The Impacts of Marine Plastics
Overview Ocean contamination by plastic pollution is a growing problem worldwide. Since plastics don’t biodegrade, they persist and accumulate in large ocean gyres (rotating ocean currents). As many of these plastics float near the surface, they are often mistaken for food by birds and fish. Plastic ingestion can lead to choking, starvation, and drowning of marine species as well as introduce organic toxicants into the food chain. The bioaccumulation of toxic pollutants in fish and other marine species through plastic ingestion also has indirect implications for public health due to our consumption of these species. In this blog, I’ll highlight the main points surrounding plastic pollution in the hopes that by increasing awareness we can collectively begin to curb our use of plastic and improve public health and the environment. Lifecycle of Plastic Pollution ...