled right now. We should actively research affordable solutions to prevent plastics from getting into the environment.”

Towards that end, Yan is the director of the Plastic Pollution Analysis and Sustainable Solutions Network recently funded by the Columbia Climate School, bringing together more than 30 researchers working in environmental law, engineering, life cycle analysis, environmental health, and more.

“I think that for human beings, plastic pollution is the biggest pollution issue right now in terms of the total amount of the pollutants being generated, and how challenging it is to deal with,” said Yan. “But if we work together, we can solve these issues in the future.”

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The best article I’ve read about plastic in the ocean. It’s a depressing situation, but heartening to see what advances are being researched and worked on for the health of future generations.

I likely was the first to address this over 30 years ago in a series of lawsuits that lasted over 20 years. Marine micro plastic is a sponge for PCBs and has killed or displaced phytoplankton as the beginning of the oceans food chain. We eat it it’s in our air, rain, and unborn children. Industry and government spent millions defending it in court. Consiquently, phytoplankton is half gone in my lifetime. As it goes all life will soon follow. It’s fixable and as a bonus can halt global warming.

Very interesting article, and pleased to see the Columbia Climate School addressing plastic pollution. After graduating SIPA (MPA-ESP, 2006), I went to work for the NOAA Marine Debris Division to promote policy and science-based solutions. Progress has been made, but still challenged by behavior change – keep up the good work at Columbia!

It’s good that somebody is helping clean up the ocean. It hearts my heart when see animals die especially sea turtles.

You guys are doing a great job cleaning up the ocean!!!

The best article I’ve read about plastic in the ocean. It’s a depressing situation, but heartening to see what advances are being researched and worked on for the health of future generations.

indeed we need to help the ocean from plastic and i’m glad that there’s article’s to give tips on how to help the plant

At least someone is trying to help clean the ocean. I love dolphins and it hurts to see them die from all the plastic

I love this article it is one of the best. it really shows how much pollution affects our planet and the sea creatures on this earth. it is sad how people are causing to our planet and ecosystem.

what solutions can i use to prevent plastic from being in the ocean?

The challenge of ocean plastic pollution is immense, with millions of tons of plastic contaminating our seas. While cleanup efforts are commendable, they are not a panacea. The real solution lies in systemic change—reducing single-use plastics, promoting recycling, and fostering sustainable practices.

This was VERY helpful (not being sarcastic)

This is a really nice article.

Wow, this is such an important topic! Thanks for sharing this insightful blog post on how we can clean up all that ocean plastic. It’s crucial that we come together to find sustainable solutions and take action to protect our oceans. I appreciate you shedding light on this pressing issue!

Impressive article highlighting the urgent and complex challenge of ocean plastic pollution. Thank you for shedding light on the innovative efforts and ongoing debates in this crucial environmental issue. How effective do you think these cleanup initiatives will be in the long run?

Thank you for this enlightening article on the critical issue of ocean plastic pollution and its cleanup. Could you delve deeper into how individual and community actions, such as reducing plastic use and participating in local cleanup efforts, can effectively complement these larger-scale initiatives?

How does 14M tons of plastic affect sea levels?

So I wanna say that you should tell us how does giving jobs of cleaning the ocean affect the ocean and what are the differences.

I like the information but is there any way you could shorten it for a younger audience?

yes, I think the same. If you made the text shorter and summarized it would be easier for students to read and not as long. I was shocked when I read that there was so much plastic in the ocean. I wish more people would realize that so much trash ends up in the ocean. In my opinion we should stop throwing the plastic on the floor. People should pay more attention to their waste and take care of it properly. It makes me angry that the animals are almost extinct because of our garbage.what do you think about it?

Nice article, BUT maybe touch on how we can prevent the ocean pollution (not being sarcastic)

Wow that is such an important topic! I wish this would be thaught more in schools!

thank you for these ways to help! ill def be trying lol

it,s sad to see all the plastic in the ocean

I work in injection molding, but recently, our industry has adopted naturally decomposing plastics – PLA, which breaks down naturally in a short period of time with little or no pollution.

What a great article! I feel like we need to pay more attention about the garbage in the ocean. If we was more careful, the sea woulda been way more beautiful.

I don’t think that’s great for the animals. What I think is great is that there are people who clean the ocean. Unfortunately there are still too few people doing it. If I could then I would like to help. I once saw someone making useful things out of the plastic.

This is such an important topic! We all need to take action.

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10 Scientific Solutions to Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is leaving behind impacts for generations to come. If our current rate of pollution continues, experts predict that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. It is clear that we need solutions to rectify this pressing issue. Thanks to innovation and research, scientists have been able to pioneer ground-breaking technology to help collect and prevent plastic pollution. 

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues the world faces today. As most of the plastics that we use don’t break down and dissolve easily, it is slowly filling up our oceans, which will take centuries to disintegrate, posing tremendous issues for aquatic life, human health, and the marine ecosystem. Studies have estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the sea than fish.  

The world’s rivers, oceans, and seas have been acting as convenient transport vectors as well as dumping sites for plastic produced by human activity. This pollution comes at a huge cost, from the clean-up and repair efforts and loss of revenue for tourism and the societal price of polluted and degraded environments. 

Around 300 million tonnes of plastic is produced worldwide annually, and only half of this can be recycled. Some believe the solution to global plastic pollution is to simply reduce the amount of  plastic that is being used. However, some issues arise with this sweeping assumption. Firstly, it does not tackle the issue of plastic that is already present in the ocean; and secondly, current policies have not been effective against plastic production as studies have shown that production is in fact increasing , and is projected to keep climbing. 

But all hope is not lost, and it is certainly not too late. While there are ways in which individuals can reduce their use of plastic in their daily activity, science and technology have allowed us to push the boundaries of what we thought was possible. Collective action is imperative. In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was introduced to prevent further damage caused to Earth’s ozone layer. Over a period of time, humanity was able to phase out over 98% of the harmful substances that were causing the damage, preventing approximately 2 million cases of skin cancer as a result. If we were able to come together as we did in 1987, we can collectively tackle the plastic pollution problem.

1. The Ocean Clean-Up

The Ocean Clean-up is an excellent example of collective action. Inspired by a scuba diving trip in Greece, Dutch CEO Boyan Slat created the organisation consisting of a large team of people and technology designed to effectively collect plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch . Using what is called the System 001 , which consists of 600m-long floating structures intended to contain marine debris and designed to collect microplastics , one of the problematic forms of plastic and can be dangerous to both marine animals and humans if ingested, the system relies on wind and ocean currents to collect the plastic. Upon collection,  the plastic waste is transported by a vessel back to land, to be then recycled. 

Currently located in the garbage patch between Hawaii and California, the aim of The Ocean Clean-up is to deploy their system to the four other garbage patches located over the world, and hopefully clean up 50% of the plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch within five years . 

2. NASA Satellite Technology

Concentrations of ocean plastic can now be detected by NASA satellite technology that was created in 2016. This ground-breaking research method can be fundamental in tracking and managing ocean plastic debris and one of many crucial scientific solutions to plastic pollution. NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, also known as CYGNSS, was originally created to predict hurricanes by monitoring tropical wind speed over the ocean. Scientists discovered that this technology can detect the concentration of microplastic in the water by measuring the surface of the water. It will also provide a huge contribution to further research on the effects of microplastic on the ecosystem , help non-profit and private organisations clean up the sea, and protect aquatic life. 

3. The Plastic-Eating Enzyme 

One of the most important scientific solutions to plastic pollution that have emerged is the plastic-eating enzyme. In Japan 2016, a scientist discovered a plastic-eating enzyme that was capable of breaking down Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – the most commonly used type of plastic. This enzyme, known as Ideonella Sakaiensis 201-F6 , is a bacteria that can digest plastic by secreting an enzyme called PETase , and ingesting the carbon in PET to be used as a food source. Though the breakdown process remains to be relatively slow, scientists have been working to speed it up. An international team of scientists have been able to modify the molecular composition of the enzyme , and tweak it to consume PET 20% faster than it originally did. 

More on the topic: A French Start-Up is Using Enzyme to Breakdown and Recycle PET Plastic

4. Plastic-Eating Mushrooms

A darkly pigmented species of fungus, known as Aspergillus Tubingensis, has been found to contain agents that can degrade polyurethane (PU). Samantha Jenkins , lead biotech engineer for bio-manufacturing firm Biohm was studying different types of fungus in a research project, when she came across the plastic-eating fungus and found the fungus had eaten its way through the plastic sponge that was used to seal it. Jenkins is in the process of testing the fungus on PET and PU plastic and discovered the fungus to populate as it consumes more plastic, potentially creating a new source of biomaterial “for food, or feed stocks for animals, or antibiotics”. 

More on the topic: The Untapped Potential of the Amazon’s Plastic-Eating Mushroom

5. Magnetic Coils

Scientists have created a magnetic coil that is able to target microplastics in the ocean . This experimental nanotechnology is able to break down microplastic in the water without causing any harm to marine life. Thinner than a human hair, these coils resemble bed springs under a microscope, and are coated in nitrogen and a magnetic metal called manganese. When they react with oxygen molecules, they attack plastic and can help to break it down. Xiaoguang Duan, a co-author of this study found that nano-coils have a 30% to 50% reduction rate in microplastics over a period of eight hours in early experiments. 

Every day, the equivalent of over 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic is dumped into our oceans, rivers & lakes. This #WorldEnvironmentDay is a call to #BeatPlasticPollution . We must work as one to break our addiction to plastic, champion zero waste & build a circular economy. pic.twitter.com/W9IHyhE61b — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) June 4, 2023

6. Converting to Fuel

Australian company Licella Holdings has developed a new patented technology, known as the Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor (Cat-HTR), that can convert unrecyclable plastic into oil, it has been able to melt plastic and convert it into liquid fuel. Through a process similar to a commercial-sized pressure-cooker, it reduces plastic to its component parts, producing a range of materials including oils, waxes and plastics that can be turned into other plastic products or fuels.

What makes this technology so unique is its versatile nature. No plastic is a match for this device. The Cat-HTR chemically recycles mixed plastics without the need to separate the different plastic types. This includes end-of-life plastic that would otherwise be sent to landfills, incineration or end up in our oceans. It allows plastic waste to be recycled over and over again and on a commercial scale, and could convert 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually. However, critics have labelled the technology as an environmental trade-off as the process may produce further carbon emissions. 

7. Converting to Roads

One of the many scientific solutions to plastic pollution is to convert waste into roads . A project known as PlasticRoad , created a bike path in the Dutch city of Zwolle and a road in Overjissel in 2018 using 70% recycled plastic. The plan is to increase this to 100%. The project has been proven successful as plastic is more durable than asphalt and requires less heavy equipment and time to install, which makes its carbon footprint smaller. PlasticRoad intends to carry on designing, creating and supplying these sustainable, climate-proof and circular roads, made from municipal plastic waste and “with the smallest possible negative impact on our planet and natural resources.” 

8. Substitute with Seaweed

One of the most significant scientific solutions to plastic pollution to emerge in recent years is bioplastic . A plastic alternative comprised of materials  produced from renewable biomass sources. Indonesian start-up company Evoware has been researching ways of converting seaweed into a bioplastic . They work with local seaweed farmers to create a range of different types of packaging such as sandwich wraps, burger wraps, sachets for spices, and soap, which can be dissolved in hot water, and in some cases, edible. Indonesia produces 10 million tonnes of seaweed each year and could reach up to 19 million tonnes by 2020, which could help supply Evoware’s expanding efforts.  

Despite the innovative creativity behind such a thoughtful invention, these seaweed-based substitutes are not without its challenges. For example, Evoware’s edible seaweed-based Ello Jello cone can be up to five times more expensive than ordinary crepe cones. Additionally, it still uses wrappings of plastic and paper to preserve its texture. 

