Marine Pollution Part 1: The Dead Zone

Marine pollution is disguised in multiple forms including agricultural, industrial and urban waste. Every year 8 tonnes of plastic trash enters the sea through the land which then flows into the global circulation breaking down into smaller particles, dispersed globally.

Only 14 % of plastic packaging is recycled every year and 30 % of these goes back into the ecosystem. Micro and macro plastics are real threats to the ecosystems and the living. Dispersed plastics get ingested by the species resulting in entanglement and ingestion problems while sinking in the bottom of the sea and disturbing ecosystems.

Nutrient pollution is another threat to the marine environment, being the number one reason for algae explosions and domination of the ecosystems. Agricultural pollution result from the usage of soil with minimal organic content. Organic content, holding nitrogen and phosphorus in the water increases the quality of the agricultural products while contributing to the quality of water drained into the hydrological systems. The lack of organic content in the used soil results in eutrophication of marine ecosystems and the domination of algal species within the region.

With sustained pollution through the years, more than 400 coastlines in the world had become 'dead zones'. These 'dead zones' are known as regions of reduced oxygen content within the waters resulting in the reduction of biodiversity within the region.

An economy with zero plastic waste and changing the way producers behave is the only solution to the ongoing problem. The whole system needs to be rethought. The must-watch, mini-documentary produced by National Geographic on marine pollution achieves to capture the scale of the problem currently being faced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQTUWK7CM-Y

Scientific term definitions are available.