What is the impact of plastic on marine life?

What is the impact of plastic on marine life?

The most visible and disturbing impacts of marine plastics are the ingestion, suffocation and entanglement of hundreds of marine species. Marine wildlife such as seabirds, whales, fishes and turtles, mistake plastic waste for prey, and most die of starvation as their stomachs are filled with plastic debris.

How is plastic in the ocean affecting marine life?

Fish, seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals can become entangled in or ingest plastic debris, causing suffocation, starvation, and drowning. Plastic waste kills up to a million seabirds a year. As with sea turtles, when seabirds ingest plastic, it takes up room in their stomachs, sometimes causing starvation.

What can we do about plastic in the ocean?

So, what can you do about ocean plastic pollution?

1. Reduce Your Use of Single-Use Plastics.
2. Recycle Properly.
3. Participate In (or Organize) a Beach or River Cleanup.
4. Support Bans.
5. Avoid Products Containing Microbeads.
6. Spread the Word.
7. Support Organizations Addressing Plastic Pollution.

Does reducing plastic help climate change?

Authors of a 2011 study from the Environment Agency in the United Kingdom assessed the life cycle environmental impacts of different bags – such as paper, plastic, and cotton – used in U.K. grocery stores. Their study found that the key to reducing global warming impact is to reuse the bags as many times as possible.

How does reducing plastic help the economy?

Plastic delivers many direct economic benefits and can contribute to resource efficiency. It reduces food waste by increasing shelf life, and its relative light weight reduces fuel consumption for transporting goods. Estimates indicate that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean, by weight, than fish.

How can we reduce the use of plastic in our daily lives?

Reducing Plastic In Your Daily Life

1. Avoid using straws. Do you really need a straw?
2. Use reusable produce bags.
3. Frequent stores that use paper.
4. Buy in bulk.
5. Stop buying bottled water.
6. Stop chewing gum.
7. Buy cardboard over plastic.

Who is trying to stop plastic pollution?

NRDC fights to protect marine life by preventing plastic pollution from reaching the ocean in the first place. One of the most effective solutions is to call on producers of single-use plastics to take greater responsibility for their products.

Who is trying to stop ocean pollution?

1. Ocean Conservancy. Founded in 1972, Ocean Conservancy is a Washington, D.C. based leading advocacy group working for the protection of special marine habitats, the restoration of sustainable fisheries and most importantly, for reducing the human impact on ocean ecosystems.

How can the government stop plastic pollution?

However, there are also several priorities at the national level concerning marine plastic pollution:

1. Rescission of National Parks Bottled Water Ban.
2. Save Our Seas Act (aka “SOS Act”)
3. Trash Reduction Act.

Does the government regulate plastic?

Bans and Fees In August 2014, California became the first state to enact legislation imposing a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags at large retail stores.

Who is the most responsible for plastic pollution?

In March, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé and Unilever were found to be responsible for half a million tonnes of plastic pollution in six developing countries each year, in a survey by NGO Tearfund.

How effective are plastic bans?

Bans aren’t Perfect, But They Still Work The upshot of the Sydney study is that the California bag ban reduced plastic bag consumption by 71.5% – a huge decrease. It also took 100% of those plastic grocery bags out of the recycling system, where they bound up machinery and increased costs.

What are the disadvantages of banning plastic bags?

Disadvantages of Banning Plastic Bags ground, in trees, and in ponds, lakes, and rivers. Plastic bags jam up recycling systems. many large cities like Chicago, Austin, Seattle, and Toronto. It takes 400 to 1000 years for plastic grocery bags to rot.