Plastic and the Ocean

Plastic is cheap, light and strong, which is why it is used to make so many things, from toothbrushes to car parts. But the qualities that make plastic useful also make it a problem. Most plastic takes hundreds of years to break down, and a lot of it ends up in rivers and seas.

How does it get there? Some is dropped as litter on beaches. Some blows out of bins or rubbish lorries, and rain washes it into drains and rivers, which carry it to the sea. