An estimated 14 billion pounds of debris were once dumped into the ocean every year. Merchant ships alone jettisoned 5.5 million containers into the sea every day. But laws alone are not enough to stop pollution before it begins. Compliance, enforcement, and education are crucial components of long-term trash reduction. Plastic pellets and plastic bags are often mistaken for real food by marine animals.
Ingested plastics can cause internal injury, intestinal blockage, and starvation.
Thousands of seals, sea turtles, whales, and birds die every year from entanglement in monofilament fishing line, strapping bands, six-pack holders, and other plastic debris. Floating plastic can be a menace to navigation, fouling propellers, blocking seawater intake valves, and causing accidents. Beach cleanups help document the detrimental impacts of marine debris, as well as the enormity of the problem. Such information is a powerful, compelling tool for changing minds, changing behaviors that produce debris, and changing for the better the face of our planet. All rights reserved.