Ocean emergency Ocean pollution Pollution has been reported to be one of the five main drivers of the current biodiversity crisis, threatening 40% of marine mammals with extinction. Our ocean may appear vast but our devastating human footprint is found everywhere, with plastic found in the deepest ocean and your local beach. Marine pollution is diverse, from tiny fibres which shed from clothes, to chemicals washed down the sink. Pollutants, including plastic, chemicals and bacteria travel from our towns and cities to our seas, as well as from activities directly in our ocean. If we don’t tackle pollution at source, these highly persistent chemicals and plastics will continue to increase in our ocean causing untold damage. That's where we come in. Deposit Return Scheme Drinks litter is one of the most commonly found items on our beaches. We are calling for Deposit Return Schemes to be urgently introduced. Sewage sludge Sewage sludge might seem an unexpected topic of discussion when it comes to the health of our oceans, but it’s actually incredibly relevant. Read on to discover the dangers and find out what action is needed. Microplastics Microplastics are bits of plastic less than 5mm in size. They’ve been found everywhere from beaches to the deepest parts of the ocean. Chemicals Chemical pollutants end up in the ocean either directly, via marine activities, or leak into rivers and other waterways on land and are carried out to sea. Wet wipes Wet wipes are one of the most common litter items we find on UK beaches. Single-use plastics Our seas are currently facing twin climate and biodiversity crises, partly fuelled by the single-use plastic problem. Cigarette butts Cigarette butts are one of the most visible and prevalent forms of litter... Water quality For more than 30 years we have campaigned for better water quality at our coast. Publications In this section you will find links to papers, publications and important documents related to our Clean Seas area of work. We're taking urgent action to safeguard our ocean's future Learn more about our campaigns Contact us Media centre Work for us Useful information Terms and conditions Privacy policy Cookie policy © Marine Conservation Society 2021. Registered charity in England and Wales 1004005 and in Scotland SC037480. Registered company limited by guarantee in England and Wales 02550966. Registered office: Overross House, Ross Park, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 7US. VAT number: 321491232. Site by Torchbox Some of these cookies are essential for the site to function, while others provide insights into how the site is being used. You can set your preferences for non-essential cookies using the check boxes below. For more information visit our cookie policy Accept recommended settings Essential cookies These cookies are necessary for our website to function. They are only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in to your account or filling in forms. Performance These cookies allow us to measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. Performance Targeting These cookies may be set through our site by third party providers. They may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. Targeting