This article discusses the impact of global plastics production on oceans and the environment. It explores the reasons behind the problem, effects on marine life, and possible solutions to reduce plastic pollution.
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Running Head: OCEAN SCIENCE 0 Ocean Science Global Plastics Production affecting Oceans (Student details :) 4/8/2019
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Ocean Science 1 Contents Global Plastics Production affecting Oceans.............................................................................2 Introduction................................................................................................................................2 Global Plastics Production (GPP) affecting Oceans..................................................................2 Effects of GPP on the Ocean’s living environment...............................................................3 How to restrict or stop PP worldwide and save oceans.........................................................5 Restricting Europe and China for GPP..............................................................................5 Waste management and recycling......................................................................................5 Further solidification scientific research over Ocean Science...........................................6 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6 References..................................................................................................................................7
Ocean Science 2 Global Plastics Production affecting Oceans Introduction The journal is based on reviewing few reliable and well-researched articles of top journals over a recent topic of ocean science. This paper is a detailed as well as well- structured review post reading, evaluating and analyzing the core content of relevant articles. In this way, articles review paper will be based on the modern ocean science themes. This sustainability-concerned era, is facing many globalization concerned issues and plastics oceans is one of them(IUCN, 2019). In the year2017, global production of plastics has reached 348 millionmetric tons; hence this is a critical situation for the oceans as entire waste contained plastics are getting disposed into world oceans(IUCN, 2019). Thus, this paper will highlight the issues, challengesand crisis related to globalization in the context of ocean science. Global Plastics Production (GPP) affecting Oceans In general, there are certain reasons why GPP is affecting oceans and life of marine creatures. In this context, plastic is water resistant, light, insulating to electricity and heat as well as remarkably durable(Cheung, Watson, & Pauly, 2013).Besides, plastic is very economical to manufacture. In the beginning, when plastic started being manufactured commercially during the 1950s, global people observed their enthralling propertiesas revolutionary for the world. It happened because the starting focus was on manufacturing, without even a little thought of how problematic disposal might be(Koushal, 2014).In addition, world is facing aplastic pollutionproblem all over the landscape, oceans, sea and free spaces(Law, 2017).
Ocean Science 3 Source:(Xing, 2009) In this context, as per an estimated data 18 billion pounds ofplasticswaste arrives in the worldwideoceansthrough coastal regions. The above figure is equivalent to 5 grocery bags ofplasticswaste piled up over each and every foot of coastline upon the planet. In this way,globalization in terms of plastics pollution is turning beautiful Oceans into a plastic- made soup. Moreover, if the rate of plastics’ entering into the sea every year will remain at this rate then definitely we will going to face a future having more plastics within the Oceans than fishes by the year 2050(Kasidoni, Moustakas, & Malamis, 2015). GPP is adversely affecting oceans as world’s plastic addiction as well as waste mismanagement is convicting numerous marine animals and birds to their death by poisoning or entanglement(OSIP, 2019). Hence, GPP is alsoleading to chemical contamination of the fishesandseafoodsweeatwhichisultimatelyaffectingthewholeworld’sliving mechanisms(Xing, 2009). Source:(IUCN, 2019) Effects of GPP on the Ocean’s living environment GPP is affecting oceans to a large extent that global plastics disaster is so near in future. The reason why Global plastics production has become a problem for the entire oceans of the world is that plastics are non-recyclable. The physics behind the reason is that
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Ocean Science 4 the core ingredients as raw organic materials are extracted from natural gas, petroleum, or some dead plant matters. Furthermore, above organic stuffs are purified, refined and finally altered into a simple, carbon-based chemical like ethylene or propylene. Hence, all those chemicals can be inter-linked together for creating the long carbon-chains called plastics in this world(Koushal, 2014). Source:(Law, 2017) In this way, the major difficulty while recycling or disposing plastics after its use is linked to its durability. Besides, plastics’ durable nature is extraordinary because of its long carbon-chains. Although plastic is made from organic matters, yet living things are not
Ocean Science 5 capable to digest it as well as break it down like other food and paper wastage(Robinson, 2018).Moreover, plastic’s obstinately long-chains of carbon make it incredible for even bacteria to break it down. Subsequently, plastics stay around the earth for hundreds of years.In this way, due to its non-degradable nature plastic is hugely landfilling and causing following bad impacts to the oceans: Plastic is easily entering into stomachs, blood and lungs of animals and humans in the form of micro-plastic particles. Plastics within the oceans contaminating oceans’ water as it are composed of toxic chemicals, hazardous carcinogenic, hormone-disruptive chemicals, and neurotoxic chemical ingredients. Through an excessive accumulation within the world’s oceans, plastic is affecting marine and ocean life adversely Through above mentioned micro-plastic particles, it is contributing to sea-animals health problems and deaths Plastics are causing water pollution which is causing many other kinds of pollutions subsequently. Contaminated ocean life is further producing chronic diseases among animals and humans like cancer, obesity, on-set diabetes, early puberty, cardiovascular damages and impaired cognitive functions(Koushal, 2014). How to restrict or stop PP worldwide and save oceans Restricting Europe and China for GPP As per the recent research, 64 millionmetric tons plastic is gettingproduced within Europe alone.In addition,Chinais the largest producer of plastics all over the world, as it is accounting for more than 1 quarter of the GPP. In this way, by reducing plastics production of China and Europe, overall plastic pollution in oceans can be reduced to a large extent (Xing, 2009). Waste management and recycling Waste management while using urgently evolved solutions in a combination of improved awareness, minimized plastic utilisation, as well as massively upgraded waste management can considerably improve plastic pollution within the oceans. Moreover, an
Ocean Science 6 effective way to have reduced plastic within the Oceans is to utilise less plastics at the first place(Earth Day Network, 2017). Source:(Koushal, 2014) Further solidification scientific research over Ocean Science Several National governments can increase the investments into scientific research for exploring, measuring and monitoring plastic pollution in oceans along with their impacts on planet(OSIP, 2019). Conclusion In conclusion, this paper has successfully discussed GPP in the context of ocean science as well as pollution worldwide. With the help of this paper plastic use has been identified as a wicked problem for the oceanology or ocean science. In addition, almost all possible adverse effects of plastics accumulation within oceans have been discussed in detail. Ocean life imbalance and subsequent impacts of it over earth’s living environ have been
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Ocean Science 7 researched. While discussing the main issue of global plastic pollution, effects of GPP over oceans along with few possible ways to restrict GPP have been discussed in this paper. References Cheung, W., Watson, R., & Pauly, D. (2013). Signature of ocean warming in global fisheries catch.Nature, 497(7449), 365. Earth Day Network. (2017).Global Efforts to end Plastic Pollution: single use plastics. Retrieved 09 26, 2018, from https://www.earthday.org/plasticban/ IUCN. (2019).Ocean warming. Retrieved from IUCN: https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/ocean-warming Kasidoni, M., Moustakas, K., & Malamis, D. (2015). The existing situation and challenges regarding the use of plastic carrier bags in Europe.Waste Management & Research, 33(5), 419-428. Koushal, V. (2014). Plastics: issues challenges and remediation.International Journal of waste resources, 4(1), 6. Law, K. (2017). Plastics in the marine environment.Annual review of marine science, 9, 205- 229. OSIP. (2019).Ocean Warming. Retrieved from OSIP: https://www.oceanscientists.org/index.php/topics/ocean-warming Robinson, S. (2018).Ocean Science and the British Cold War State.Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. Xing, X. (2009). Study on the ban on free plastic bags in China.Journal of Sustainalble Development, 2(1), 156.