Marine Debris and Its Types

What is Marine Debris?

Marine debris is any manmade material, which enters into the ocean, seas or other waters and which becomes harmful to the marine environment and wildlife. This debris is mostly the byproduct of pollution at sources both directly and indirectly. Marine debris in broad sense regarded as garbage and can be of different nature including plastics, metals, glass, organic waste and so on. Such items are destructive to sea life, harmful to animals and can disrupt human activities including fishing and tourism.

Due to the worldwide concern about marine litter, more and more people are working on finding out how we can preserve our waters from additional pollution and make them cleaner through novel solutions that remove anything already present. It is one of the critical elements to help combat this environmental issue we face on a global scale: knowing what the source of most marine debris is.

Common Types of Marine Debris

The various types of marine debris pose unique environmental harm. There are three main categories of debris:

Plastic Debris

Marine debris, mostly trash made from plastic (the most common form by far), litter the oceans and other waterways. Plastic waste is especially harmful because it is non-biodegradable, which means that they do not decay in nature. Instead, it stays in the water for a long time and eventually breaks down into very tiny pieces known as microplastics. These tiny pieces can be swallowed by marine animals, where fish, seabirds and even whales suffer possible poisoning, suffocation or malnutrition. Plastic debris such as bottles, bags, straws and packaging.

Fishing Gear

Another significant category of marine debris is abandoned or Lost Fishing Gear (ALFG), such as nets, lines, traps and hooks. These include lost or discarded fishing gear, called "ghost gear," that can still ensnare marine wildlife long after being abandoned. The accidental capture and entrapment of different marine species, such as fish, sea turtles, and marine mammals, from ghost fishing often results in their death. The most injurious of oceanic debris because this can stay in the sea for years, harming marine life over a long period.

Glass Debris

Although not as frequently found as plastic, glass remains a sizeable environmental problem. Glass containers, and bottles, jars can take thousands of year to decompose in the sea. Glass: Although glass itself is not a hazardous material, it has to be broken down into sharp pieces that can injure marine life and people who reach out for it. Sharp glass shards can injure sea turtles, fish and other animals, while glass may also pollute beaches.

Metal Debris

Scrap metal, tools and cans are other items made of metal that end up in the ocean. Though metals tend to be heavier than plastics and can sink to the bottom of the ocean, they still pollute. Steel that rusts will leach into the water more dangerous chemicals impacting the ecosystem. In certain instances, metal slugs can harm ship hulls or other human-made structures.

Organic Debris

Natural organic debris is made up of wood, leaves and seaweed that waterways typically flow into the ocean through rivers. Although they do break down, if sent into the environment in great numbers at one time, a large quantity can disrupt ecosystems. All that organic debris has potential to inhibit water flow and damage coral reefs, and that decaying material in the water removes oxygen from surrounding waters creating "dead zones" in bodies of water.

Cigarette Butts

The one type of marine debris you probably never even thought about are cigarette butts. These/prove items are everywhere, tiny but made of a non-degradable filter that can remain in the ocean for thousands of years. Cigarette butts, when thrown down into the water, disintegrate into microplastics that can pollute and poses a threat to the marine ecosystem. There can also be leachate of harmful chemicals into water, furthering the pollution.

Rubber and Tires

Rubber debris, particularly that from tires, is a second common marine environmental pollutant. The rubber can degrade into tiny pieces, if the contamination is a microplastic and we recorded that same thing in marine animals. On the beach and in the water, tires and rubber objects can also contribute to hazardous environments for marine mammals—risking entanglements or injuries.

CDIP-103 Marine debris and other forms of litter can have a significant impact on the marine environment

Marine debris accumulation, especially plastics, poses a major threat to marine ecosystems. Debris not only causes problems for wildlife but can also alter the entire balance of oceanic food webs. Organisms eat or get caught on the debris, and eventually die from it or from toxins that are released over time. Marine debris also has the potential to decrease beach quality, reduce tourism and impact fisheries. The increasing volume of plastics and non-biodegradable materials in oceans is a significant risk factor to marine environments and biodiversity health.

Marine Debris Mitigation Efforts

Dealing with the problem of marine debris calls for a multi-pronged strategy that consists of steps such as reduction of waste at source, enhancing waste disposals practices and creating more awareness in the society. Worldwide, governments, NGOs, and environmental groups help to curb marine debris by implementing policies and clean up programs as well as public outreach efforts. Sluggish in minimizing more operational ways to mitigate against the on-going awful aftermath of marine debris, however innovation technology is continuing the search for solutions which include ocean-cleaning devices and sustainable materials.