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FROM TRASH TO TRAGEDY: THE UNSEEN TOLL OF POLLUTION ON SEA LIFE
Haydarova Dilbar
Student of academic lyceum.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14767080
Abstract. This article discusses the suffering of animals caused by dumping waste into
oceans and seas. As the world’s population growth, people are using more things and throwing
waste everywhere. As a result, marine animals are suffering many of them are getting sick or
dying. If continue like this, not only marine animals but also humanity will suffer greatly. I would
like to shed light on such situation through this article.
Keywords: United Nations, Ocean, Marine animals, Decompose, Plastic.
Introduction
Our ocean and array of species that call it home are succumbing to the poison of plastic.
Examples abound, from the gray whale that died after stranding near Seattle in 2010 with
more than 20 plastic bags, a golf ball, and other rubbish in its stomach to the harbor seal pup found
dead on the Scottish island of Skye, its intestines fouled by a small piece of plastic wrapper.
1.
Different types of harmful waste
One of the biggest sources of plastic in our seas is simply littering. Rubbish left on the
beach after a day out, refuse fly-tipped in our streets – all contribute to a massive problem. A lot
of rubbish comes from single-use plastics. Straws, bottles, bags, crisp packets, stirrers, coffee cups,
yoghurt pots – the list goes on. A huge proportion of our waste comes from plastics. Then we use
just once and then throw it away. Sometimes we put it in the bin, but sometimes we do not, and it
works its way into our seas or oceans. These single-use items are also notoriously hard to recycle.
According to the United Nations, at least 800 species worldwide are affected by marine
debris, and as much as 80 percent of that litter is plastic.
2.
Amount of waste dumped into the ocean
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It is estimated that up to 13 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the ocean each year
– the equivalent of a rubbish or garbage truck load’s worth every minute. Fish, seabirds, sea turtles,
and marine mammals can become entangled in or ingest plastic debris, causing suffocation,
starvation and drowning. Humans are not immune to this threat: While plastics are estimated to
take up to hundreds of years to fully decompose, some of them break down much quicker into tiny
particles, which in turn end up in the seafood we eat.
In 2018, a juvenile sperm whale was found dead on a beach in Spain; its digestive tract
contained just under 30 kilograms of plastic.
3.
Innocent animals dying due to harmful waste
The cause of death was inflammation from these many pieces, all coated in various toxins,
probably causing huge suffering to the poor animal. Scientists find about 100000 marine animals
killed by ocean plastic ingestion or entanglement each year, and this is only tip of the iceberg.
There are likely far more lying at the bottom of the ocean, who, once decomposed, will
release the plastic for other animals to encounter. Approximately 1 million sea birds also die from
plastic annually, and it remains to be seen what the toll is on humans, who ingest approximately
40 pounds during their lifetime. All of the above is unsurprising once we understand the sheer
quantity of plastic in the ocean. About 8 to 10 million tons make their way into the water every
year, and we believe there are over 46000 pieces of plastic in every square mile of ocean. As a
result millions of marine animals are becoming sick or dying.
Conclusion
Such situations are causing huge harm to humans, the environment and wildlife. If
humanity continues in this state, that is, people throw garbage into the oceans or seas. This will
cause great harm to people. To solve this problem, we need to throw garbage in special waste
containers or produce and use recyclable bottles. The protection of marine animals and the
environment is in our hands, so let’s protect them.
