Skip to content
Our planet is under threat. Annually, the ocean is exposed to various marine pollutants such as plastic debris, food packaging, fishing items, glass, metal and more plastic remnants. The rubbish problem in our ocean is increasingly getting complicated that requires immediate and long-term solutions.
According to UNESCO’s marine pollution figure, over 220 million tons of plastic are produced yearly. And out of the million tons of marine debris floating in our ocean, 80% of these rubbish items are generated by land-based activities. Surprisingly, there are plenty of simple solutions that we can do even in the comforts of our home to help resolve, reduce and cut back plastic pollution and other marine debris drifting in our world’s waterways.
The following are the common rubbish items found in our ocean, also called marine debris.
- Plastic bottles, bags, packaging
- Crates
- Buckets
- Fishing nets and gear
- Cigarette butts
- Plastic microbeads
- Rope
- Packing materials
The Australian Government: Key Threatening Process
“Injury and fatality to vertebrate marine life caused by ingestion of, or entanglement in, harmful marine debris.” In response to the marine pollution that significantly contributes to the marine biodiversity’s decline; the Australian Government made a central piece of environmental legislation under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
This framework will help legally manage and protect national and even international ecological communities and other heritage places as matters of national environmental significance.
How Marine Debris Threatens Our Marine Life?
As marine pollution drifts in our ocean, marine mammals and other sea creatures can be severely injured or worse die from entanglement and ingestion of plastic remnants.
- Entanglement. Restricts marine animals mobility, constricts circulation that will lead to asphyxiation, amputation, drowning and smothering.
- Ingestion. Marine animals often confuse plastic remnants as food. This marine debris can block their digestive system.
Facts: Rubbish in the Ocean
- The largest rubbish site on the planet is located in The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
- In 1950, the world produced 2 million tonnes of rubbish in the ocean. With each year passing by, the production of plastic waste has increased over 200-fold. And in 2015, we’ve reached 381 million tonnes of plastic waste.
- Plastics will degrade after 500 to 1000 years. Check out the following marine debris and how long it will take them to degrade in our ocean.
-
- Aluminium 200 years
- Styrofoam cups 50 years
- Nappies 450 years
- Plastic bottles 450 years
- Fishing lines 600 years
How can you help resolve the rubbish in the ocean problem?
We are all part of this planet and we need to take part in resolving the increasing rubbish problem in the ocean. Even in the simplest way, one or two out of this list of solutions can contribute to the growing number of marine pollutants in our ocean. Your small contribution is already a big step forward to a significant change in the future.
- Proper rubbish recycling management
- Reduce or eliminate single-use of plastics
- Avoid as much as possible products that contain microbeads
- Support organisations that address environmental pollution
- Hire a reliable rubbish removal company
Call your trusted rubbish removal company in Sydney
Aussie Junk provides the best and high-quality rubbish removal services in Sydney. We are a team of professional removalists that address proper rubbish removal management. Our rubbish removal is EPA-compliant and diverts your waste as much as possible away from our landfill.
We understand how negatively the environment will degrade if we dispose of all your wastes irresponsibly. Give us a call at 0435 569 921 for proper rubbish removal management.
Don’t let your plastic waste and other land-based generated waste drift in our ocean. Call us today and we will give you a free quote on all our rubbish removal services.
