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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.
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.
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]
Volunteers collect and catalogue litter which is then collected for analysis about sources of garbage that enter the ocean. [2] For example, in 2011, 1,665 shoreline cleanup sites were claimed and a collective length of 3,144 km (1,954 mi) were cleaned, bringing in roughly 144 metric tonnes of garbage.
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.
Plastics in particular are the most common form of litter found on beaches, [5] and it is estimated that 46% of shorebirds ingest plastic in their lifetime while 26% experience entanglement. [6] A variety of effects have been observed in animals that ingest plastic, including reduced reproductive success, changes in immune function, and ...