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Underwater Landfill: An Analysis of Ocean Pollution World Wide

John D. Hess

First Colonial High school

Legal Studies Academy

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Abstract

This paper analyzes the global issue of ocean and beach pollution and its impact on not only the

planet but also the people who live on it. The author begins by discussing the history of ocean

pollution and how it set the planet up for failure once it began. He then touches on the most

prevalent form of pollution that riddles the ocean, plastic. From there he breaks down the local

and global laws regarding ocean and beach pollution by showing what they do and how they can

help solve the issue. The author includes the natural, health, and economic effects of this issue

along with what causes them and how to prevent them. He also talks about the case of the oil

spill Deep Water Horizon. The author ends the paper by showing the future of this issue's causes

and effects.
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Underwater Landfill: An Analysis of Ocean Pollution Worldwide

Imagine you are out on your boat and you toss your water bottle into the ocean. You just

started a 450-year breakdown cycle that can wreak havoc on the ecosystem. The oceans are

being destroyed and put in danger from human waste and pollution. According to the article

“Trash Pollution” by Ocean Health Index, human waste and garbage are found on every beach

and in every ocean without fail. A mix of plastic, paper, wood, metal, and other man-made

materials are some of the most commonly found pollutants. The most well-known and common

form of pollution coming in at 60%-80% of ocean pollution is plastic waste. A yearly

measurement of 8 million tons of garbage enters the Earth's oceans each year as estimated by the

Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas Alliance (n.d.). Per year, nearly 636,000 tons of pollution

comes from ships and other vessels; this is about 20% of annual ocean pollution; the other 80%

comes from land. Over the past 25 years, ocean cleanups have been constantly going and have

been successful. The top six forms of waste collected during these ocean cleanups are cigarettes

and filters coming in at 52.9 million lbs or 32%, food wrappers and containers 14.7 million lbs or

9%, caps, and lids 13.5 million lbs or 8%, tableware 10.1 million lbs or 6%, plastic bottles 9.5

million lbs or 6%, and plastic bags 7.8 million lbs or 5% (Ocean Health Index, n.d.). Pollution on

the Earth's beaches and in the oceans causes the destruction of ecosystems which harms both the

health of the public and the global economy.

History of Ocean Pollution

Ocean pollution goes back hundreds of years and still affects the ocean and society to this

day. The effects from what was dumped in the ocean do not just go away overnight, and that is

noticeable in today's time due to the hundreds of years of polluting the Earth's oceans.
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First Cases of Ocean Dumping

The ocean has been the home of waste disposal for many years. The different types of

waste include industrial dumping, chemical, radioactive, trash, munitions, sewage sludge, and

contaminated material. This is a worldwide issue that has been sought-after with basically

nobody looking at the negative effects on the marine environment. But that's not all, there was

less attention looking into recycling and or reusing options for the harmful waste that has been

dumped into the oceans. The idea behind dumping in coastal waterways and right off the coast

was that the oceans had plenty of room to control and disperse the waste dumped (Learn About,

2021).

An estimate of annual ocean dumping by ships and pipes formed by the National

Academy of Sciences in 1968 calculated nearly 100 million tons of petroleum products, between

two and four million tons of chemical waste, over one million tons of industrial waste, and over

100,000 tons of organic waste found in the oceans off the coasts of the United States.

Additionally, The Council of Environmental Quality presented a report in 1970 that showed 38

million tons of dredged material, 4.5 million tons of industrial waste, 4.5 million tons of sewage,

and 500,000 tons of construction debris were dumped in the ocean in the United States.

According to EPA records between 1946 and 1970 more than 55,000 containers of radioactive

waste were dumped at three separate locations all around the Pacific Ocean. Also between 1951

and 1962, nearly 34,000 containers of radioactive waste had been dumped in the Atlantic Ocean

at three separate locations (Learn About, 2021)

Plastic Waste
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According to the article “Plastic Pollution” by Dr. Max Roser and Dr. Hannah Ritchie,

per year there are 99.5 million tons of coastal plastic waste worldwide (Ritchie & Roser, 2018).

