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It’s pretty difficult for the human mind to grasp just how vast the ocean is. The majority of our planet is covered by saltwater, but as individuals we are such a small spec on the globe that gaining some perspective as to how small is pretty difficult. In that context it can also be a challenge to understand how prominent the problem of marine plastics pollution. We know it’s littered throughout our oceans, but just how much, where does it come from, and where does it go? Answering that is what Eunomia set out to do with their recent report.
Some of the report’s findings helped dispel the idea that microplastics float around our ocean’s surface in island sized patches. Their infographic shows a breakdown of where plastics are going and which microplastics are the greatest culprits. Car tires alone account for 270 thousand tons of debris that makes its way into the ocean annually.
“Despite the high profile of projects intended to clean up plastics floating in mid-ocean, relatively little actually ends up there,” reads a press release from the study. “Barely 1% of marine plastics are found floating at or near the ocean surface.”
Just as surprising, 94% of the plastic that ends up in the ocean eventually sinks to the ocean floor, with as much as 70 kilograms (154 pounds) of plastic per square kilometer of sea bed. Eunomia never specifically points to the well known Ocean Cleanup Project, but their findings suggest that skimming the ocean surface to clear massive garbage patches will only help a piece of the overall problem. In fact many researchers and scientists, including Eunomia consultant Dr. Chris Sherrington say the best overall methods for helping our ocean pollution problems are the tried and true beach cleanup paired with policies that cut our overall plastic use.
“The charge on single-use carrier bags is a cost-effective step in the right direction, but we should be considering the same approach for other commonly littered plastic items, like take-away cups and disposable cutlery. Deposit refunds on beverage containers would help incentivize people to return them for recycling, and reduce the amount littered.”
Editor’s note: A free, full version of Eunomia’s report can be downloaded here.