You might also like: Solution for Plastic Pollution: 6 Policies and Innovations Tackling Plastics

9. Social Plastic Policies

A social enterprise known as Plastic Bank is paying above-market rates for plastic waste. They act as a convenience store for the world’s poor communities , and accept plastic waste as a form of currency. Their recycling ecosystem is sustained through the sale and use of what they call “Social Plastic®”. This encourages people to collect ocean-bound plastic before it enters the waterways, and it can be traded for social benefits, including money, food and other services (such as school fees). Plastic Bank aims to make plastic too valuable to throw away. Upon collection, plastic waste will then be sold to corporations, who will pay around three times more than what plastics normally cost.

10. Nicholas Institute’s Plastic Technology Inventory 

A study released by the Nicholas Institute addressed the gap between knowledge for technology to tackle plastic pollution, and created a comprehensive inventory of 52 technologies currently being used or in development to prevent the leakage of plastic pollution or collect existing plastic pollution . The study concluded that both the prevention of plastic from entering waterways and plastic collection are matters of urgency, highlighting the importance of ensuring the care of aquatic systems and human health. 

Two examples from this list include Plastic Fischer Trash Boom and Hoola One . The former was created in Germany in 2019, whose technology aims to collect microplastics from the water, while Hoola One was a vacuum created in Canada in 2019, intended to extract microplastics and macroplastics from marine environments. 

You might also like: We Need Sustainable Food Packaging Now. Here’s Why.

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How to reduce plastic and other ocean pollution simultaneously.

Plastic has gone from the greatest invention of the modern era to one of the most challenging materials to manage. Each year, up to 13 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean, the equivalent of one garbage truck of waste every minute. The world has responded with countless intiatives, campaigns and agreements to ban plastic straws and bags; 127 countries have introduced legislation to regulate plastic bags.

But here’s the thing: Plastic bags and straws aren’t the ocean’s only pollution problem.

Visible plastic waste near the surface of the ocean — the kind that makes up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch , and garners the most attention — makes up just 3% of total plastic in the ocean. Plastic also sinks to the ocean floor, stays suspended in the water column, or gets deposited out of the ocean in remote places, making clean-up difficult. The UN Environment Programme estimated the global damage to marine environments from plastic pollution to be a minimum of $13 billion per year. And there are a whole host of non-plastic pollutants such as nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous that fuel harmful algal blooms, antibiotics, heavy metals, pesticides, oil and gas, and other debris. These pollutants enter the ocean directly, through rivers, stormwater or the wind. These substances have been damaging the environment, human health and the economy long before plastics became so prevalent. 

Protecting human and marine health and harnessing the full benefits of a sustainable ocean economy will require not only reducing plastic waste, but all ocean pollutants.

Seven Interventions Solutions to Tackle Reduce Plastic and All Ocean Pollution

The sundry pollutants making their way into the ocean often share common pathways and root causes, such as a lack of access to sanitation and wastewater processing or inefficient use of natural resources. Tackling these root causes can have a compounding effect.

For example, improving wastewater management at scale in a city or region can reduce plastic entering the ocean while also reducing nutrient pollution, which in turn improves the health of fisheries and coral reefs. This means that there is an opportunity to capitalize on the attention being paid to plastic pollution in order to tackle multiple ocean pollutants at once.

A new Blue Paper commissioned by the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy highlights seven solutions that can reduce plastic pollution while also curbing other types of ocean pollution:

Improve wastewater management by developing and building sustainable wastewater infrastructure for the 3 billion people who lack access to controlled waste disposal facilities. Untreated wastewater contains a number of pollutants like pathogens, plastics and chemicals. It can pose a severe risk to human and environmental health through toxic exposure, vector-borne diseases and eutrophication.

Improve stormwater management by implementing stormwater and storm drain filtration and river mouth trash collection. This can prevent wastes such as macroplastics (littered items), microplastics (tire dust), and chemicals on roadways from flowing into rivers, and eventually, the ocean. Regulating the use of nutrients and pesticides and shifting behaviors — for example, the cultural norm around having a manicured lawn, which can increase the use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers — can also ensure that these pollutants do not enter the ocean through stormwater. For example, a toxic algal bloom caused by nutrient pollution in the western Lake Erie basin in 2011 disrupted water supplies for 400,000 people.

Adopt green chemistry practices and new materials. This includes banning hard-to-manage substances like expanded polystyrene (commonly packaging material), limiting the use of chemicals of concern like phthalates, and supporting materials research. Developing new materials that maintain the desirable performance characteristics of plastics but not the problematic ones, such as true biodegradables, could prevent plastics from causing as much harm if they do enter the ocean.

Practice radical resource efficiency through plastic-use reduction. This includes imposing fees on single-use plastics, encouraging voluntary industry standards to reduce fossil-fuel-based plastics ,and shifting cultural norms around waste generation, consumption and reuse.  For example, introducing carrier bag charges in the UK reduced the number of plastic bags used there by 80 %, with 9 billion fewer plastic bags used since the legislation was introduced in 2015.

Recover and recycle the materials we use in both formal and informal sectors by implementing extended producer responsibility laws, providing incentives for waste segregation and recycling, strengthening markets for recycled plastics and implementing “Fishing for Litter” programs. Only 9 % of all plastic ever discarded since 1950 has been recycled, while another 12% has been incinerated and the remaining 79% accumulated in landfills or the natural environment.

Implement coastal zone improvements by, for example, restricting open ocean aquaculture. Shifting to sustainable land-based aquaculture systems could reduce a number of pollutants associated with coastal aquaculture, such as plastic pollution from lost or discarded gear and untreated waste with high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous. Encouraging participation in Adopt-a-Beach programs and clean beach certifications such as Blue Flag and Project Aware can reduce litter on beaches and make people more aware of pollution.

Build local systems for safe food and water by establishing drinking water treatment systems where needed, and ensuring adequate drinking water standards.  This solution can not only reduce pollutants entering the ocean from the reduction in single-use plastic bottles, but also help the 1 in 3 people worldwide who lack  access to clean drinking water.

Reducing Pollution for a Better Ocean Economy

These tactics can’t be done on a small scale or by a single entity. In order to be successful, it is essential that solutions include cross-sectoral public-private partnerships, innovative financing arrangements and capital from a range of sources.

For example, in Muncar, a small village in East Java, Indonesia, public private partnership organizers built a waste management system and strategy to optimize waste collection and processing for both inorganic and organic wastes, change behaviors, set regulations, and build institutional capacity. In December 2019, 47,500 people received waste collection services, mostly for the first time, from two facilities established by the project. These facilities employ 80 local people and have collected 3,000 tons of waste that would have otherwise potentially ended up in the ocean.  

By taking bold, integrated actions that address pollution across sectors, we can help build a sustainable ocean economy that can expand economic opportunities and improve the health and prosperity of millions of people. But our road to recovery must include the development of a circular economy. The notion that things can be thrown away is a myth. Plastic and other pollutants continue to pollute long after their shelf life is over. We need to ”turn off the tap” and prevent pollution before it happens in the first place.

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Sometimes it’s the smallest things that can cause the biggest problems.

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic, less than 5mm across, and, sadly for all of us, billions upon billions of them have entered the world’s oceans since plastic started being used at scale in the 1950s.

They are hard to tackle because of their miniscule size — they shed from our clothes, tyres, and plastic products, or are created by the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic waste.

But we need to get a handle on them. Microplastics are incredibly damaging to marine ecosystems, killing fish, and seabirds that ingest them accidentally, even potentially affecting human health too, according to numerous scientific studies . 

Want to hear something really gross? Humans could be consuming around 200mg of plastic — the equivalent of one credit card — each week through their food and water, a study commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WFF) revealed in 2019.

That’s not surprising, however, as scientists are finding that almost no corner of our oceans seems to be free of microplastics — meaning it ultimately ends up in the food chain. Devastatingly, scientists last year discovered masses of microplastic particles in the deep sea zone, between 180 and 460 meters below the surface. 

Tackling microplastics has to start with our plastic consumption. Remembering to take a carrier bag to the supermarket , or making sustainable fashion choices , are all good places to start. But we also need to be aware of the ways that unseen microplastics flow down our drains and into rivers and seas.

Luckily, dealing with this issue is on the minds of innovators. Here are some inspiring inventions that aim to tackle pervasive microplastics head-on.

1. Capturing fibers shed from tyres

The Tyre Collective start-up describes tyres as “the stealthy pollutant you never thought about.” 

“It’s common knowledge that tyres wear down, but nobody seems to think about where it goes, and we were really shocked to discover that tyre particles are the second-largest microplastic pollution [after single-use plastics] in our oceans,” Hugo Richardson, one of co-founders of the company, said .

The particles from tyres also infuse into the air we breathe, making up to 50% of air particle emissions from road transport .

View this post on Instagram Once captured tyre particles are gathered into a removable storage unit for secondary use, creating a closed loop system/ ⁣ #thetyrecollective #tyrewear #airpollution #microplastics #device #tyres #design #engineering #sustainability #environment #EV #future #pollution #ciruclareconomy #closetheloop A post shared by The Tyre Collective (@thetyrecollective) on Jul 8, 2020 at 6:10am PDT

The Tyre Collective has designed a device that attaches to the wheel of a car and collects the miniscule plastic fibres that shed from the tyres whenever the car brakes or changes direction, using electrostatic charges to attract the particles. Some of the leftover debris collected can even be recycled to use in the manufacturing of new tyres, the group explains.

The team, who started the project during their postgraduate studies jointly at Imperial College London and the Royal Collage of Art in innovation design engineering, were awarded the prestigious James Dyson Award in the UK this September, which recognizes cutting-edge design, for their device and are now entered into the international version of the competition.

2. A liquid that removes microplastics from water

Fionn Ferreira, an 18-year-old from West Cork, Ireland, won the Google Science Fair prize in 2019 with his astounding invention — a liquid that can remove microplastics from water. 

Ferreira used a combination of oil and magnetite powder to create a ferrofluid, a liquid that becomes magnetized in the presence of a magnetic field, Global Citizen reported at the time. When introduced to water, microplastics quickly bind to the ferrofluid and can then be removed using strong magnets, leaving only water behind.

Grand Prize winner at @googlescifair Fionn Ferreira devised a system that removes microplastics from water using non-toxic iron oxide. He was able to pull 85% of 10 different types of microplastics out of the water. Read about all the winners here: https://t.co/sT71a0MRP8 pic.twitter.com/c62vk3WLJa — Scientific American (@sciam) July 29, 2019

While the clever idea addresses the symptom of plastics entering the waterways, rather than the cause, Ferreira said he hopes to scale the idea so that it can be used at wastewater treatment facilities. That way, plastic can be stopped before the water reaches the ocean.

“Once plastics enter our oceans, they are practically impossible to extract,” he said . 

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3. scrubs without microbeads .

Microbeads, used in products like exfoliating face wash and other cosmetics, are probably one of the most unnecessary forms of microplastic pollution. They were banned in the UK in 2018, and in the US in 2015 , although many big retailers had begun to phase them out before then. 

Many other countries including Canada, France, New Zealand, Sweden, Taiwan, Ireland, Italy, India, and Thailand have also banned their use in rinse-off cosmetics. However, they can still be found hiding in other products, like paint for example.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by UpCircle (@upcirclebeauty) on Sep 14, 2020 at 11:24am PDT

It’s not really an invention, exactly, but these bans proved that the same exfoliating effect can come from using natural materials. Oats, salt, ground coffee, and jojoba beads  are just some alternatives now found in beauty products, which just goes to show that when creating new products, plastic doesn’t have to be the default ingredient. 

4. A wash bag that stops microplastics shedding from your clothes

The Guppyfriend is a simple but genius invention. It’s a wash bag that captures the tiny plastic particles that shed from your clothes when you put them in the washing machine, preventing them from going down the drain into the ocean.

