Beach Waste and Plastic in Our Seas (Contextual Research)


 70% of all the rubbish that ends up in the sea is made up of plastic (Kornei, 2017). This puts a lot of aquatic species at risk. Creatures eat and become trapped in it and it strangles plant life under the water. Litter from the sea often washes up on the shore where it's also accessible to birds and other animals. 

Synthetic textiles are the greatest cause of microplastics in the ocean, other contributors include tires, city dust, road markings and personal care products (Horiba, no date). All plastic can break down into  microplastics through biodegradation and exposure to natural elements. These microplastics scatter all over the planet. Toxic chemicals bind themselves to microplastics which create a poison that is ingested by marine animals (Bauman, 2019).

In order to reduce waste (especially plastics) from damaging our seas we can reduce use and consumption. Switching to biodegradable materials, recycling materials and ensuring all waste is properly disposed of will all help the situation.

Waste found on beaches includes items left there or washed up. These items include; plastic bottles, a variety of packaging, bottle tops, glass, fishing nets, beach equipment (towels, parasols, windbreaks, buckets and spades etc.) and many others. 

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