On top of this, according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy and NOAA, it’s estimated that around

the world there are currently 100 million tons of plastic waste scattered in the oceans. The

amount of plastic waste is only increasing given that in the next year it’s inferred another 60

billion pounds of plastic waste will be produced. Some areas are so heavily polluted with plastic

that the buildup is estimated to be able to cover five million square miles. To make a comparison,

that is equivalent to combining the U.S.A and India. Plastic waste needs sunlight, friction, and

oxidation to fully break down, making land the only place for decomposition. In the ocean, there

are a different three sunlight, oxidation, and the third way is animals nibbling on or eating the

plastic (Sea Turtle Conservancy, n.d.; Noaa, 2020)

According to the article “Marine Plastic Pollution” by IUCN.org, ingestion, suffocation,

and entanglement of a multitude of marine species is one of if not the most disturbing impacts of

plastic pollution in the oceans. Seabirds, whales, fish, and turtles ingest plastic due to confusing

it with their prey due to the reflective and colorful properties of plastic. Most of the animals that

ingest plastic end up dying of starvation since the plastic is unable to be broken down in their

stomachs. If they don’t die from starvation, they will be left with lacerations, infections, reduced

ability to swim, and internal injuries which can all lead to death. Plastic waste also contributes to

the formation and spread of bacteria and invasive organisms which can cause harm to marine

animals and ecosystems (IUCN, n.d.).

Local And Global Law

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The laws for ocean pollution vary throughout the world, from country to country and

state to state. Some countries are more strict on cracking down and cutting out as much ocean

pollution as they can, while other countries choose to ignore it or simply do not care. Laws being

created on a local level and global level can help to create a better and healthier ocean for

humans and animals to use, live, and thrive.

Local

The local law that best defends and protects our oceans from pollution is the state water

control law: § 62.1-44.2. According to the Virginia Code, the purpose of this law is to defend the

quality of state waters and restore all of the damaged state waters to a point that all reasonable

public uses are permitted. The goals of this law are that all aquatic life will grow and thrive;

protect the currently clean waters of the commonwealth from pollution; lower if not completely

stop the water pollution; and get rid of pre-existing pollution. This law also encourages the safe

reuse of wastewater in a way that is protective of the environment and health and promotes water

resource conservation (State Water, n.d.).

With Virginia being a coastal state, it’s important to make sure to have and keep clean

water in our rivers, estuaries, bay, and the Atlantic ocean is not only good for the state but ocean

pollution as a whole. This topic is a global issue, but given Virginia Beach’s geography, any law

pertaining to ocean pollution or clean water acts affects Virginia Beach both directly and

indirectly.

Global

The London Protocol is a global treaty to protect the oceans and waterways. According to

the EPA in the article “Ocean Dumping: International Treaties,” in 1996 contracting parties at the
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London convention ended negotiations for a new treaty that is known as the London Protocol.

The London Protocol replaced the London Convention and took effect in 2006. The London

Protocol intends to protect the marine environment by prohibiting the export of waste and other

matter that is for the purpose of ocean dumping. Dumping waste under the London Protocol is

completely prohibited. The main goals of the London Protocol are to protect the ocean

environment from harmful pollution and to promote and take part in cleanup efforts (EPA, 2021).

How is the Issue Currently: Causes and Effects

The issue of ocean pollution has been affecting the Earth and the humans that live on it

for hundreds of years and will continue for the foreseeable future. There are many different

causes: chemical dumping, human waste, and many more. Nearly all of them can be blamed on

mankind.

Natural and Health Effects

The natural and health effects of ocean pollution are noticeable due to the harmful effects

that they have on the planet. The natural effects not only destroy ecosystems and endangered

species but also harm humans. In addition, the health effects are becoming noticeable due to an

increase in disease and other illnesses.

Natural

The effects of plastic bottles on the ocean can vary, but every effect is just as bad as the

next. Some of the more notable effects are the destruction of ecosystems, a decrease in water

quality, and harmful, if not sometimes fatal effects on wildlife. Marine wildlife such as seabirds,

whales, fish, and turtles mistake plastic waste for prey, these animals die of starvation as their

stomachs are filled with plastic debris that they are unable to digest. Over 1 million marine
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animals die per year from ingesting plastic debris. While plastic waste is harmful to all marine

species some species are more harshly affected than others. Commonly, marine animals look for

food by shape, reflection, color, and size; plastic debris can mimic these animals' natural prey

due to having the same visual characteristics (IUCN, n.d.; Sea Turtle Conservancy, n.d.; Noaa,

2020).