Clothing labelled 100% polyester, acrylic, nylon, or polyamide are really just 100% plastics, according to consumer magazine Which? . Items like sports clothes and fleeces release thousands of miniscule plastic particles, which won't biodegrade, every time they are washed.

View this post on Instagram The mesh is made out of monofilaments, which are more like sticks than threads, and thus does not release fibers itself. . #guppyfriend #weareguppyfriendly #stopmicrowaste A post shared by Guppyfriend® (@guppyfriend) on Nov 13, 2019 at 2:13am PST

Although the  Guppyfriend  — which can fit 4kgs of clothing in before being put in the wash — is made from plastic itself, it can help people connect to the issue of microplastics because you can actually see the particles from your clothes collected in the bag after the wash.

5. A massive ocean cleanup machine 

Last but not least, it’s worth mentioning this huge floating device that Dutch scientists employed to try to clear up an area that is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — an island of rubbish between California and Hawaii that is three times the size of France .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Ocean Cleanup (@theoceancleanup) on Oct 2, 2020 at 7:01am PDT

The Ocean Cleanup project consists of a large 600 meter-long (2,000 ft) free-floating boom, that passively collects the plastic that are entered into it by currents. While the project aims to collect large items, its first successful attempt in October 2019 captured microplastics as small as 1mm across, the team reported.

The contraption failed the first time it was launched earlier in 2019, but since its successful run, the team now aims to scale up and make the device more durable so that it can continue to do its job of collecting plastic — both big and small. 

Defend the Planet

5 Genius Inventions That Help Stop Microplastic Pollution in Our Rivers and Oceans

Oct. 2, 2020

16 Ways to Reduce Water Pollution

The global water crisis is only growing – but what can individuals do to reduce water pollution at home?

Green Coast is supported by its readers. We may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you if you buy through a link on this page . Learn more .

Water pollution is hurting our marine life, our environment, and populations around the world – and the pollutants that enter our waters aren’t just single use plastics ! Waterways and bodies of water are polluted when harmful substances like chemicals or toxic waste contaminate them.

When waters are polluted millions of people lose access to safe drinking water, leading to disease and even death: 80% of diseases around the world are related to poor-quality drinking water.

In addition, ecosystems aren’t able to support the complex ecosystems that depend on clean, unpolluted water. Knowing all of the disastrous effects of water pollution, many people are looking to make a change in their personal lives, and find ways to reduce water pollution.

In this article, we’ll explore several different ways to reduce water pollution in your home, work, and personal life, and why these changes matter.

16 ways to reduce water pollution and help look after our planet

While a large percentage of the world’s water pollution is caused by large-scale industrial, agricultural, and maritime transit operations, each individual still plays a role in reducing water pollution.

While some of these ways to reduce water pollution may not surprise you, some you may not know. In fact, some of these suggestions shine a light on how certain acts can actually lead to increased pollution levels!

Let’s take a closer look at the different ways to reduce water pollution.

1. Pick up litter and dispose of it properly

One of the best ways to reduce water pollution is to prevent it at the source: by disposing of waste properly. In fact, 60% of water pollution today can be attributed to litter.

Waste that litters our roads, fields, and sidewalks often flows into nearby drains and streams when it rains. When the litter degrades, chemicals and microparticles are released. 

Chemicals and other pollutants from this litter can negatively impact the environment and wildlife in waterways. Cigarette butts are a common example of litter that can seriously damage the natural environment. They can contain chemicals like arsenic and formaldehyde that will seep into soil, and in turn, freshwater sources.

2. Dispose of chemicals and fuel properly

It’s important to know that you should never pour used motor oil or antifreeze down a storm drain, onto the soil, into a waterway, or into the sanitary sewer. All of these drains flow into rivers, meaning this harmful substance will certainly make its way to wreak havoc on the natural life of your waterway.

So how can you dispose of it?

Put used oil or antifreeze in a sturdy container and take it to a local service station or other approved center.

Your community may have a recycling center that will accept the used motor oil and recycle it. Community collection centers and drop-off sites also exist in some areas.

It’s even a good idea to label the container, so others will know that allowing liquids other than storm water to get into the drain leads to the pollution of lakes and streams.

3. Mulch or compost grass or yard waste

In many places around the world, leaves and grass are important parts of the natural environment. Left on land, leaves decompose, feeding your plants and enriching your soil. 

However, these same leaves and yard waste can lead to problematic water pollution. When large amounts of leaves are washed off our lawns, down our driveways, and into storm drains, they make their way into our water bodies; the y release phosphorus and nitrogen into our water , contributing to water pollution.

There are a few potential solutions to this issue, however:

• Your city may be able to dispose of your leaves and yard waste – you can bag your leaves for curbside pick-up.
• You can also mix your leaves into your compost pile, creating a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your plants.
• Using a mulching mower, you can create mulch from your leaves to use in flower beds.
• Leave leaves and yard waste in your front yard if you can’t compost them – avoid blowing leaves into the street and clogging and damaging storm drains.

4. Don’t pour fat and grease down the drain

Most of the dishes we cook leave some sort of fat, oil, or grease residue behind. These substances should never be disposed of down the drain in your kitchen.

When poured down the drain, fat and grease can build up over time and clog your pipes. This will lead to sewer pipes clogging and even backing up into your yard and basement. It can also lead to water pollution by carrying contaminants to local bodies of water.

Instead, grease, fat, and used cooking oil should be disposed of in the trash or kept in a glass jar for disposal with other solid waste.

5. Minimize your use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers

In the continental U.S., about half a million tons of pesticides, 12 million tons of nitrogen, and 4 million tons of phosphorus fertilizer are applied annually to crops. These chemicals can cause critical damage to our waters through the soil, runoff, and air.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends several techniques for large-scale farm operations to mitigate these effects, such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which encourages natural barriers and limits pesticide use.

At home, however, you can do your part by minimizing your use of fertilizers and pesticides on your lawn and gardens. You can also select plants that are native to the area and can thrive in your landscape’s natural conditions. In turn, you will have to fertilize them less and use less water in the long run.

If you must use fertilizers, make sure to blow or sweep it back onto your grass if it gets onto paved areas, and avoid applying fertilizer on the grass right before it rains, so it doesn’t wash into storm drains and waterways.

6. Use the minimum amount of laundry detergent

Laundry detergent and other cleaning products contain chemicals like phosphates that are harmful to our waters and marine life.

Phosphates lead to algae blooms and kill fish and other aquatic animals by reducing the oxygen in the water. Soaps and detergents can also break up oil and send it lower into the water column, causing damage to more marine organisms.

When spilled in our waterways, soaps and detergents in and of themselves are actually a pollutant that may be harmful.

By cutting down on detergent, or using phosphate-free detergent, you can further cut down on water pollution from your own home. There are plenty of effective natural laundry detergents that you can substitute for chemically-intensive detergents in your home.

7. Dispose of medical waste properly

Never flush pills, powders, or liquid medicines down the toilet or dump them outside, whether on land or water. These drugs can accumulate in the water and be consumed by fish and other wildlife.

Hormones and other compounds end up causing a variety of health problems in fish and birds and contaminate drinking water that people and livestock use.

Studies have found that medicines flushed down the drain can contaminate our lakes and streams and eventually end up in our drinking water. This can lead to adverse reactions for some people and even cases of accidental poisoning.  

University of Minnesota researchers have also detected antibiotics used for human and animal treatment at low levels in lakes, rivers, and streams throughout Minnesota. The U.S. Geological Survey has also found antibiotics in groundwater in both non-agricultural and urban areas.

8. Avoid using a garbage disposal

Depending on where you live, the garbage disposal in your kitchen can also lead to harmful environmental effects like water pollution.

Near large bodies of water, garbage disposals will wash food scraps down the drain and into bodies of water that can be contaminated by the high levels of nitrogen in food waste. Nitrogen can harm local marine and plant life significantly.

It’s best to keep your solid waste solid , experts say, and opt for a compost pile from food scraps when possible.

9. Check your sump pump or cellar drain

If your home has a sump pump or cellar drain, you can check to make sure that it does not drain into the local sanitary sewer system. This connection often dumps harmful biological waste, cleaning chemicals, heavy metals, and more into the system.

As we know, local sewer systems drain straight into rivers, streams, and other bodies of water.

At home, you can do your part when it comes to going green and preventing water pollution by checking your sump pump or cellar drain connection. If you’re not sure, you can contact your city’s local pollution control department.

10. Eat more organic food

Organic foods are not only better for you, but opting for organic is also a big way to reduce water pollution.

Organic foods tend to be cultivated with few synthetic chemicals, and in turn, they result in less chemical pollution in waterways.

The process of organic farming also can be used to reduce water pollution in the U.S., as studies have found. The leaching of nitrate from farming soil into water drainage systems is a major source of water pollution in the upper Midwestern state of the U.S.

In an attempt to reduce the environmental impacts associated with heavy fertilizer use in conventional agriculture, some producers have begun to investigate organic methods.

All in all, agriculture is one of the largest culprits of water pollution around the world. From fertilizer and pesticide use, to the synthetic chemicals used to preserve foods and the fuel used to power equipment, all of these factors play a part in increasing water pollution.

By opting for less chemically-intensive foods, individuals can make a difference in the quality of our waters.

11. Try to avoid buying plastic items

Plastics, like most waste, can end up in a landfill. When improperly managed, waste from landfills make its way into our ocean and bodies of water. From plastic shopping bags to bottles to tupperware, all of these products can cause water pollution at a large scale.

Plastics break down slowly in some waters, but usually, end up degrading the water quality with toxic compounds and harming human and animal health.

Microplastics have been detected in water worldwide, including in our streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. In these waterways, the microplastics end up in the water we drink and the fish we eat, including shellfish.

Thus, one of the best ways to reduce water pollution is to avoid buying and using new plastic items, especially those that are not accepted at your local recycling facility. There are some great alternatives on the market to replace commonly-used plastic products like plastic wrap , sippy cups , and trash bags . 

12. Plant some trees

It may surprise you to find out that deforestation is one of the main causes of water pollution. Healthy forests can act as a filter to keep pollution out of water, anchoring soil against erosion and helping the forest absorb nutrients.

Trees also help protect water quality by capturing, storing, and using rainfall. In doing so, they reduce the amount of runoff that carries pollution off of the landscape and into nearby rivers and lakes. This process also decreases the rate and volume of stormwater flowing through local storm sewers.

In this way, one of the best ways to reduce water pollution is to plant some trees! If you live in an urban area, a healthy tree canopy is especially important. Trees provide other health benefits like helping heat and cool buildings, filtering air pollution, and more.

Select some species that are native to your area, and in no time your trees will begin improving air quality and doing their part in reducing water pollution. If you lack the space, try to find a local communal garden or space to plant some trees elsewhere in your community.

13. Keep your vehicles from leaking

It’s important to maintain your vehicle’s maintenance, not only to save money, but also to prevent oil and other fuels from leaking onto the road. Leaky seals, hoses, and gaskets often leak fluid from cars and end up in the local water table, or runoff into nearby streams, rivers, and other bodies of water.

Oil and other fuels do not dissolve in water, and are toxic to people, wildlife, and plants and can disturb natural aquatic environments.

These toxic substances can last a long time and stick to everything in and near an aquatic environment, from sand to bird feathers. To prevent leaks from our cars getting onto roads and washed into storm drains, regular vehicle maintenance is important.

14. Shop with water pollution in mind

Like your food choices, your shopping tendencies can make a difference when it comes to finding ways to reduce water pollution. The textile industry is one of the largest culprits for releasing pollutants into our waters.

This is because textile processing involves applying vast amounts of chemicals to fabrics – over 8,000 synthetic chemicals, in fact. It’s estimated that around 20% of all water pollution worldwide comes from the dyeing of textiles.

