The presence of plastics in the ocean has become a global crisis. Not only has it affected the marine species but also contributed to climate change. The main sources of marine plastic debris are land-based sewage, litter, unmanaged waste disposals, industrial activities, illegal dumping, and much more but the major ocean plastic pollution originates from the fishing industry and aquaculture activities. These plastic wastes end up in the ocean and break down into smaller pieces upon the influence of external environmental factors. Being non-biodegradable, these nanoparticles stick around for longer periods of time and are either ingested by marine life or swept away to the coastline.
The best possible solution to protect our oceans from plastic waste is to eliminate the usage of plastic. However, there are several small steps that can also contribute to the cause gradually:
1 . Reduce Plastic Usage
Plastic usage has extended up to such a level that now it has become a serious problem to the environment. From packaging to utensils and grocery bags to containers, plastic is everywhere. Out of all, the single usage plastic items are the most rapidly increasing plastic waste. It may include a wide array of single usage plastic items like grocery bags, straws, plastic bags, packaging, plastic cutlery, water bottles, and plastic packaging. This plastic waste may either end up in landfills polluting the environment or in the ocean harming marine life. Concerned with the increased plastic levels in the environment, many countries have imposed a ban on the usage of plastic, while many others have established concrete target plans for minimizing its usage in the near future. However, many Governments have taken a wider step but in order to maximize the effects of this step, a collective effort from people may have a larger impact on the cause.
2 . Recycling
Plastic recycling is a major step towards plastic elimination from the environment. As plastic is virtually indestructible, reducing its usage and reusing what’s already in use may be a great solution to plastic in the ocean. Also, for most of the plastics that we come across in our daily life, we can make sure it’s recyclable. As the world produces millions of tons of plastic every day, plastic recycling makes sure that the massive amounts of produced plastic waste don’t end up polluting oceans and the environment and can be converted into a useful form that can be reused.
3 . Beach Clean-ups
If you want to contribute to ocean plastic solutions, then volunteering for beach clean-up drives are the best option. Not only are the clean-up drives fun but volunteering for such causes also helps you get face to face with the problem which provides you with a deeper and practical understanding of the cause.
4 . Avoid Microbeads
The microbeads are tiny particles of plastic that have become the increased source of ocean pollution. The microbeads are present in various cosmetic products like body washes and scrubs in the form of polyethylene and polypropylene which readily end up polluting oceans through sewage and waterways. Thus, it’s important to list out such products which contain these microbeads, and their usage should be strictly avoided.
So, these are some of the important steps for putting ocean plastic waste into action.