According to the article “Marine Pollution” by National Geographic, chemical/nutrient pollution

is harmful to not only the environment, but also the health of both animals and humans due to

different human activities. This pollution is often caused by runoff from farms that use fertilizers

as well as other human activities that can cause an increase of chemicals in rivers, lakes, streams,

or oceans. The high chemical levels follow the river current out into the ocean, which can later

cause algal blooms. Algae blooms can not only harm the wildlife that is in the ocean but it is also

toxic towards humans and has a large impact on different local industries (National Geographic

Society, n.d.).

Health

Ocean pollution can also affect the health of humans and animals. It can be the root of

many different illnesses, diseases, and infections around today. According to the “International

Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health”, by Jingjing Li and Xiaohan Zhang,

discusses the effects pollution has had on California's Beaches as well as the health effects that

come with it. The California coast has an excess of animal and human waste that has collected in

the water due to the runoff. Over the past year, there have been anywhere from

627,000-1,400,000 illnesses caused by just swimming in these highly polluted coasts. Leading to

an annual number of 3.56 million sick days taken by workers in the coastal regions of California
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(Li & Zhang, 2019, p.). In addition, in the journal “US National Library of Medicine,” infants

can be affected by ocean pollution through maternal consumption. This can cause an increase in

the risk of autism, ADHD, and other learning disabilities. Pollution exposure to adults can cause

cardiovascular disease and even different forms of cancer. It can also cause harmful algal blooms

which release toxins that are collected inside of fish and shellfish. If a human were to eat a fish

or shellfish affected by these toxins, it could cause neurological impairment and even death. The

toxins can even go airborne in some cases causing respiratory disease (Landrigan, 2020, p.).

Economy

The economy is greatly affected by ocean pollution from fisheries lacking fish due to

toxic fish that are affected by the pollution. Tourist towns are affected by this. A great example

came from the “International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health” by Jingjing

Li and Xiaohan Zhang, where they discuss how the beaches in California attract 23 million

residents and another 150 million tourists each year. Not only is there pollution racked up from

human waste left on the beach, but there is also much more hidden below the “surface.” The

California Code of Regulations (CCR) is in question for its lack of compliance and poor

enforcement of the laws put in place to prevent beach pollution. This is due to the constant

coastal water pollution caused by runoff from farms and sewage pipes. The California coast has

an excess of animal and human waste collecting in the water due to the runoff (Li & Zhang,

2019, p.). With these beaches attracting that amount of people each year, the amount of money

that is spent is a great boost for the economy. Given that these beaches are so heavily polluted

though, nobody is going to want to visit a trash-filled beach flowing with sewage and runoff
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polluted water where they could get sick. If the amount of tourists that visit the California

beaches decreases due to the increase in pollution, the economy will begin to suffer.

Causes

The largest and most destructive and common form of pollution is nonpoint source

pollution. According to the article “What is the biggest source of pollution in the ocean?” by

NOAA, of all of the pollution in the world's oceans, nearly 80% of it starts on land. Resulting

from runoff, nonpoint pollution is one of the most notorious forms of pollution. Nonpoint

pollution comes from many different sources including septic tanks, cars, trucks, boats, farms,

ranches, and logging/construction zones. In a day, millions of cars drip oil all over the roads,

most of this oil finds its way to the ocean (Noaa, 2021).

Prevention

A few of the best ways to prevent ocean pollution are to save water, reduce chemical

waste, reduce plastic waste, use renewable energy, respect the ocean and its habitats, and

conserve the environment and the animals that call it home. People can also shop responsibly,

reduce pollutants, fish sustainably, practice safe boating and other such recreational activities,

and reduce vehicle pollution (Noaa, n.d.). Other ways to prevent this are to educate the new

generation about the effect of ocean pollution and to set up cleaning crews in the heavily polluted

areas of the ocean. Around the world, some groups work towards cleaning our oceans the best

they can. One group that sticks out is a Dutch nonprofit organization called The Ocean Cleanup.

According to Mongabay in the article “This solar-powered device aims to clean 1,000 rivers.