But how does making clothes lead to water pollution? Water is used during the process of applying chemicals and dye to fabrics and this contaminated water is often dumped back into rivers and other waterways.

To reduce the water pollution that results from textile production, try to only buy brand new clothes when you need them, and opt for second-hand clothing wherever you can. This reduces the amount of new clothing that must be produced and thus the water required to create them.

You can also recycle your clothes for a more sustainable wardrobe, or shop locally to limit the pollution that comes from transporting goods long distances.

15. Support environmental charities

To directly make a difference in reducing water pollution, there are several nonprofits that are making clean, unpolluted waters available throughout the world. Supporting these organizations, whether by monetary donations or volunteering can help them maximize their influence.

Some examples of these non-profits include Water.org , U.S. Water Alliance , Water for People , and the Water Project .  

16. Cut down on meat consumption

You may not have known that changing up your diet, even once a week, can make a huge difference when it comes to reducing water pollution.

Raising and housing animals requires large amounts of water – in the U.S. especially, slaughterhouses raise millions of animals per year for consumption – more than 8 billion chickens, 100 million hogs, and 30 million beef cattle.

All of the resources that these animals require are often contaminated and disposed of improperly. Most meat and poultry plants in the U.S. release contaminants into drinking water systems and soil, which in turn contaminates groundwater. These contaminants can include nitrate, nitrite, and fecal coliform, as well as byproducts like chlorine.

These chemicals can not only harm drinking water, they’re also toxic to plants and animals in local ecosystems.

Final thoughts on the ways to reduce water pollution

If you’re looking to live a greener life and care about bettering your area, these are sure ways to reduce water pollution, improve drinking water, and create cleaner aquatic ecosystems in your area.

From making easy switches from plastic, cleaning products, and laundry detergent in your home, to properly disposing of chemicals and cooking oil, it’s often not hard to play your part in reducing pollutants in our waters.

If you observe a possible violation of environmental laws and regulations in the U.S. like illegal dumping of pollutants, you can also report it to the EPA via this form .

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The Environmental Blog

5 Ways We Can Stop Ocean Acidification

Although it may not be discussed frequently, ocean acidification is one of the biggest problems humanity (and the environment) faces today. The rising acidity of the ocean is not only harming biodiversity and marine ecosystems, but is impacting human industries that rely on the ocean’s resources.

While the best way to stop ocean acidification is to reverse climate change, there are other smaller steps we can take that can make a difference. This guide will provide you with 5 ways that individuals can help combat ocean acidification.

Table of Contents

Why Is Ocean Acidification Happening?

So what is causing ocean acidification? Ocean acidification occurs when atmospheric carbon dioxide increases. This excess carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean, where it undergoes a chemical reaction that ultimately raises the acidity level of the ocean.

Ocean acidification is also caused by industry runoff and agricultural runoff, like pesticides and fertilizers, washing into the ocean. When these chemicals are introduced into the water, they not only increase the acidity, but may become more toxic under acidic conditions.

Even small increases in acidity can have major impacts on marine life. For example, increased acidity kills off organisms at the bottom of the food chain and makes it more difficult for shelled creatures to build shells. Acidification also destroys a major ocean habitat, coral reefs, as it is more difficult for coral to build their skeletons. The entire ocean food chain, and therefore the entire ecosystem, is thrown off balance by ocean acidification.

In turn, these impacts on marine life affect humans. Many humans and industries rely on ocean resources to make a living. It is estimated that ocean acidification will result in the loss of over $140 billion .

It’s not too late ; the National Climate Assessment explains that if we act now, we can avoid damaging the ocean and our fishing industries. Here are some ways you can work to slow ocean acidification.

1. Reduce your carbon footprint

The best way to stop ocean acidification is to emit less carbon dioxide, so that the ocean does not absorb the excess. There are many small steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint, including (but not nearly limited to):

• Driving less – Cars are a big emitter of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. When possible, carpool, bike, walk, or take public transportation.
• Conserving water – Believe it or not, the processes that get water into your home emit greenhouse gases. Use water wisely and intentionally, and try not to waste too much unnecessary water.
• Buying sustainably made products – Before buying anything, it’s worthwhile to do some research into that company’s habits. Some companies emit large amounts of greenhouse gases with no efforts to become more efficient, while others are committed to reducing their carbon emissions .
• Buying fewer items – Producing and selling consumer items can be extremely carbon intensive, so buying less will help reduce those emissions. If you must buy something, try and buy an eco-friendly version with a lower carbon footprint. For example, buy clothes made from recycled materials.

Read more about how to reduce your carbon footprint in our article, “ Is It Possible to Prevent Global Warming? ”.

2. Use natural fertilizers and pesticides

Because all water on land eventually leads to the ocean, harmful chemicals from fertilizers and pesticides make their way into the ocean, causing ocean acidification and chemical pollution.

If you have a garden, make sure to use natural fertilizers, weed killers and pesticides, rather than releasing those chemicals into the ocean through runoff. For example, consider using an at-home vinegar-based weed killer , rather than toxic sprays like RoundUp. Not only is this better for the environment, but it is also cheaper!

Support pesticide-free farming practices by buying organic. Reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture is also a major step we can take to fight ocean acidification. While some argue that reducing pesticide use would harm the agricultural industry, several studies have found that less pesticide use can actually increase crop yields.

In light of the growing awareness around environmental issues, it’s crucial to address not only ocean acidification but also related health risks associated with certain human activities. One significant concern is the use of pesticides and fertilizers, such as Roundup weed killer, which has been the subject of lawsuits due to its alleged link to causing cancer. The Roundup weed killer lawsuit underscores the importance of examining the broader consequences of chemical runoff from agriculture on both the environment and human health. By adopting natural alternatives and supporting organic farming practices, individuals contribute not only to mitigating ocean acidification but also to minimizing health risks associated with harmful chemicals. Understanding the interconnectedness of issues like ocean acidification and the Roundup lawsuit is vital for fostering sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and human well-being.

3. Support responsible companies

Industry runoff, wastewater, and illegal dumping of chemical wastes can contribute to ocean acidification and pollute the ocean with toxic substances. Supporting responsible companies is a great way to contribute to the fight against ocean acidification.

It can be difficult to know whether a company is responsible with its waste. One way to tell is if a company has undergone a third-party environmental audit , which reviews the company’s protocols for environmental safety. If a company is not complying with any environmental regulations, an environmental audit will bring this to light.

Some companies also place “green” stamps on their products that show it was produced sustainably. There are a number of different green labels, including Green Seal , which shows customers a company meets high standards of safety and sustainability.

4. Support nonprofits working to fight ocean acidification

There are a number of organizations doing important work to fight ocean acidification.

Some organizations, like the Australian Institute of Marine Science , are focused on researching ocean acidification and its impacts. Research and knowledge-gathering is an important step in stopping ocean acidification, as we need the information to know how and what to focus on.

Other organizations like Oceana and the Ocean Project focus on ocean conservation and helping reverse some of the effects of ocean acidification.

The Ocean Foundation’s International Ocean Acidification Initiative helps both scientists and policymakers understand, monitor, and address ocean acidification on a local and global scale.

Donating money is not the only way to support these organizations, although it is always appreciated. Consider finding an organization that needs volunteers and spending some time contributing in that way. Even something as simple as signing your name to a petition makes a difference, and hardly takes a minute out of your day.

5. Contact your policymakers

Lastly, consider contacting your policymakers to ask them to pass legislation to combat ocean acidification, and by extension, climate change. For example, carbon taxes on companies’ carbon emissions may be an effective way to reduce global carbon emissions.

Other government policies that can help address ocean acidification include providing funding to ocean acidification research or regulating chemicals used in pesticides.

Call or write your local or federal government representatives to ask them to act on ocean acidification.

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Shore It Up! International Coastal Cleanup 2013

Photo Credit: Greengirl24 via Flickr. As promised, here is my take on our local International Coastal Cleanup last Saturday. Let the photos tell the story of the challenge of a

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How countries are turning the tide on marine plastic pollution

More and more countries are joining the Clean Seas campaign to fight against marine litter and plastic pollution. Over 60 countries - both coastal and landlocked - have signed up to this global movement with ambitious pledges and commitments.

Many have pledged to reduce or eradicate single-use plastics from their societies through stronger legislation and regulation. Others have committed to invest more in national recycling facilities and promote action plans to prevent harm to the coastal and marine environment.

The next phase of Clean Seas is expanding on the source-to-sea approach focusing on the root cause of marine plastic, which mainly comes from the land-based sources and works its way to the sea through lakes, rivers, and waterways.

In this final year of the Campaign, governments have a unique opportunity to join the global action and adopt the necessary policies to beat plastic pollution. We sat down with Leticia Carvalho, Head of the Marine and Freshwater Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), to find out more about what it means to join Clean Seas, and how countries can get on board.

Joining Clean Seas means agreeing to the objectives of the Campaign and having access to a platform and best practices to profile your work and encourage others to act.

Clean Seas was launched in 2017, and since then, 63 countries have become signatories. What does it mean to be a Clean Seas country?

By joining Clean Seas, countries take steps towards becoming champions to turn the tide of plastic. Joining means agreeing to the Campaign objectives and having access to a platform and best practices to profile your work and encourage others to act. There are no financial implications associated with joining the Clean Seas. Signatories may also request technical support from UNEP to develop their national action plans to tackle litter and plastic pollution. So far, our signatories represent 60 per cent of the world’s coastlines. But we need to engage more governments, particularly major plastic producer countries, to succeed in our mission to protect our waters, ecosystems and wildlife from marine litter and plastic pollution.

Why should a country join the current global momentum against marine litter and plastic pollution?

Pollution is one of the three interrelated planetary crises we face, along with biodiversity loss and climate instability, due to unsustainable production and consumption. We must shine a light on the negative impact of marine litter and plastic pollution on human and planetary health. This becomes even more urgent when one looks along the value chain to the land and seascape (from source-to-sea). Of the 11 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean, approximately 80 per cent comes from land-based sources and works its way to the sea through our lakes, rivers, and other waterways.

A thousand rivers are accountable for nearly 80 per cent of the global annual riverine plastic emissions. Yet, this is often overlooked. We hope to engage governments at the source to raise awareness and to strengthen legislation to encourage better business and disposal practices. Ultimately, this is an issue that affects the health of our planet, our societies, and our livelihoods.  Governments need to play their part in securing their citizens’ right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment , much of which can happen through encouraging and rewarding private sector innovation.

Are there any sub-groups of countries that have a significant role to play?

Key waterbodies found in upstream countries such as rivers and lakes represent some of the main pathways for the flow of plastics and litter to our coasts and oceans . Hence, the need to get their governments on board in our efforts to prevent such flow. So far, the Campaign has been joined by two landlocked countries. The first was Paraguay and Uganda joined last month .

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) also have the most to gain, and to lose, from not rapidly tackling the pollution problem since most rely heavily on tourism to some of the most idyllic beaches and underwater habitats on the planet.  On average, tourism accounts for almost 30 per cent of SIDS’ GDP . They have also been at the front line on the COVID-19 pandemic, both in terms of loss of travelers but also with having a bird’s eye view of the impacts of single-use personal protective equipment washing up on their shores. Many SIDS have some of the toughest regulations against single-use plastics in place and are true leaders in their efforts to safeguard our seas and ocean from man-made pollution. Thirteen of the 39 SIDS have already joined Clean Seas, representing one of our largest sub-groups of signatories. We hope to join hands with those who have not done so yet and coordinate their truly impressive efforts with our campaign objectives.  

How can a country join the Clean Seas campaign?

It is easy!  A country simply needs to decide on the level of commitment they wish to undertake, aligned with their current and future ambitions to tackle this problem and send an ‘Expression of Interest’ to the UNEP Executive Director.

