Alexandra Brewster

Professor Kathleen Tipler

American Federal Government

July 27, 2019

Serious Problem: Plastic in the Oceans

The Problem

There is no denying that plastics in the oceans is a serious issue​.​ Walking on any

beach you are sure to be able to collect as many seashells as tiny plastics​.​ 10.5 million

tons of plastic are produced every year​.​ Only 1-2% of it is recycled, and 14 billion

pounds of trash are dumped into the ocean every year​.​ It is hard to see it as a problem

when you don’t live by an ocean, or if you do, there is little pollution​.​ But millions of sea

animals are killed every year due to ingesting plastics (Marine Debris and Plastics)​.​ This

can affect humans by ingesting seafood that is contaminated​.

When plastics stay in the ocean for an extended period of time, they break down

into smaller sized pellets called microplastics​.​ This floats around on the surface of the

water, or heavier plastics will sink to the bottom (Christensen)​. ​This disrupts the beauty

of the ocean and the little citizens that live inside​.

Problem History
 This problem begins in the late 1800s when plastics were first invented by John

Wesley Hyatt​.​ But at that time, they were not a problem. In 1946, at a National Plastics

Exhibition, multiple new kinds of plastics are unveiled to aid in World War II​.​ During this

time, plastic production was increased by 300%​. ​It wasn’t until the 1960s that plastic

was first spotted in the ocean​.​ The 70s and 80s became aware of the waste and plastic

problem​.​ They realized that while cheap, it lasts in the environment forever​.​ Due to this

panic, recycling was invented​.​ It seemed like a good idea, yet plastics still ended up in

the environment and not everyone participated​.

It was also a growing concern of human health​.​ These plastics have hazardous

additives that are released into the water, which can go into fish, which humans can

ingest​.​ Most recently, scientists are worried about these additives and children, and how

their bodies will react as they grow (US Department of Commerce)​.

Expert Solutions

The National Ocean Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration says it is a problem, but it is something we can do something about​.

They say the most common items found on the beaches are cigarette butts, bottle caps,

straws, cups and plates and single-use plastic bags​.​ They suggest reducing these types

of plastics, and participating in beach cleanups (US Department of Commerce)​.

 David at EradicatePlastic​.​com says there are three solutions to plastic pollution.

First, cleaning up the ocean​.​ He suggests a large 600-meter long floating structures that

used the natural wind and waves to collect plastics in a large 3-meter deep skirt​.​ The

second is a plastic eating enzyme, called ​Ideonella Sakaiensis 201-F6​.​ It is capable of

breaking down polyethylene terephthalate, one of the most common plastics​.​ This

solution is still in its early stages​.​ The third is converting plastics to fuel​.​ He says 300

million tons of plastics are produced every year yet only half of it can be recycled​.​ An

Australian company has a system where they can melt plastics into liquid fuel, called a

‘Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor’​.​ However, it takes plastics out of the ocean, but

contributes to carbon emissions (David)​.

Sarah Engler at the NRDC has a series of steps to take that contribute to plastics

in the oceans that others may not think of​.​ Microbeads in face cleansers and body

washes can not break down over time in water​.​ Purchasing clothing items second hand

and do not throw any of them away​.​ Lastly, cook more for yourself​.​ Buying premade

meals usually comes in hard plastics that cannot be broken down (Engler)​.

Your Opinion

This is a topic I am very passionate about​.​ In December, I watched a ​Ted Talk by

Lauren Singer,​ a leader in the zero-waste movement​.​ At the time of watching the video,
I used a plastic Starbucks cups, plastic ziplock bags and plastic utensils everyday​.​ I was

so struck by this video, then my own research after, that I decided to live more

sustainably​.​ I put reusable straws and reusable sandwich bags on my Christmas list

that year and began my zero-waste journey​.

I thought it would be an expensive, but quick fix​.​ I was correct about the

expensive part, mostly​.​ I found cheap and eco-friendly solutions to my personal plastic

problems, but some eco-friendly tools are worth the investment​.​ But it took me months

to get where I am now, about 80% zero-waste​.​ I thought it would take no time at all, but

I was so wrong! One of the principles of living zero-waste is using what you have before

you switch to the sustainable solution​.​ This process was so frustrating because I just

wanted to use the “better” option but I still had to use my plastic conditioner bottle till it

was empty​.​ So now I try to encourage others to live more sustainably, usually through

social media or bringing snacks in fun reusable containers​.

I studied abroad in Spain this summer and at the grocery store, they charged you

for every plastic bag you used, if you brought a reusable bag you would not be charged​.

I think if this idea could be applied at Starbucks, Walmart or Target, we could make a

significant difference​.​ Starbucks could require bringing your own cup and Walmart and

Target could require bringing reusable bags​.​ Shopping in bulk for common household

items such as shampoo, conditioner, body/face wash, dish soap and hand soap could

also reduce a large amount of non-compostable plastics​.

 At first, I would be so frustrated when I would see people using single-use

plastics​.​ But then I realized, that it used to be me​.​ I used to use multiple single-use

plastics everyday​.​ Everyone is on their own personal journey with the earth, and no one

can judge others on where they are in that journey​.

 Works Cited

Christensen, Jen. “The Amount of Plastic in the Ocean Is a Lot Worse Than We

Thought.” ​CNN,​ Cable News Network, 16 Apr. 2019,

www.cnn.com/2019/04/16/health/ocean-plastic-study-scn/index.html.

David. “3 Incredible Scientific Solutions to Plastic Pollution.” ​Eradicate Plastic - Join the

Fight against Single-Use Plastics​, 16 Dec. 2018, eradicateplastic.com/3

-incredible-scientific -solutions-to-plastic-pollution/.

Engler, Sarah. “10 Ways to Reduce Plastic Pollution.” ​NRDC​, 6 June 2019,

www.nrdc.org/stories/10-ways-reduce-plastic-pollution​.

Lauren Singer’s TedTalk: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF72px2R3Hg

“Marine Debris and Plastics.” ​Seastewards​, seastewards.org/projects/healthy-oceans-

initiative/marine-debris-and-plastics/.

“The History and Future of Plastics.” ​Science History Institute,​ 20 Dec. 2016,

www.sciencehistory.org/the-history-and-future-of-plastics.

US Department of Commerce, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“A Guide to Plastic in the Ocean.” ​NOAA's National Ocean Service​, 20 Sept. 2018,

oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/marinedebris/plastics-in-the-ocean.html.