Marine Litter - The True Extent

Extent Of Marine Litter

As a direct consequence of human overpopulation, approximately 8 million tonnes of man-made litter enters the earth’s oceans each year. Marine litter is currently responsible for the death of over 1 million seabirds every year, along with over 100,000 turtles and marine mammals, including whales, dolphins and seals. Plastics account for around 80% of all man-made waste found at sea. Across our entire planet, every square kilometre of ocean has, on average, around 18,000 pieces of plastic floating on, or close to, the surface.

The Pew Charitable Trusts, a London-based social and environmental think tank, estimates that, with no change to policy, current production or waste management practices, the amount of plastic litter entering the ocean each year will triple in the next two decades. That’s almost 30 million metric tonnes of marine litter by 2040.

Marine litter - a consequence of human overpopulation

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This topic has 5 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 2 months ago by Ripley.

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- 7 June 2023 at 9:54 am #13434
  
  Chris Lewer
  Keymaster
  
  Approximately 8 million tonnes of man-made litter enters the earth’s oceans each year, causing the death of over 1 million seabirds and over 100,000 turtles and marine mammals annually.
  
  What can we, as individuals, do to prevent or relieve this?
- 7 June 2023 at 12:39 pm #13464
  
  Freebird
  Participant
  
  I think we are way past the point where individuals can do anything to reduce the marine litter problem, or even prevent it from getting worse. It will only become less of a problem if governments take responsibility and legislate better on plastics and waste management. But to do that, they need to put the environment before profits.
  - 7 June 2023 at 1:16 pm #13466
    
    Planet Watcher
    Participant
    
    Yes, you’re right. But legislation will only address the problem and not the cause… which is too many people producing too much waste.
  - 8 June 2023 at 10:26 am #13479
    
    Ripley
    Participant
    
    For governments to take responsibility, we need responsible governments. But that will only happen if people are smart enough to vote them into office. And people need to make it clear that they want overpopulation on the agenda, so that it is openly discussed.
- 8 June 2023 at 9:32 am #13468
  
  Ocean Lover
  Participant
  
  Slowing population growth will certainly help to relieve some pressure on the oceans until we have developed better ways to both manage waste and clean up the waste that is already at sea.
  - 8 June 2023 at 9:48 am #13471
    
    DayWalker
    Participant
    
    Sure, it’s not a quick fix. None of the earth’s environmental problems are a quick fix. But yes, we need to address the cause as well as engineer ways to repair the damage. If reducing the number of people on the planet deals with the cause, then governments need to be talking about that.
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