UNEP stands ready to help the country team navigate this process and provide technical expertise to develop national actions plans. Our team has recently prepared an eBook to guide interested governments in this regard. It presents visually and interactively what it means to be a Clean Seas country, why it is urgent for more governments to join the momentum and what options are available for taking action.

The Clean Seas Campaign  contributes to the goals of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter , a voluntary open-ended partnership for international agencies, governments, businesses, academia, local authorities and non-governmental organizations to cooperate and innovate on tackling marine litter and plastic pollution.

For more information Andrina Beaumond: [email protected]

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Innovative Ways We’re Cleaning Up the Ocean and How You Can Help

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Over the last few decades, plastic has become an essential part of our everyday lives. From grocery bags to toys and bottles, plastic is one of the most used materials to date. However, this material is unfortunately causing a great deal of harm to ocean life too. A whopping 8 million metric tons of plastic is found in seas and oceans every year, which is bad news for marine species. Plastic became a popular material because of its ease of manufacture and durability, but when this trash is disposed of and finds its way into the ocean, some products and materials can take up to 600 years to break down, posing a great risk to our oceans and their inhabitants in the process.

W hat is harming our oceans?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA), the top 10 marine debris items include:

●     Cigarettes and cigarette filters

●      Plastic bags

●      Food wrappers and containers

●      Caps and lids

●      Plastic beverage bottles

●      Eating utensils

●      Glass beverage bottles

●      Beverage cans

●      Straws and stirrers

●      Paper bags What is even more frightening is that the items can remain in the environment for long periods before they even begin to break down. For example, cigarette butts can take up to 10 years to biodegrade while plastic bottles can take 450 years. 

Innovative ways we ’ re combating ocean trash

By 2050, it is predicted that we will have more plastic in our oceans than fish. While this problem isn ’ t going away any time soon, scientists have been working to create solutions that can slowly start to clean up our oceans and put an end to this major issue. Here are just some of the techniques being used.

S ystem 001

System 001 is a 62-mile long barrier that targets plastic debris, micro plastics and ghost nets from the gyres, also known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch . Created by Boyan Slat, CEO of The Ocean Cleanup , this innovative design cleans up 80,000 tons of garbage located between Hawaii and California.

This unit has a slow-moving design that moves with the ocean ’ s currents to collect ocean plastic and contain debris. Once full, the accumulated plastic will be removed. Scientists and experts have been closely monitoring System 001 since its first launch, confirming there was no interference with marine life. The goal is to protect the natural environment by captur ing the plastic before it has time to degrade into microplastics.

Seabin V5, created by the Seabin Project , is aimed at gathering floating trash located in areas with calm water, like marinas and harbors. Made from recyclable materials, this vacuum-like design pumps water into the filter bag located inside the device. Water is then pumped back into the surrounding area, leaving the trash trapped inside. Not only is this device able to capture harmful plastic and debris, but it also absorbs harmful oils from the water.

Seabin V5 can clean up 44 pounds of debris daily and 1.4 tons of debris per year. Since Seabins are located in marinas with high pollution, sea life is minimal. Scientists have been working to engineer a bag material that efficiently captures even the smallest plastics from the sea. The team is continuously adapting to new methods to improve this material to continue to remove macro plastics, microfiber materials and oil and fuel pollutants from the oceans.

M r. Trash Wheel

Mr. Trash Wheel , created by Clearwater Mills, LLC, is an innovative water wheel that captures trash in rivers, streams and harbors, and then turns it into electricity. It can clean up 38,000 pounds of trash daily and has prevented 1.6 million pounds of debris from entering the ocean thus far!

This technology is aimed at collecting debris and oil slicks. It uses a conveyor belt powered by solar panels to move the trash into a floating barge. When the trash reaches the barge, it is then converted into electricity. Because of its slow movement, any wildlife that comes near the machine has plenty of time to move out of harm ’ s way.

WasteShark was created by RanMarine Technology in 2018, with a design inspired by the whale shark. WasteShark is a water drone with the goal of collecting debris before the winds, tides and currents carry it out into the ocean. It floats along the surface of the water collecting floating debris like plastic and bio-waste.

Its technology enables you to pre plan a route to ensure it covers the most concerning areas. It can also be operated using manual steering, as with any traditional drone. An added feature of WasteShark is its ability to read and send information regarding water qualities, like pH levels and salinity.

The San Diego non-profit organization Clear Blue Sea , partnered with student interns from various San Diego universities to create the prototype FRED, which stands for Floating Robot Eliminating Debris. Currently set to be completed in 2023, this technology vacuums and collects harmful debris from the ocean’s surface, while running on renewable energy. The flaps in the front of the device are able to collect large debris and transport them into a collection bin using a conveyer belt. FRED’s slow speed and built in sensors are able to keep marine life away during the collection.

Magnetic Coils

A study conducted by scientist Xiaoguang Duag found that nanotechnology could be a solution to our plastic problem. Duag and a team of scientists have created magnetic coils that will be used to break down microplastics using a chemical reaction. These tiny magnetic coils are coated with nitrogen and manganese, causing a chemical reaction with oxygen molecules. This reaction can break down microplastics, turning them into environmentally friendly salt compounds, carbon dioxide and water.

This innovation is still being tested but is projected to clean up 100% of microplastics in harbors and marinas. Toxicity tests done during this study found that the degraded micro-plastics were not harmful to marine life and can actually act as a carbon source for algal growth.

W hat can you do to help save our oceans?

Although these innovative solutions are aiding our ocean cleanups, we can all do our part to help. Here are some ways you can do your part.

S witch to plastic-free alternatives

Consider eliminating your use of single-use plastic and adopting eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives. Simple things like using reusable grocery bags, glass coffee cups and reusable straws can make a difference long-term . It’s important to note that while these small changes can reduce plastic waste, these alternatives also carry their own footprint.

A void ocean-harming products

While plastic is the leading culprit causing harm to our seas, there are many other harmful products we use daily that contribute to ocean pollution. Many cosmetic products have harmful and toxic chemicals that cause damage to our oceans. For example, marine-toxic chemicals, like oxybenzone and octinoxate, are found in most sunscreens. Any ingredients affecting our marine life can be washed off when swimming in the sea or during a shower and passed out into sewage, eventually reaching the ocean. Do your research to discover what ingredients to avoid. There are many reef-safe cosmetic products available, so next time you go shopping, make sure to check the ingredients list.

G et out and vote

Making a change in our communities is an effective way to start pushing for global change regarding this issue. Elect public officials and vote on policies that support and protect marine life. Educate yourself and stay up to date so you can make an informed decision and exercise your right to vote.

R educe your carbon footprint

The amount of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere has increased over time and has made our oceans more acidic. Coral is greatly affected by the acidity of the water and is consequently unable to thrive. To reduce your carbon footprint, you can try simple things like riding a bike or walking instead of using a car or avoid using your thermostat during cold months.

P ick up your trash

It is astonishing that people continue to leave their trash behind. With large crowds coming to the beach, do your part by making sure you collect all of your trash before you leave. Maybe even pick up the trash left behind by those around you. Although it ’ s not your responsibility, picking up trash left by others is a small tactic that has a great impact. If you live near the beach, consider gathering members of your community together to organize a beach clean-up. With today ’ s current technology and a collective effort to make more sustainable choices, we can all come together to help our ocean life. Read the infographic below to discover other innovative ways scientists and inventors are helping to clean up ocean pollution . 

Credit:  Florida Panhandle .

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bottles when you switch to reusables

plastic bags from getting eaten by turtles

straws when you switch to reusables

pounds of plastic waste from going into the landfills each year

food miles by shopping locally

Sue Kemp was a long time supporter and advisor for the Plastic Tides team before joining the board in an official status. Sue is a respected interior designer by profession, but her skills and insight support her prolific civic engagement. As a Bermudian, Sue is well connected in the local community and has provided valuable advice and direction to the organization.

Science Contributor

26-year-old Environmental engineer bachelor from Peru. Researcher and passionate about the environment. Trying to solve the plastic pollution problem through new inventions and engineering. Languages, music and horror movies fanatic.

Blog Contributor

Wishka Tilakaratne is a B.A. student at the University of Colombo where she is interested in majoring in English. She is also studying Law at the University of London. She is keen about social issues including gender inequality, environmental pollution and poverty. She aspires to pursue a career in the legal field and focus on human rights. Wishka lives in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Instagram Community

My name is Katy Wicks! I live in Moscow, Idaho and attend to the University of Idaho. I love spending time outdoors, but when I am not I can usually be found doing graphic design projects, listening to podcasts, or making vegan snacks. I have always loved the ocean and been obsessed with everything about it, I see the ocean as a whole world outside of our own. I am super passionate about saving the ocean and all the creatures in it so many generations can experience the feeling of putting a dive mask on and discovering another world.

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Hi there! I’m Rhe and I am a junior organizational communications major at the University of Portland. Besides sustainability, I also love creating delicious vegan recipes and messing around on my yoga mat.

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Emily is a student at the University of Richmond, in Richmond, VA (not directly on a coast, but not far!), focusing on Environmental Studies and Business Administration. She is passionate about raising awareness of the need to protect our waterways and encouraging a sustainable environment for all. Emily always has a reusable water bottle with her, as well as reusable bamboo cutlery and does her best to avoid single use plastic! Emily lives just north of Chicago, three miles west of Lake Michigan. In the summer, when not working (or traveling), she is at the beach, sailing, SUPing, kayaking, or swimming, and also loves to hike whenever she can find some mountains

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• Protecting Our Oceans from Pollution

Who protects the oceans from dumping in the United States?

EPA’s Freshwater and Marine Regulatory Branch within the Office of Water (OW) based in Washington D.C., in coordination with EPA’s seven coastal Regional Offices (Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10), administers the Ocean Dumping Management Program. Through implementation of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), EPA Headquarters and Regional Offices work together to safeguard the ocean by preventing or limiting the dumping of any material that would adversely affect human health and the marine environment. In addition, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) share responsibility for protecting the ocean from the disposal of dredged material that is unsuitable for the ocean environment.

How does EPA’s Ocean Dumping Management Program affect my community?

EPA’s Ocean Dumping Management Program plays a primary role in protecting and preserving our ocean and coastal resources. EPA regularly evaluates ocean disposal inquiries from the public and provides technical support to other agencies to ensure that ocean dumping is appropriately regulated and safeguards human health and the environment.

EPA also works with other federal, state and local agencies to address marine pollution issues that arise during and following large-scale emergencies, such as Hurricane Katrina, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the Japanese tsunami.

EPA’s Regional Offices provide localized support and implement MPRSA general permits for responsible disposal of wastes and other materials in the oceans, for example, for the disposal of vessels at sea or for burials at sea. In rare instances, EPA Regional Offices may issue an emergency, research or special ocean dumping permit to an individual or entity.

EPA Regional Offices also work with their counterparts in USACE Districts to regulate and manage ocean disposal of dredged material in the United States. EPA Regional Offices and USACE Districts develop and evaluate sampling and analysis plans to ensure that dredged materials proposed for ocean disposal are fully characterized and will not harm the marine environment. USACE District Offices issue ocean dumping permits for dredged material, using EPA’s environmental criteria and subject to EPA’s review and written concurrence.

EPA is responsible for designating ocean disposal sites for all types of materials, including not only dredged material, but also materials like fish wastes. EPA Regional Offices manage EPA designated ocean disposal sites. Management of ocean dumping sites involves regulating the times, quantity, and characteristics of material disposed at the site; and establishing disposal controls, conditions, and requirements to avoid or minimize potential impacts to the marine environment.

Sites are monitored to ensure that dumping will not unreasonably degrade or endanger human health or the environment, to verify that unanticipated adverse effects are not occurring from past or continued use of the site, and to ensure that permit terms are met. EPA Regional Offices, often in coordination with USACE, conduct monitoring surveys at ocean disposal sites.

