Plastic Pollution

  Once in the ocean, it is difficult—if not impossible—to retrieve plastic waste. Mechanical systems, such as  Mr. Trash Wheel , a litter interceptor in Maryland’s Baltimore Harbor, can be effective at picking up large pieces of plastic, such as foam cups and food containers, from inland waters. But once plastics break down into microplastics and drift throughout the water column in the open ocean, they are virtually impossible to recover.

  Millions of animals are killed by plastics every year, from birds to fish to other marine organisms. Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by plastics. Nearly every species of seabird eats plastics Most of the deaths to animals are caused by entanglement or starvation. Seals,  whales , turtles, and other animals are strangled by  abandoned fishing gear  or discarded  six-pack rings . 

  Most of the plastic trash in the oceans, Earth’s last sink, flows from land. Trash is also carried to 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. Microplastics Once at sea, sunlight, wind, and wave action break down plastic waste into small particles, often less than one-fifth of an inch across. These so-called microplastics are spread throughout the water column and have been found in every corner of the globe, from Mount Everest, the highest peak, to the  Mariana Trench , the deepest trough. Microplastics are breaking down further into smaller and smaller pieces. Plastic microfibers, meanwhile, have been found in municipal drinking water systems and drifting through the  air .

Half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years. Production increased exponentially, from 2.3 million tons in 1950 to 448 million tons by 2015. Production is expected to double by 2050. Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations. That’s the equivalent of setting five garbage bags full of trash on every foot of coastline around the world. Plastics often contain additives making them stronger, more flexible, and durable. But many of these additives can extend the life of products if they become litter, with some estimates ranging to at least 400 years to break down.

Plastics made from fossil fuels are just over a century old. Production and development of thousands of new plastic products accelerated after World War II, so transforming the modern age that life without plastics would be unrecognizable today. The conveniences plastics offer, however, led to a throw-away culture that reveals the material’s dark side: today, single-use plastics account for 40 percent of the plastic produced every year. Many of these products, such as  plastic bags  and food wrappers, have a lifespan of mere minutes to hours, yet they may persist in the environment for hundreds of years.

Much of the planet is swimming in discarded plastic, which is harming animal and possibly human health. Can it be cleaned up? Plastic pollution has become one of the most  pressing environmental issues , as rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world’s ability to deal with them.  Plastic pollution is most visible in developing Asian and African nations, where garbage collection systems are often inefficient or nonexistent. But the developed world, especially in countries with  low recycling rates , also has trouble properly collecting discarded plastics. Plastic  pollution causes harm to humans, animals and plants through toxic pollutants. It can take hundreds or even thousands of years for  plastic  to break down so the  environmental  damage is long-lasting.  It affects all organisms in the food chain from tiny species like plankton through to whales.