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Marine debris, also known as marine litter, is human-created solid material that has deliberately or accidentally been released in seas or the ocean. Floating oceanic debris tends to accumulate at the center of gyres and on coastlines , frequently washing aground, when it is known as beach litter or tidewrack.
There are three primary ways the public can learn about or participate in beach cleaning: educational programs, awareness campaigns, and volunteering. All modes of public engagement can increase awareness of the issue of marine litter, educate participants about marine litter and ocean conservation, and motivate behavior change.
The largest ocean-based source of plastic pollution is discarded fishing gear (including traps and nets), estimated to be up to 90% of plastic debris in some areas. [56] [57] Continental plastic litter enters the ocean largely through storm-water runoff, flowing into watercourses or directly discharged into coastal waters. [58]
Marine debris, also known as marine litter, is human-created solid material that has deliberately or accidentally been released in seas or the ocean. Floating oceanic debris tends to accumulate at the center of gyres and on coastlines, frequently washing aground, when it is known as beach litter or tidewrack.
Plastic alone contain more than 10,000 chemicals and create large problems. The researchers are calling for limit on chemical production and shift to circular economy, meaning to products that can be reused and recycled. [78] The problem of ocean plastic debris is ubiquitous.
[1] By participating in a cleanup anywhere water meets land, people can help reduce the amount of litter that ends up in our ocean. Additionally, the litter data collected by volunteers during the cleanup provides Ocean Wise and partners with essential information for addressing pollution at its source. Volunteers collect and catalogue litter ...
Ocean-based sources of plastic litter are connected with some important economic sectors in the Mediterranean: fisheries, shipping and acquaculture, [26] which generate diverse types of debris that ends up in waters. The shipping sector in the Mediterranean Sea is very important as about 15% of global shipping passes through this region.
Ocean dumping has been a problem since the 19th century. In the United States, it was legal to dump industrial waste into the ocean until the Ocean Dumping Act was passed in 1972. During the years of 1970 and 1980 alone, it was estimated that 25 million tons of waste including scrap metal, chemicals, and acids were dumped into the ocean.