EPA and USACE also monitor the vessels transporting dredged material to ocean disposal sites to make sure that the dredged material is not leaking or spilling from the vessel, such as a barge, in route to the ocean disposal site and that the disposal activity is conducted properly within the site.

Learn more about ocean disposal sites.

EPA Region-Specific Information on Ocean Dumping

To find out more about ocean dumping issues specific to your area, visit EPA Regional Web pages:

• Region 1 (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT and 10 tribal nations)
• Region 2 (NJ, NY, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and eight tribal nations)
• Region 3 (DE, DC, MD, PA, VA and WV)
• Region 4 (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC and six tribes)
• Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX and 66 tribes)
• Region 9 (AZ, CA, HI, NV, 148 tribal nations, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Guam)
• Region 10 (AK, WA, ID, OR and 271 native tribes)

For information regarding who to contact in each Region, please visit our Regional Offices Contact List .

Additional links for ocean dumping-related information.

• Ocean Dumping Home
• Learn about Ocean Dumping
• Ocean Dumping Permits
• Ocean Disposal Sites
• International Treaties
• Regulations, Guidance, & Additional Ocean Dumping Information

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06-29-2024 IMPACT

A mass coral bleaching is underway. Here’s how machine learning can help

In the long run, the only ways to stop coral die-offs and protect reef habitats that support so much sea life are limiting water pollution and curbing climate change.

Bleached coral on the Great Barrier Reef outside Cairns, Australia [Photo: Getty Images]

BY  The Conversation 4 minute read

The world’s coral reefs are like underwater cities, bustling with all kinds of fish and sea animals. Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean, but they support an estimated 25% of all marine species , including many important fish species. The economic value of the services that these complex ecosystems provide is estimated at more than $3.4 billion yearly just in the U.S.

Today, rising ocean temperatures threaten many reefs’ survival. When ocean waters become too warm for too long, corals expel the colorful symbiotic algae, called zooxanthellae , that live in their tissues—a process called coral bleaching. These algae provide the corals with food, so bleached corals are vulnerable to starvation and disease and may die if the water does not cool quickly enough.

With global ocean heat at record levels , scientists have confirmed that a global coral bleaching event is underway . Since the beginning of 2023, corals have been dying in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans, both north and south of the equator.

The current bleaching event in the wider Caribbean region is longer and more severe than any previous bleaching episode recorded since the first global one in 1998. I study large-scale climate and ocean dynamics and am analyzing how biological connections between coral reefs—sometimes extending over great distances—may help reefs recover from heat stress.

Reef relationships

Given how quickly ocean temperatures are warming, scientists are working to develop response strategies. These include making corals more heat-tolerant ; restoring damaged areas with healthy corals; relocating coral nurseries to cooler areas; breeding “super corals ” that are more resistant to these stresses; and enhancing natural chemical signals and sound cues to attract larval corals and fish to damaged reefs.

Many species of fish found on coral reefs play valuable roles in keeping these communities healthy. For example, seaweeds compete with corals for space and light, and often will take over reefs after bleaching episodes.

Corals remain healthier and recover faster if they are surrounded by fish that eat different types of seaweed, such as parrotfish, surgeonfish, and rabbitfish . Reflecting their role, these species often are referred to collectively as grazers.

Sea cucumbers—leathery bottom-dwellers, distantly related to starfish and urchins —also are important reef partners. They feed on bacteria and other organic materials in ocean sediments, cleaning up the area around reefs.

My Georgia Tech colleague Mark Hay recently published a study which showed that removing sea cucumbers from reef communities led to an increase in organic waste materials and a 15-fold rise in coral deaths . Protecting sea cucumbers, which are overharvested as a food source , could help keep coral reefs healthy.

The role of ocean connectivity

Coral reefs are not isolated outposts. When fish and corals spawn, they release millions of larvae that drift on currents and are exchanged across reefs through mixing and transport processes . These exchanges make up the connectivity of coral reefs.

Some reefs supply larvae to many others. Other reefs are more isolated, so scientists may need to artificially introduce larvae to help the reefs recover from bleaching and other threats.

Research shows that well-connected reefs recover faster from stresses like bleaching . Receiving plentiful supplies of coral and fish larvae, transported by ocean currents from far away, helps to restore bleached areas and maintain diverse reef communities. Preserving this connectivity is key for reef conservation.

But measuring connectivity is time-consuming and expensive. Researchers collect coral samples from reefs that may be connected and analyze the corals’ DNA to reconstruct their genetic history. This yields a picture of how interrelated different populations are.

We also use computer models to simulate ocean currents carrying virtual larvae from their release points to the locations where they settle. But currents aren’t fixed in place like highways: Their strength and direction change over time, depending on the season and the year. Studying reef connectivity requires carrying out multiyear model simulations covering small areas in fine detail, which involves a lot of computation.

Insights from machine learning

Now machine learning offers a new way to analyze reef connections. This subfield of artificial intelligence enables computers to learn tasks or associations without explicitly being directed. Instead, they use algorithms to tackle various tasks.

My research group has developed a tool that takes information about ocean currents, derived from satellite data; generates a network of ecoregions, or areas where ecosystems are generally similar; and calculates their connectivity over the past 30 to 40 years . We then identify better-connected reefs using PageRank centrality —the algorithm that Google developed to measure the popularity of web pages.

Once we have defined a network of ecoregions, it is possible to determine how “popular”—that is, connected—known reefs are. And we can verify that our algorithms are working well by seeing whether “popular” reef communities contain more diverse and healthy coral populations.

We have found that in Southeast Asia’s Coral Triangle —the biggest biodiversity hot spot on earth—periodic shifts between the El Niño and La Niña climate patterns promote biodiversity, and likely have done so for the past 5 million to 7 million years . Connectivity during El Niño events is very different from that during La Niña events, because ocean currents are different. This dynamic aids reefs by ensuring that they receive larvae from many different places in different years.

Understanding which coral and environmental traits help make reefs resilient, and coupling this information with connectivity networks opens new avenues for helping corals to survive a bit longer. Together, these approaches indicate how and where to prioritize monitoring and restoration efforts.

In the long run, the only ways to stop coral die-offs and protect reef habitats that support so much sea life are limiting water pollution and curbing climate change. But more localized actions that make reefs healthier can buy them some time, and perhaps make them more resilient to ocean warming.

Annalisa Bracco is a professor of ocean and climate dynamics at Georgia Institute of Technology .

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

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• ENVIRONMENT

How pulling carbon out of the ocean may help remove it from the air

Taking carbon dioxide from the ocean could increase its natural ability to remove emissions from the atmosphere, like wringing out a sponge to make it more absorptive.

Aboard a World War II Navy barge bristling with metal cages, tanks, and an orderly maze of pipes and wires tied up in the Port of Los Angeles, a group of scientists is on a quest to answer a simple question: is there a way to coax the ocean into swallowing more carbon dioxide? The answer could hold the key to a cooler future.

The world’s oceans already act as a vast carbon sink, offsetting approximately one-quarter of the CO2 emissions that human activity generates each year. But as they face challenges like acidification and rising temperatures, they’re becoming less effective at taking up the planet-warming gas.  

Engineers at Captura , a startup spun out from the California Institute of Technology, have devised a process that’s meant to revive that drawdown. Working like a large-scale desalination plant, it takes in ocean water, keeps a tiny portion aside, and zaps it with electricity using a special machine. The electrical charge splits the water into two parts: one acidic and the other alkaline.

The acid part goes into the remaining onboard ocean water, where it triggers a reaction causing CO2 to bubble out into storage tanks. The alkaline part is then added back to the seawater to neutralize the acidity before it is returned to the ocean, ready to absorb the same amount of CO2 that was removed.

“What we do is basically removing carbon dioxide from the seawater and then returning the decarbonated water to the ocean so it can suck more of the greenhouse gas out of the air,” says Captura’s CEO Steve Oldham. “It’s like wringing out a sponge to boost its absorption power."

The power of the ocean

Captura is part of a small yet expanding cohort of companies including California startups Equatic and Calcarea , as well as the Dutch venture SeaO2 , seeking to harness the power of the ocean to naturally concentrate CO2.

In addition to phasing out fossil fuels, climate science experts are increasingly convinced that vast quantities of CO2 will need to be taken away from the atmosphere in order to avoid runaway climate change. The notion is contentious, as removing CO2 on a large scale hasn’t been fully tested; a recent U.N. panel labeled the approach "unproven."

But with millions of dollars in venture capital funding and lucrative contracts to offset the emissions of some of the world’s biggest companies, these firms are trying to prove otherwise.

Pulling CO2 out from the ocean, where it is present at a concentration 150 times as high as in the atmosphere, is more efficient than capturing it from the air, where it makes up less than 0.05 percent of the total volume, believes Edward Sanders, COO of Equatic, which also runs a test vessel in the Port of Los Angeles.

He says that the technology also avoids using land, and systems can be integrated with desalination plants, wastewater treatment facilities, and other water-processing facilities and even coupled with offshore wind energy to facilitate access to oceanic storage sites.

According to Oldham, leveraging the ocean’s carbon-sucking power also doesn't require building expensive machinery to interact with the air, ultimately helping reduce overall costs. "The ocean really does all the work itself,” he says.

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Both Captura and Equatic are confident that they will be able to pull CO2 for less than $100 a ton by the end of the decade—a significantly lower cost compared to direct air capture, which currently ranges between $250–600 per ton and is not anticipated to decrease anytime soon.

Uncharted territory

After almost a year of testing with the barge, which is designed to capture 100 tons of CO2 per year, Captura is expanding its operations by building a 1,000-ton-per-year facility in Norway. Equatic is also stepping up , establishing an even larger 3650-ton-per-year plant in Singapore. Both are set to be up and running by next year.

Companies say data collected there and at the Port of Los Angeles will help in the design of large-scale commercial facilities that sequester millions of tons of carbon annually.

But even hitting that target would be just a drop in the bucket. The IPCC estimates up to 12 gigatons of CO2, or about a quarter of the current global annual emissions, would need to be removed from the air every year to make a meaningful dent in the carbon debt.

To facilitate this, Captura, Equatic, and the others must erect thousands of new facilities that extract CO2 from seawater around the world. That buildout would entail billions of dollars in capital investment. More importantly, it would take massive quantities of carbon-free energy to power decarbonization plants.

Critics argue these resources would be better spent reducing fossil fuel use and electrifying the economy. “Removing already-emitted carbon is laughably small, incredibly expensive, and full of engineering obstacles,” says Jonathan Foley, executive director of Project Drawdown, a nonprofit organization focused on climate solutions. “Limited research on this should continue, but our time and resources should focus on cutting emissions as quickly as possible.”

Sanders points out that Equatic’s process yields green hydrogen as a byproduct, which can be used to partially power the process and cut the net power requirement. He notes that further energy efficiency could be achieved by tapping energy during off-peak times – typically late at night or early in the morning – when demand is lower and costs are reduced.

Questions also remain about the environmental impact of the technology. Lisa Levin, a marine ecologist at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, warns that processing huge volumes of seawater could have unforeseen consequences on ocean ecosystems.

"We're in uncharted territory here,” she says. “Nobody knows what’s going to happen when you manipulate the ocean chemistry at such a large scale.”

Levin claims that there are risks to marine life as well. "Whenever large volumes of water are drawn in, they bring along everything within it—including plankton, fish larvae, and other small animals," she explains.

Sanders says the Equatic’s process is designed to have minimal impact on the local ecosystem, adding that the company has commissioned an environmental impact assessment to understand the potential implications of implementing the technology at scale. “We do not want to cause greater harm to the planet in the process,” he maintains.

Oldham echoes the sentiment, stressing that Captura’s process does not add anything to ocean waters that’s not already there. "We won't risk disrupting the ocean with things we haven’t fully understood," he asserts. "We simply can't afford it."

