Plastic Waste

At least 800 marine species are suffering injuries or dying because of plastic pollution, some of which are endangered. But the global plastics crisis is having an outsized impact on certain creatures.

Endangered green sea turtles are highly likely to ingest plastic when they see it, often mistaking plastic bags for algae or seagrass. This can cause intestinal blockages or disrupt their growth and reproduction, threatening future generations.

Sperm whales foraging for squid are known to accidentally eat plastic bags and sheeting instead. If they feel full after ingesting the plastic, they can become confused and stop eating altogether. Many sperm whales die from malnutrition for this reason, while others have difficulty swimming and collide with ships.

An estimated 90 percent of seabirds consume plastic trash, and virtually all of them will do so by 2050. Even the eggs of some seabirds have been found to be contaminated with microplastics. Albatrosses, which skim the ocean surface for food, are especially prone to unintentionally swallowing plastic.

Certain migratory species that move between polluted waters are extraordinarily vulnerable. Endangered Irrawaddy dolphins, for instance, ingest lethal plastic particles and get caught in discarded plastic fishing nets in the Mekong river basin.

Unless world leaders commit to addressing plastic pollution, countless marine species will continue to suffer often fatal consequences.

Sources

1. Pew: Plastic Pollution Affects Sea Life Throughout the Ocean

2. WWF: What do sea turtles eat? Unfortunately, plastic bags.

3. WWF: Whales and the plastics problem - the deadliest predator in the sea may not be what you think.

4. CMS: Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Freshwater Aquatic, Terrestrial and Avian Migratory Species in the Asia and Pacific Region

5. PNAS: Threat of plastic pollution to seabirds is global, pervasive, and increasing


6. Oceana: Choked, Strangled, Drowned: The Plastics Crisis Unfolding in Our Oceans


7. Conservation Letters: Plastic pollution is killing marine megafauna, but how do we prioritize policies to reduce mortality?


8. Mongabay: Not just sea life: Migratory fish, birds and mammals also fall foul of plastic


9. The New Humanitarian: How Microplastics Are Contaminating Seabirds in Remote Regions of Alaska