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Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to marine life. The biggest effect is physical harm or entanglement of marine animals in plastic waste like bags and drink rings, which can cause injury, strangulation, or drowning. Plastic also damages coral reefs by carrying bacteria and blocking light and oxygen, making coral 89% more likely to get diseases. Much of the plastic in oceans comes from littering and single-use plastics. It is carried to seas by rivers and currents, circulating around the world. We can help by reducing single-use plastic, participating in cleanups, recycling more, avoiding synthetic fabrics, and using less harsh chemicals.

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Kellsey Llyarah N. Altobar
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45 views2 pages

English

Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to marine life. The biggest effect is physical harm or entanglement of marine animals in plastic waste like bags and drink rings, which can cause injury, strangulation, or drowning. Plastic also damages coral reefs by carrying bacteria and blocking light and oxygen, making coral 89% more likely to get diseases. Much of the plastic in oceans comes from littering and single-use plastics. It is carried to seas by rivers and currents, circulating around the world. We can help by reducing single-use plastic, participating in cleanups, recycling more, avoiding synthetic fabrics, and using less harsh chemicals.

Uploaded by

Kellsey Llyarah N. Altobar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Topic: plastic pollution

Title: Is Plastic Pollution the Greatest Threat to Marine Life?

First, let's talk about what pollution is.

Pollution is the presence of any substance in air, water, soil, or food that threatens the health of human,
animal, and plant life.

How does plastic pollution affect marine life?

The biggest effect on wildlife is physical wounds or entrapment from plastic waste. Fish and marine birds
are becoming entangled in plastic packaging from things like plastic bags and plastic drink rings. This can
cause painful wounds, strangulation, or even drowning. Birds, mammals, and reptiles that live in the sea
but still need air to breathe can become so entangled that they cannot surface for oxygen, and they
drown.

Plastic pollution around the world has been found to kill our ocean’s coral reefs, which are an essential
part of our ocean’s ecosystems and home to thousands of species. Plastics carry bacteria, and they block
light and oxygen from getting into the coral. Coral that has come into contact with plastic is 89% more
likely to become diseased.

Where does plastic pollution come from?

One of the biggest sources of plastic in our seas is simply littering. Rubbish left on the beach after a day
out, refuse fly-tipped in our rivers, and waste blown in from our streets all contribute to a massive
problem.

A lot of this trash comes from single-use plastics. Straws, bottles, bags, crisp packets, stirrers, coffee
cups, yogurt pots—the list goes on. A huge proportion of our waste comes from plastics that we use just
once and then throw away. Sometimes we put it in the bin, but sometimes we don’t, and it works its way
into our seas. These single-use items are also notoriously hard to recycle.

How do plastics move around the world?

Most of the plastic trash in the oceans, Earth’s last sink, flows from land. Trash is also carried to the sea
by major rivers, which act as conveyor belts, picking up more and more trash as they move downstream.
Once at sea, much of the plastic trash remains in coastal waters. But once caught up in ocean currents, it
can be transported around the world.

What can we do to help stop plastic pollution?

1. Cut back on single-use plastic.

Reduce plastic use and avoid the worst ocean plastic polluters: plastic food wrappers, straws, bottles,
utensils, bags, lids, cups, and plates.

2. Help keep plastic out of the ocean and other waterways by participating in local clean-up drives.

3. Reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics. Transform waste material into something useful and recycle the
rest.

4. Avoid synthetic clothing by buying only natural fabrics and using microfiber bags to catch
microplastics.

5. Reduce chemical pollutants like cleaning detergents, laundry detergents, dishwashing tablets, and
personal care products. Buy natural ones.

"Less plastic, more life."

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