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The Surprising Truth: How Long “Biodegradable” Straws Last in Ocean Waters

By American Chemical Society June 27, 2024

After 16 weeks in seawater, bioplastic straws made of foam (shown here) broke down at least twice as fast as the solid versions. Credit: Adapted from ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2024, DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c07391

Studies show that biodegradable straws made from paper and bioplastics like CDA and PHA degrade in ocean water within 8 to 20 months, offering a promising solution to reduce marine pollution from plastic straws.

Plastic straws in marine ecosystems not only mar the beauty of beaches but also threaten turtles and seabirds. As a result, there is a growing preference for biodegradable or compostable alternatives.

But how effective are these alternatives in marine environments? According to research published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering , certain commercially available bioplastic and paper straws can break down in coastal ocean systems within eight to 20 months, and opting for foam straws could significantly accelerate this process.

After 16 weeks in seawater, bioplastic straws made of foam broke down at least twice as fast as the solid versions (shown here). Credit: Adapted from ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2024, DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c07391

Bioplastics and Paper Straws in Marine Environments

To combat plastic pollution, some regions in the U.S. have restricted traditional polymers, such as polypropylene (PP), in drinking straws. These policies have led to a growing market for single-use items made from paper or bioplastics. However, replacement materials need to retain functionality so they don’t flop over after the first sip but will fall apart later if they end up in soil, freshwater, or salt water.

While the next generation of bioplastics, such as cellulose diacetate (CDA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), may be able to meet both requirements, little is known about how long products made of these materials last in the ocean before fully degrading compared to other materials. Therefore, Bryan James, Collin Ward, and colleagues conducted experiments using real seawater to investigate the environmental lifetimes of different straws and to find a way to accelerate the breakdown of next-generation bioplastics.

Disintegration Rates of Different Straw Materials

In initial tests, the researchers cut inch-long pieces from commercially available straws made from either coated or uncoated paper, PP polymer, or CDA, PHA, or polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics. Then the pieces were suspended on wires in large tanks with room-temperature seawater flowing through them. The team found that after 16 weeks, paper, CDA, and PHA straws lost 25-50% of their initial weights.

The researchers projected that these degradable straws should fully disintegrate in coastal oceans within 10 months for paper, 15 months for PHA, and 20 months for CDA. Additionally, the biofilms on the disintegrating samples contained microbes known to metabolize diverse polymers. Conversely, PP and PLA straws didn’t have measurable weight changes, which suggests they could persist for years in ocean water.

Accelerating Bioplastic Breakdown in Marine Settings

Next, using the same experimental conditions, the researchers examined how changing the CDA material’s structure, from solid to a foam, impacted the bioplastic’s environmental lifetime. They observed that the CDA foam broke down at least twice as fast as the solid version, and they estimated that a straw made from the prototype foam would disintegrate in seawater in eight months — the shortest lifetime of any material tested.

Having demonstrated that some bioplastic straws are unlikely to remain intact over a long period, the researchers recommend that simple changes, such as switching to foam materials, could further reduce that time frame.

For more on this research, see New Bioplastic Straw Degrades Even Faster in the Ocean Than Paper .

Reference: “Strategies to Reduce the Environmental Lifetimes of Drinking Straws in the Coastal Ocean” by Bryan D. James, Yanchen Sun, Mounir Izallalen, Sharmistha Mazumder, Steven T. Perri, Brian Edwards, Jos de Wit, Christopher M. Reddy and Collin P. Ward, 30 January 2024, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering . DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c07391

The authors acknowledge funding from Eastman. Some authors are employees of Eastman, a manufacturer of biodegradable plastics.

Some authors have patents in the field of biodegradable plastics.

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How to prevent ocean pollution

How do we prevent ocean pollution? Admit it or not, our world is in ruins, albeit not everyone is aware of or paying attention. For the past decades, the big corporations haven’t systematically planned how all their wastes will be dealt with after being consumed.

Although most of these plastic wastes end up in landfills, there’s still a remaining 3% that enters the ocean contributing to ocean pollution. Our world is made up of 70 percent of water, so it’s not surprising that it became a dump for waste.

Their failed design problem is something we consumers have to deal with. Particularly these tons of throw-away plastic wastes that we just can’t imagine how our planet can still tolerate.

This is how ocean pollution starts. To give you a heads up, almost 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans each year . No wonder water pollution is one of the major threats our earth is facing now.

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What is currently polluting our ocean?

Not blaming it all on plastic bottles as there are other types of trash and other pollutants that infiltrate the ocean water. Most of these piles of trash end up on beach shorelines which will then be washed away by waves and tides, thus contributing to ocean pollution.

Another major source is oil spills, as these contribute 5% of waste in the marine environment annually. To better fathom what major pollutants contribute to ocean pollution, let’s take a deep dive into these factors.

Non-point source pollution

Collectively known as NPS pollution, this type of pollutant is a result of diffuse sources. They are the results of land runoffs, atmospheric deposition, precipitation, seepage, and drainage.

Another cause is snowmelt or rainfall gushing over the ground. As this runoff moves, it carries away human and natural trash, then piling them into rivers, lakes, and groundwaters until finally reaching the oceans and leading to ocean pollution.

Point source pollution

This is the complete opposite of NPS (non-point source pollution) as this is direct and easy to identify. Point source pollution comes from a single and confined place. The major sources of this type of pollution are power plants and factories releasing harmful chemicals such as carbon monoxide, heavy metal, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

Pour plants, oil refineries, and paper mills that use water in their manufacturing process can discharge their wastewater that contains harmful chemicals in rivers, lakes, or the oceans that can also harm marine animals.

Garbage patches

Don’t confuse this with those islands of trash you can see on bodies of water. Garbage patches are large ocean areas where trash, fishing gear, and other debris (marine debris) settle. Some of these marine debris ranges from microplastics to large bundles of trash and fishing gear.

They are formed by the rotation of ocean currents and “gyres.” Gyres are like big whirlpools that pull objects in. These gyres pull the debris into one location, forming “patches’, thus the term garbage patches.

Algal blooms and nutrients

We all know that too much of something can also be harmful. Nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen are essential elements for plant growth.

If these nutrients are too abundant in water, it’ll spur the algae’s overgrowth called an algal bloom. These algal blooms can grow to be harmful, which is also known as “red tides.”

Red tides can grow rapidly and produce toxic elements that can affect marine life and human health. Moreover, even if they’re healthy at the right amount, too many of these are major contributors to ocean pollution.

When produced in large amounts and enter a body of water through human activities or natural causes, nutrients can result in dead zones. Dead zones exist when large amounts of algae sink and decompose in water.

The decomposition process consumes oxygen and reduces the supply needed to maintain a balanced and healthy marine life. When this occurs, Marine animals that live in that area either die or leave the dead zone.

Marine debris

These are pollutants that can seriously affect and contribute to marine pollution. Marine debris can injure and kill marine life, nutrients. When and it’s all a threat to human safety. These pollutants are solid materials manufactured and disposed of or abandoned in the marine environment.

Nowadays, most of the debris found on beaches comes from sewers, drains, and trash from recreational activities around beach areas. Marine debris is the most common and visible contributor to ocean pollution.

The most hazardous pollutants in the oceans

Since we’ve discussed the main pollutants causing ocean pollution, delving into the most dangerous ones is just as relevant to know.

Petroleum pollutants

Mostly coming from oil spills, petroleum is one of the major threats to the marine environment. When the Marine life was affected, their capacity to produce Earth’s oxygen and photosynthesis was reduced.

Thus, whenever there are major oil spills, there’s a significant impact on ecological balance.

The major cause of these harmful chemicals reaching our oceans is coal burning in homes and industry. When coal burns, mercury vaporizes, spreads in the atmosphere, and reaches the oceans.

Predatory fishes are the most affected as they have high levels of mercury contamination. Not only is this a threat to marine life, but eating contaminated fish is dangerous to humans.

Hazardous microorganisms

When coastal pollution and warm seas combine, it results in the formation of these dangerous microorganisms. Vibrio species are harmful bacteria found in warmer waters and responsible for vibriosis – a fatal illness.

When this spreads, it can cause serious infections and is now in existence somewhere in the north. Cholera is also another kind of dangerous microorganism making a huge contribution to ocean pollution.

7 Ways to prevent or help ocean pollution

Even if there are recycling system mandates worldwide, over 90% of plastics are still not recycled, thus causing plastic pollution. While the other factors or causes of ocean pollution are overlooked, knowing how to prevent these prevalent pollution issues is vital.

Together, we can all do better and save marine life and bring about healthy marine life. Here are some simple ways to help our marine environment and end or prevent ocean pollution.

1. Recycle accordingly

It’s inevitable to use plastics, but be sure always to recycle them. Through recycling, you are helping in a major way as you help keep plastics off the oceans, thus reducing ocean pollution.

Recycling also decreases the number of new plastics in circulation. You can check your local government for recycling procedures or search for the nearest recycling center and ask what types of plastic they accept.

2. Lessen your use of single-use plastics

Reduce your use of single-use plastics. As you might already know, single-use plastics include water bottles, cups, straws, utensils, dry-cleaning bags, and any other plastics that are only used once then discarded afterward. If you can, it’s still so much better to say no to straws, plastic lids, bags, and takeaway.

As simple as bringing your utensils whenever eating outside is already a big help to prevent ocean pollution. You can also opt to reuse water bottles, coffee mugs, and bags. Some restaurants even offer discounts if you do.

3. Support local government bans

Most local governments worldwide have implemented bans on single-use plastic bags, bottles, and takeout containers. Support their advocacy in your community, and you’ll see what difference it can make.

4. Join river or beach cleanup drives

You can help remove plastics from the ocean and prevent ocean pollution. You can allot one day of your week to participate in local beach cleanings.

If there’s no program like this, communicate with the local municipality and organize a cleanup drive of your local beach or even waterways. Or when you visit the beach with family and friends, you can start doing it on your own.

5. Show your support for organizations addressing plastic pollution.

Most of the environmentalists forming organizations are non-profit. They aim to reduce Earth’s waste and eliminate ocean plastic pollution.

6. Avoid using products with microbeads.

Microbeads are tiny plastic particles found in your face scrubs, body washes, and toothpaste. They cause ocean pollution by entering through the sewer systems straight to the waterways then the oceans. Search for products without “polyethylene” and “polypropylene.”

7. Spread awareness

Keep yourself informed and updated on issues related to ocean pollution, then spread the word. Inform your family and friends of the ocean’s current polluted situation and help them understand the issues and problems.

Tell them how all of you can be a part of the solution and let them watch documentaries about water pollution.

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Key Takeaway

It’s for the fact that we can’t eliminate plastics right off the bat as it has been a part of the fast-food chain industry and other major businesses, whether it be the Pacific Ocean that needs saving or any other ocean global nutrients.

When doing something, even in just small and little ways, can make a difference.

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The Ocean and Climate Change

Our ocean is changing. With 70 percent of the planet covered in water, the seas are important drivers of the global climate. Yet increasing greenhouse gases from human activities are altering the ocean before our eyes. NASA and its partners are on a mission to find out more.

