How plastic ends up in the ocean
The harm that plastic pollution does to marine life is well documented. But how does that plastic get there in the first place? And what can we do to help? There are three main ways in which plastic ends up in the ocean: trash that falls out of bins, microplastic from products that are washed down the drain, and plastic that is meant to be ‘recycled’.
The plastic bag that’s about to fall out of that overflowing rubbish bin isn’t going to stay there for long. Once the wind picks up, it’ll blow down into the street, eventually getting sucked into a gutter. From there it will go down the drain pipe, often into a stream, which will lead to a river, and eventually into the ocean where it will pose a threat to the surrounding marine life. Everybody knows that the amount of plastic reaching the ocean each year is enormous. Some estimates equate it to one garbage truck per minute! And the harm this causes is estimated to be 200 marine animals dying each minute directly from this plastic pollution.
Did you know that 35% of plastic pollution in the ocean comes from our clothes? When you wash your clothes in the washing machine, tiny microfibres escape from the clothing and are released into the water. Waste water treatment plants are unable to filter these microfibers because they are too small, so they end up collecting on riverbeds which lead to the ocean. Just one load of laundry might release around 700,000 microplastic fibres.
The third way that plastic ends up in the ocean is from plastic that is meant to be ‘recycled’ but instead ends up polluting marine ecosystems. Less than 10% of plastic packaging in the UK actually gets ‘recycled’. The majority of plastic waste that the UK government claims is ‘recycled’ is exported to other countries (usually low income/developing ones) to supposedly be ‘recycled’. However, these importer countries often do not have the space or technology to deal with the amount of rubbish that is dumped on them. So, the plastic waste and other rubbish is either burnt - which releases toxic fumes into the air - or dumped in the open where it can then blow into waterways, and eventually make its way to the ocean.
So, what can you do to reduce your plastic footprint in the ocean? It’s simple. When you’re walking home from the bus and you see a plastic wrapper on the side of the road, pick it up! Challenge yourself to pick up one piece of litter a day, because every piece matters! Not only will you feel good because you’ve helped better your community, but you will have stopped one more piece of trash from getting to the ocean where it will harm marine ecosystems.
Next time you think about buying new clothes, think carefully. Do you really need that new shirt? Or, if you must buy a new one, how about one that is made from natural fibres such as wool or cotton? The impact of tiny plastic fibres from clothes cannot be ignored. These fibres are making their way into waterways, polluting the oceans and contaminating ecosystems. You can play a role in reducing this impact by choosing high quality clothing that lasts longer, and choosing to support sustainable, ethical clothing brands.
Recycling isn’t as good as it sounds. We don’t yet have the infrastructure to properly and efficiently recycle plastics. So until then, the best thing you can do is reduce the amount of plastic you buy. Use reusable cups, and avoid buying single-use plastics as much as possible.
