For decades, the continuous use of plastic has led to a large amount of plastic entering the environment, including the deep sea. This is mainly due to unsustainable production and consumption patterns, as well as insufficient waste management. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of personal protective equipment and additional packaging of plastic waste were directly discarded into the environment, further exacerbating the plastic problem and causing a year-on-year increase of 0.3% in plastic pollution.

The amount of marine garbage and plastic pollution is rapidly increasing. If there is no meaningful action, the amount of plastic waste discharged into the ecosystem is expected to increase nearly threefold by 2040.

More than half of the 9.2 billion tons of non recycled plastic produced between 1950 and 2017 were produced in this millennium, and less than one-third are still in use. Among these wastes, nearly 80% are buried in landfills or enter the environment, and less than 8% are recycled. 14% are burned and 76% are buried.

By 2060, plastic waste will double its level in 2019, and carbon emissions throughout the entire lifecycle of plastics are expected to more than double. By the middle of this century, nearly half of the increase in oil demand may be driven by plastics.

What impact has it brought?

• Marine life

Causing fatal and sub fatal effects on marine organisms from entanglement, hunger, drowning, internal tissue tearing, suffocation and hypoxia, light, physiological stress, and toxicological hazards.

Plastic pollution is the largest, most persistent, and most harmful! Accounting for 85% of marine pollution.

When plastic decomposes in the marine environment, it transfers microplastics, synthetic and cellulose fibers, toxic chemicals, metals, and micro pollutants into water and sediment, and ultimately enters the marine food chain.

Microplastics can serve as carriers of harmful pathogenic organisms to humans, fish, and aquaculture populations. When microplastics are ingested, they can cause changes in the genetic and protein structure of biological populations, inflammation, interruption of eating behavior, slowing down growth rate, changes in brain development, and a decrease in filtration and respiratory rate. It can affect the reproduction and survival of marine organisms, and damage the ability of key species and ecological 'engineers' to build coral reefs or bioturbate sediments.

• Climate

The impact on climate mainly depends on two aspects: the production process of plastic and the treatment methods of plastic waste.

The production of plastics requires the consumption of fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas, releasing a large amount of greenhouse gases. It is estimated that the global plastic production process generates approximately 400 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. When plastic is landfilled, organic matter decomposes to produce methane and other harmful gases that are more potent than carbon dioxide.

At the same time, marine ecosystems play an important role in carbon sequestration. The greater the damage caused by plastic pollution to oceans and coastal areas, the more difficult it is for ecosystems to offset and maintain resilience to climate change.

• Human health

Open burning of plastic waste, ingestion of plastic contaminated seafood, contact with pathogenic bacteria carried by plastic, and immersion of harmful substances in coastal waters

Microplastics can be inhaled into the human body through the skin and accumulate in organs.

It is not yet clear how exposure to chemicals related to plastics in the marine environment will affect human health.

• Global economy

Marine debris and plastic pollution pose a threat to the livelihoods of coastal communities, as well as shipping and port operations.

The economic costs of the impact of marine plastic pollution on tourism, fisheries, and aquaculture in 2018, as well as other costs such as plastic waste disposal, are estimated to be at least $6-19 billion.

It is predicted that if the government requires plastic to pay for waste management costs in the expected quantity and recyclability by 2040, marine plastic emissions may pose a financial risk of $100 billion to businesses. In contrast, the global plastic market size in 2020 is estimated to be approximately $580 billion, while the monetary value of marine natural capital losses is estimated to be as high as $250 billion per year.

Microplastics can enter the ocean through the decomposition of larger plastic items, leachate from landfills, sludge and air particles from wastewater treatment systems (such as wear and tear of tires and other items containing plastics), agricultural loss, ship breakage, and accidental cargo loss at sea. Extreme events such as floods, storms, and tsunamis can bring a large amount of plastic debris from coastal areas into the ocean and form accumulations along river banks, coastlines, and estuaries.

The rest are marine activities

Fishery accounts for 39% and aquaculture accounts for 14%. In addition, there are shipping and offshore operations. According to statistics on 75 shipping ships, approximately 500000 plastic bottles of water are thrown into them every year. The packaging paper and personal belongings for sea tourism also occupy a portion.