Original Research:

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, marine debris is “any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.”  Marine debris is composed of a few main sources: plastics, glass, metal, rubber, and derelict fishing gear.  One if the most caustic of these sources is plastic.  Plastics are used constantly in everyday life and are some of the most abundant debris in the water environment.  Debris can range from household items like straws and bottle caps to industrial size plastic sheeting.  Unfortunately, the plastic does not decompose.  It just breaks into smaller and smaller pieces as it moves through the water. This is causing problems for fish who mistake the plastic for food.

One of the worst results of marine debris is the creation of “garbage patches” in the world’s oceans.  Garbage patches are huge concentrations of marine debris spread over a specific area in the oceans.  The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is located in the central North Pacific Ocean and is estimated to be as large as the state of Texas.  It is mainly composed of bits of plastic.  Other garbage patches have been discovered around the world raising the need for some form of solution.

Marine debris has many detrimental effects to the marine environment.  It can damage habitats, be ingested by animals, and provide risks to human health all over the globe.  It is pivotal that humans discover a solution to save the world’s oceans from marine debris.  So far, the average human can help limit marine debris by being conscience of litter, recycling everything that can be recycled, and participating in local beach cleanups.  Every effort counts, but something drastic must be done to ensure cleaner oceans.