What a Waste 2.

16. The Global Tragedy of Marine Litter

Across the world, beaches and waterways scattered with litter are an
increasingly common sight and this marine litter has serious impacts on
the environment, public health, and the economy.
Marine litter comes in all shapes and sizes and, depending on the mate-
rial, could be damaging to human health. Some 90 percent of floating
marine debris is plastic, of which nearly 62 percent is food and beverage
packaging (Galgani, Hanke, and Maes 2015; Consultic 2013). Although
plastics have been mass-produced for only about 60 years, they persist in
open waters for decades and even centuries (Andrady 1994). Even plastics
designed to be biodegradable may not fully decompose since they depend
on factors such as exposure to light, oxygen, and temperature (Swift and
Wiles 2004), which are scarce in ocean depths. Smaller particles of plastic
from manufacturing processes could also be difficult to account for and
nearly impossible to extract.
Marine litter can be land- or sea-based and often results from poor solid
waste management practices. An estimated 80 percent of marine litter origi-
nates from land-based sources such as mismanaged dumps and landfills, storm
water discharge, sewage, industrial facilities, and coastal tourism (Arcadis
2014; McIlgorm, Campbell, and Rule 2008). Waste may also be transported
to the ocean from inland rivers. In 2010, an estimated 32  million tonnes of
plastic waste were mismanaged in coastal areas, allowing between 4.8 and
12.7 million tonnes of plastic waste to escape into oceans (UNEP and NOAA
2012; Jambeck et al. 2015). When collection systems and disposal sites are in
proper operation, waste is less likely to be disposed of haphazardly.

Photo 7.9 Spilled Garbage on the Beach

 Case Studies

Although research is in its infancy, sufficient evidence indicates that

marine litter has a detrimental effect on society. One study estimates that
costs associated with ocean-based plastic consumer waste leads to losses of
US$8 billion annually, including revenue losses to fisheries, aquaculture,
and marine tourism industries in addition to the cost of cleaning up litter on
beaches (UNEP 2014).
Marine debris affects marine life through debris entanglement, which
injures marine life or makes escaping for air or consuming food impossible
(Laist 1997). Marine litter can also be ingested by sea organisms, with nega-
tive effects on reproduction and development for both the organisms them-
selves and downstream consumers. A study revealed that marine litter was
present in all marine turtles studied, 59 percent of whales, 36 percent of
seals, and 40 percent of seabirds (Foekema et al. 2013). Plastic particles
have even been found in many species of fish and shellfish sold for human
consumption.
Marine waste is expected to grow with increasing population and rising
per capita consumption, especially in urban areas and quickly developing
economies. Several policy initiatives related to marine environmental pro-
tection and pollution have been drafted along with action plans at the
regional, national, and municipal levels to address the problem. The UN
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015, provides an
overarching framework to guide international, regional, national, and local
initiatives. Four out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals have associ-
ated targets particularly relevant to marine plastic pollution. At the national
level, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, and Singapore have
developed legislation and policies to address marine litter, but such legisla-
tion remains uncommon globally. At a municipal level, many cities are
improving waste management practices, and some are implementing plastic
bans or penalties on bottles and bags, which can reduce plastic usage and
waste if enforced.