Will it work?” The Ocean Cleanup revealed the Interceptor which is a solar-powered device that

collects trash from polluted rivers. It is designed to be capable of collecting 110,000 pounds or
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55 tons of garbage in a single day, but with great conditions, these numbers can be doubled. The

Ocean Cleanup five year goal for The Interceptor is to have at least 1,000 of them in action

throughout the world's most heavily polluted rivers (Mongabay, 2020).

Case Study: Deep Water Horizon

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.), the issue in the

Deep Water Horizon case was that BP’s Oil Rig Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank killing

11 workers and resulting in the largest spill in the history of oceanic oil drilling. The rule and or

legal principle they were charged on was Gross Negligence and Reckless Conduct by BP.

Leading with the facts of the case, it started with a civil complaint from the United States in

2010. In 2012 90 million dollars in a civil settlement with MOEX Offshore 2007 LLC, also in

2012 a 4 billion dollar criminal plea agreement with BP. Going into 2013, a 1 billion dollar civil

settlement with Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling, in 2015 they ruled a maximum dollars

per barrel penalty resulting in 14.9 billion dollars in a civil settlement with BP. The case of the

Deep Water Horizon was a critical case that caused a plethora of damage to our oceans, relating

to my topic in many ways. This case negatively affected ocean and beach pollution because it is

one of the most destructive and large-scale pollution events in history. It caused death to

ecosystems as well as economic turmoil and human health problems all around the Gulf of

Mexico (Deepwater Horizon, n.d.).

The Future of This Issue

The future of this issue can be positive, with growth towards oceanic rehabilitation, or it

can become tremendously worse all depending on how mankind treats it. According to the
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Future Agenda a nonprofit org, at the rate pollutants are at now in 15 years the amount of solid

waste in the ocean could double (Future Agenda, n.d.).

Future Causes

The multiple forms of pollution that are in the oceans all carry harsh negative impacts,

but the one that will continue to affect us the most and for the longest time is plastic. Over the

span of only one year nearly 275 million tons of plastic pollution; out of the 275 million tons

between 4.8 million and 12.7 million tons are washed and or dumped into the oceans all over the

world. The amount of single-use plastic waste is the main reason why The World Bank infers

solid waste to double within 15 years. Many of the solid waste items take years to break down

such as bottles, bags, balloons, packaging, and shoes. When this waste is in the ocean, it can be

digested by many different marine animals including fish, dolphins, seals, and turtles. Nearly 267

different marine species have been found dead due to plastic and human waste blocking their

digestive systems (Plastic Oceans, n.d.).

Future Effects

The physical impact on marine life from pollution can come in many forms:

entanglement, ingestion resulting in choking or clogged digestive systems, and starvation. There

are a few chemical impacts both on the ocean and on marine life like a buildup of PCBs and

DDT. PCBs are disrupting compounds that can cause hormone imbalance and reproductive

problems in marine wildlife. DDT is a toxic carcinogenic that can be linked to many health

issues and cancer in species such as dolphins and seals. Pollution will also negatively affect the

economy. A decrease in the population of fish in the ocean will cause a drop in sales for fisheries
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and polluted waters in coastal towns will cause a lack of tourism (What Are the Long-term, n.d.;

Coastal Wiki, n.d.; Carden & Tebbutt, 2021).

Conclusion

The pollution that riddles the Earth's beaches and oceans are a serious problem destroying

ecosystems, affecting public health, and the global economy. Ever since the issue was first

raised, there have been many efforts to try to clean the oceans which have all been counteracted

by the lack of effort to stop polluting. Many people believe that the issue doesn't directly affect

them because they don't use the ocean in any way but in all actuality, it affects everyone and

everything the environment, the ecosystems, the animals are all affected. The economy, public

health, and basic recreational use are all hindered due to ocean pollution. Diseases can be formed

from ocean pollution and the chance of developing cancer can increase. All of these things affect

the current human race, but future generations will only have it worse if nothing is done. The

number of cleanup efforts does not matter if there is no effort to stop polluting; they just cancel

each other out. So for there to be a change for the better and for our oceans to begin to thrive

again, everyone needs to do their part. Stop polluting and start cleaning. It's the best shot at

finally ridding the world of the “Underwater Landfill.”

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