Plastic Particles in the Ocean to Surpass 170 Trillion, According to Multiple Studies

According to multiple studies, the number of plastic particles in the ocean will soon exceed 170 million.

In 1972, the western Sargasso Sea was widely covered in plastic particles, with an average concentration of 3500 pieces and 290 grams per square kilometer.

After 50 years, images of seabirds and other marine life entangled in or stuffed with plastic have particularly brought the crisis to the public's attention.

According to the United Nations, over 800 animal species are being negatively impacted by marine debris, which is also seriously harming many nations' economies.

To name just a few ways that businesses claim they are contributing to the issue, they have been clamoring for reduced plastic in packaging, and some even brag about using ocean plastic in their products.

However, a recent study appearing in the journal PLOS ONE shows that since 2005, ocean plastics have increased at a lightning-fast and unprecedented rate.

Plastic Particles in the Ocean

Marcus Eriksen from The 5 Gyres Institute, together with several colleagues examined a global dataset of plastic pollution at the ocean's surface that was collected between 1979 and 2019 from 11,777 stations in six marine regions: the North Atlantic, North Pacific, South Atlantic, South Pacific, Indian, and Mediterranean.

In addition to accounting for biases brought on by under-sampling, the researchers also took wind and site selection as well as other factors into account. Overall, the authors discovered a startling increase in the quantity and distribution of surface plastics in the oceans around the world, with a notable and quick rise since 2005.

They calculate that in 2019, there were upwards of 4.9 million tons, which is equivalent to over 170 million, up to 358 trillion, floating plastic particles.

Surpassing 170 Trillion

The authors note that the rapid increase from 2005 reflects the global expansion of plastic production or changes in waste generation and management. Even though they acknowledge that the results are skewed toward patterns in the North Pacific and North Atlantic because a large portion of the data was gathered there, they continue to do so.

This kind of quantitative research is crucial because it can provide a crucial starting point for addressing marine plastic pollution. The authors note that previous studies have found gains in ocean plastic over shorter timeframes, but they have mainly concentrated on northern hemisphere oceans close to the world's most industrialized nations.

Unsurprisingly, the authors are urgently urging widespread policy changes because, according to their forecast, the rate at which plastics enter ocean waters will increase by about 2.6 times by 2040 if no changes are made. To reduce the ecological, social, and financial costs of marine plastic pollution, they advocate for legally binding international policy intervention.

According to Eriksen, the research team discovered an alarming trend of microplastics in the ocean that has increased exponentially since the millennium began, surpassing 170 trillion plastic particles. This is a clear signal that global action is required right away. Eriksen adds that aggressive, legally binding UN global legislation is required to stop plastic pollution at its source.

Plastic Tsunami

In regards to the contributions of the US to the issue, the non-profit Oceana, through Christy Leavitt, the plastics campaign director, says that it is time to make significant changes for the planet in light of the 5 Gyres study's revelation of the unrelenting plastic pollution tsunami engulfing our oceans. Plastic pollution is killing marine life and choking the oceans. Leavitt also pointed out that More plastic waste is generated in the US than in any other nation.

Recent polling by Oceana reveals that local, state, and federal laws aimed at tackling the plastic crisis are strongly supported by both political parties.

Leavitt maintains that action must be taken to decrease the manufacturing and use of excessive single-use plastic and to stop the continuous flow of plastics into the oceans by elected officials at all levels of government, Treehugger reports.