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Ocean Pollution
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Ocean Pollution
Ocean Pollution Issue
Oceans cover the approximately 71% of the earth’s surfaces and harbors about 1 million species (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)). They contain valuable and beautiful ecosystems that are a source of numerous benefits, including fresh foods and careers for thousands of people living in the vicinity of the beaches. Oceans are sources of seafood such as finfish, marine mammals, crustaceans, reptiles, mollusks, and seaweed. In addition, several industries have been established as a result of the existence of these beautiful bodies. Tourism, oil companies, mariculture, and fishery are sectors that offer jobs to millions of individuals across the world (NOAA, 2011). Nevertheless, the oceans are not in peace as they appear to be. The world population has tremendously grown, which has been accompanied by a massive generation of waste products both from homes and industries. A large portion of such waste is being directed to the oceans, leading to severe destruction of marine ecosystems. Ocean pollution is a problem that has plagued various countries around the world for a long time now (Christofersen and Cummins, 2009).
Causes of Ocean Pollution
The main sources of ocean pollution include nonpoint pollutants that originate from the big industries such as oil and sewerage companies. The other major sources of ocean pollution are nonpoint pollutants, which mainly consist of herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers. They are referred to as nonpoint because they are not directly dumped into the ocean, but carried from the farms by surface runoff during the rainy days (Clair, & Cummins, 2009). Human-created wastes such as plastic products have severely affected marine life for a long time. The increased use of plastic products has resulted in a massive disposal problem due to their non-biodegradable nature. Normally, plastic cans and papers take several years before they completely disappear. According to the United Nations Regional Information Center, about 12 million barrels of oil are used to manufacture approximately 102 billion plastic bags every year in the United States (Eriksen et al., 2014). Moreover, around 2.4 tons of plastic and bottles are disposed of annually all over the world.
Effects
Ocean pollution is a cause for concern due to the adverse effects it has on the marine ecosystems. For instance, disposal of the raw sewage from the ships and sewerage companies forms a large part of the waste dumped into the oceans (Han & Liu, 2014). Raw sewage disposal has severe repercussions on marine life because of its high levels of nitrogen. Nitrogen compounds such as ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites among others promote the eutrophication, a process that causes algal blooms (Han & Liu, 2014). Subsequently, there is increased competition for oxygen between the marine life and algae, resulting from the process of eutrophication, which may lead to the death of some fish and plants.
Further, oil pollution has drastic effects on different organisms living in the oceans. Water is denser than oil and once oil spills or is disposed into the ocean as the final product of various activities in the port, it floats on the surface of the water (Christofersen, and Hays 2009). In the event that a bird hunting for fish encounters this oil, its feathers may be entangled in oil, making it unable to fly or move and will ultimately die. Besides, oil on the water's surface may clog the nostrils of millions of birds, choking them to death. Various water birds such as gulls, pelicans, and ducks have succumbed to oil pollution in most of the oceans across the world. Animals and plants living underneath the water may also be seriously affected by floating oil since the penetration of oxygen is obstructed, putting the organisms in danger of suffocation (Christofersen and Hays 2009). Oxygen is crucial for the survival of organisms, both on land and in water, and in the event its levels go below the normal average, such organism's survival is put in danger.
Toxins contained in industrial waste products have killed a significant number of living organisms in the oceans (Jepson et al., 2016). One of the animal species that are under the danger of pollution resulting from toxic waste is killer whale also referred to as Orca whale. The US Marine department has declared Orca whale as an endangered species, especially due to the threats of toxins contained in the wastes spilled into the oceans. For instance, in the recent past, a killer whale was found washed up dead on the United States border shores. After conducting an autopsy on the animal, the pathologists found that a chemical called polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) was the cause of its death (Jepson et al., 2016). PCB is a chemical compound coming from the various chlorinated products utilized in different industries. Currently, only 80 Orca whales exist and discarding waste containing dangerous chemicals such as PCB will further endanger their lives. The death of these animals will lead to imbalanced ocean ecosystems, which in one way or the other will affect humans. Subsequently, it is necessary to protect Orca whales so that they do not become extinct.
Plastic pollution is another form of ocean pollution that has persisted for a long period and has had drastic effects on the marine life. This type of pollution results from the disposal of the garbage into the oceans or the blowing winds and oceanic currents carrying plastic waste products from the shores into the advanced regions of the ocean (Eriksen et al., 2014). The plastic pollution is an immense problem, considering the number of plastic products produced every year. For example, approximately one billion plastic papers are manufactured every year worldwide. What is even more shocking is the duration these products take to decompose completely. Several scientific studies assert that plastic products may take up to a thousand years to disappear from the earth. Some of the plastic wast...