The ocean is warming

Rising greenhouse gas concentrations not only warm the air, but the ocean, too. Research shows that around 90 percent of the excess heat from global warming is being absorbed by the ocean. Ocean heat has steadily risen since measurements began in 1955, breaking records in 2023 . All this added heat has led to more frequent and intense marine heat waves. The image visualizes sea surface temperature anomalies in August 2023. Warm colors (red, orange) show where the ocean was warmer than normal. Cool colors (blues) show where temperatures were cooler. The red swath in the Eastern Pacific was due to an El Niño event. El Niño is a climate phenomenon in the tropical Pacific that results in warmer than normal sea surface temperatures leading to weather impacts across the planet. Credit: NASA

Sea levels are rising

Global sea levels have risen more than 4 inches (101 millimeters) since measurements began in 1992, increasing coastal flooding in some places. As ocean water warms, it expands and takes up more space. The added heat in the air and ocean is also melting ice sheets and glaciers, which adds freshwater to the ocean and further raises sea levels. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission , launched in 2022, and Sentinel 6 Michael Freilich , launched in 2020, are providing unparalleled views of sea level rise on top of decades of data from other missions. The video shows a 21-day average of sea surface height anomalies highlighting ocean eddies and currents as imaged by the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite. The red and orange colors indicate where the sea surface was higher than normal and the blues are where it was lower than normal. Credit: NAS

Explore Earth's Vital Signs

The ocean is getting a little greener

Recent research found that over the past 20 years, the tropical ocean turned greener. Ocean color reflects the life that is found in it. Green colors often correspond to phytoplankton, microscopic plant-like organisms that form the center of the ocean's food web. Observations of changes in phytoplankton populations due to climate change are a key part of the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission , which launched in 2024.

Ocean warming is altering hurricanes

Hurricanes need warm water to form and strengthen. Recent research points to warmer ocean temperatures as a key factor causing more storms to rapidly intensify. One way to detect rapid intensification before it happens may be through a change in lightning around the eye of the storm. Plus, higher sea levels worsen storm surge flooding when a storm travels over a coastline. NOAA’s GOES-East satellite captures the rapid intensification of Hurricane Lee on Sept. 7, 2023.  Credit: NASA/NOAA

Ocean acidification and heating are altering marine ecosystems

Carbon dioxide and heat are both absorbed by the ocean as greenhouse gas levels increase. When carbon dioxide is dissolved in the ocean, the water becomes more acidic. This makes it harder for corals and some other marine life to grow shells and protect themselves. Marine heat waves are complicating the matter by making it too warm for many corals to survive. Satellites are providing important data to scientists measuring such changes in ocean environments. When corals are stressed from changes in their environment, they turn white, or "bleach." Sometimes the coral is able to recover, but other times the bleaching event leads to its death. This image shows the decay of a healthy coral reef to a reef between 2014 and 2015 in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. Credit: NOAA/ XL Catlin Seaview Survey

Sea ice is thinning and shrinking

Melting sea ice does not affect sea levels, but it does impact global temperatures. Sea ice is light-colored and reflects sunlight back into space; open water is darker and absorbs more sunlight. Warming ocean waters melt sea ice from below, and warmer air helps melt it from above. As ice cover thins and shrinks, more ocean is exposed and less sunlight is reflected, further warming the water and air. Satellites help monitor changes in sea ice which is an area of research for upcoming missions in the Earth Systems Observatory . A photograph of Arctic sea ice breaking up as seen during an overhead flight during NASA’s Operation IceBridge in March 2011. Credit: NASA

Explore the Earth Systems Observatory

El Niño can add to the heat

El Niño occurs when the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become warmer than normal. This periodic ocean warming can add to the long-term global warming that has already accumulated, making a hot year even hotter. That’s because ocean temperatures are major drivers of global temperatures, as seen in 2023 . A visualization showing sea surface height anomalies in the Pacific Ocean in June 2023 based on satellite data. The red and orange colors show a higher-than-normal sea surface height. The blue areas were lower than normal. Credit: NASA

Read More About 2023's Record Heat

Ocean circulation may be changing

Ocean currents are vital transporters of heat around the planet. As the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets melt, the excess fresh water running into the ocean could disrupt the balance of temperature and salinity that drive deep ocean currents. NASA satellite mission s are monitoring the ocean for changes in heat transport as glaciers continue to melt and the ocean warms. Clouds trace out islands in the Caribbean Sea in this photo taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station.  Credit: NASA

Read More About Ocean Circulation

Key Satellites and Missions

Aqua is collecting data about Earth's water cycle.

Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO)

GRACE-FO is tracking Earth’s water movement across the planet.

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich is measuring the height of the ocean.

Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT)

SWOT is providing the first global survey of Earth’s surface water and measuring how it is changing over time.

Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE)

PACE is measuring key variables related to cloud formation, particles and pollutants in the air, and microscopic, floating marine life.

Earth System Observatory

NASA’s Earth System Observatory is a series of satellites working in tandem to create a 3D, holistic view of Earth, from bedrock to atmosphere.

Latest News and Research

Nasa mission flies over arctic to study sea ice melt causes.

How NASA Spotted El Niño Changing the Saltiness of Coastal Waters

Vanishing corals: nasa data helps track coral reefs.

Is the Wilkins Ice Shelf Weakening?

Key ocean and climate resources.

NASA Sea Level Change

NASA’s Sea Level Change portal provides key data, stories, and tools related to NASA’s sea level research.

NASA Earthdata - Ocean

NASA’s Earthdata provides open access to ocean and other datasets produced by NASA satellites and its partners.

Estimating Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) Consortium

ECCO combines state-of-the-art ocean circulation models with global ocean datasets to estimate ocean circulation and its role in the climate.

State of the Ocean on NASA Worldview

NASA Worldview State of the Ocean visualizes real data from satellites to show sea surface temperatures and anomalies, and chlorophyll on a daily basis.

Ocean Color

Ocean Color provides key data, stories, and tools related to NASA’s Ocean Biology Processing Group’s research.

Climate Kids

The ocean covers about 70% of Earth’s surface. So, it’s not surprising that it plays a large part in Earth’s environment. As Earth warms, water in the ocean soaks up energy (heat) and distributes it more evenly across the planet. The ocean also absorbs carbon dioxide from Earth’s atmosphere. The additional heat and carbon dioxide in the ocean can change the environment for the many plants and animals that live there.

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Handling waves and currents: How to stay safe in the water

The latest statistics, videos and resources on rip currents and other water hazards.

It's important to know about the dangers of rip currents before you enter the water. Do you know what one looks like and how to get out of it, should you become trapped in its grip? This photo shows a rip current, between the red arrows, in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina in 2015. (Image credit: NOAA)

• Rip current safety and information for the media
• GIS Interfaces for U.S. surf fatalities in 2024 and beach hazards and forecast offsite link
• Ocean Today - Rip Current Series  
• Ocean Today - Wave Safe Series  
• Play It Safe at Gulf Coast Beaches   
• Play It Safe at Great Lakes Beaches  
• NOAA Jetstream Rip Current site
• Rip Current Brochure ( English , Spanish )
• NWS Rip Current Safety website

Planning a beach vacation this Independence Day or for later this summer? NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) wants you to know how to stay safe when you’re in the water.

Know before you go

Have fun, but be aware of rip currents and other water-related hazards. One of the best ways to improve your odds of a safe day at the beach is to visit beaches that are protected by lifeguards. Lifeguards will post flags noting which water hazards are present in the area each day. Make sure you and your family know how to avoid danger and look for changing conditions. Keep small children in sight and within arm’s reach at all times.

Staying safe at the beach starts with you. Knowing the dangers of rip currents and other beach and water-related hazards could save your life. NWS provides informative articles, graphics and videos on the web, as well as in-person rip current safety information at many beach locations throughout the country.

More than one third of the 97 rip current and surf zone fatalities offsite link across the U.S. in 2023 happened during the months of June and July. Nearly 90% of victims from rip currents, high surf and sneaker waves were male.

Break the grip of the rip

NOAA predicts an above-normal 2024 Atlantic hurricane season . Hurricanes and tropical storms can cause rip currents and increase dangers along the beach. Whether tropical cyclones are close to the coast or many hundreds of miles away, never assume the ocean is safe —rip currents can occur in all kinds of weather. 

If you see someone caught in a rip current:

• Carefully assess the situation and get help from a lifeguard. 
• If no lifeguard is available, call 9-1-1. 
• Advise the person to follow the shoreline and if possible, throw the person something that floats. 
• Never enter the water yourself without a floatation device in effort to save someone else. Many people have died trying to rescue someone caught in a rip current.

Ride the wave or play it safe?

Rip currents aren’t the only life-threatening water hazards at the beach — waves can be just as dangerous.

Our Play It Safe videos share the dangers of wave action and rip currents, particularly along Gulf Coast Beaches and Great Lakes shorelines. 

Our Ocean Today Wave Safe video series shares unique characteristics and hazards associated with wave types throughout the nation. Learn how to stay safe wave safe in American Samoa Hawaii , the Pacific Northwest , California and the East Coast .

Knowledge is power! Familiarize yourself with the most common dangers in the locations you plan to visit, be mindful of your surroundings… and have fun!

Media contact 

Michael Musher, NOAA Communications, michael.musher@noaa.gov

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David Wallace-Wells

How ocean warming is warping the world.

By David Wallace-Wells

Opinion Writer

The world’s longest-living vertebrate is not the friendly giant tortoise, the breathtaking blue whale or the saltwater crocodile, which can terrorize the imagination of toddlers and centenarians alike. It’s the shuddersome, floppy Greenland shark, which can live to 300, perhaps even longer, its life span slowed and distended by the deep cold of the northern oceans. Greenland sharks do not even reach sexual maturity until about age 150, which means that today there are, swimming slowly through the waters of the far North Atlantic, the equivalent of preteenagers born not long after the 19th-century heyday of New England whaling, as the Industrial Revolution was just metastasizing beyond the Anglosphere. Since then, measured by weight, 90 percent of the largest creatures sharing the oceans with them have disappeared.

This is not just a parable about the warming of the seas. By the global peak of whaling, in the 1960s, roughly 80,000 whales were still being harvested for their meat each year, more than a half-century after the bowhead, right and gray whales were brought close to extinction for their blubber and oil. Ninety percent of global marine fish stocks have now been fully exploited or overfished; 81 percent of monitored migratory freshwater populations have declined since 1970. And although the total mass of humans on earth is only about 0.4 metric gigatons, the physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski writes in her hypnotic tribute “The Blue Machine,” we are collectively responsible for about 2.7 metric gigatons of life going missing from the seas — which are, after all, the only known oceans of water anywhere in the universe and the primal source of all known biology.

But the story of that warming is nevertheless astonishing, even for those of us anesthetized by exposure to the world’s rapid ecological transformation. More than 90 percent of all the excess heat trapped in the atmosphere by the greenhouse effect goes into the oceans, and while climate-conscious humans may regard this as a lucky break for life on land, the math implies a different and less narcissistic emphasis: that the planet’s water, home also to a majority of its life, has absorbed nine times as much global warming as the world above the surface we know so well — and worry over so much.

This is a problem for the blue machine — “an engine the size of a planet,” Czerski writes, driving and distributing unimaginable scales of heat and energy, life and nutrients, around the globe, while also keeping the whole climate system (and the human civilization built on it) relatively stable. Most of the time, that is: Many of modern history’s greatest ecological disasters were produced by the flickering of ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific as it shifted between El Niño and La Niña years, most significantly toward the end of the 19th century. A string of fallow El Niño harvests were so poorly managed by out-of-touch governments that they may have killed 50 million people (a share of the global population comparable to 320 million deaths today) and were later called, by the radical environmentalist Mike Davis, “late Victorian Holocausts.” This, mind you, is the “preindustrial” period we now use as a climate base line , against which are marked the perturbations of warming.

Famously, the oceans occupy 70 percent of the earth’s surface, with the Pacific alone so vast that if you consider a classroom globe from the right angle, you can see only the thinnest slivers of land. “The Pacific alone could swallow every landmass, every continent and island, and still have room for another South America,” Susan Casey writes in “Underworld,” her tour of the “shadow kingdom” of the deep seas and the 80 percent of the ocean floor whose details remain unmapped. When you look below the surface to consider life on the planet by volume, the oceans dominate even more.

The vastness is also growing — not just because of melting Arctic and Antarctic ice, which could raise global sea levels by several feet this century and many more in the millenniums to come, but also because of what is known as “thermal expansion.” Heat expands the volume of water too and to date is responsible for at least one-third of all sea-level rise.

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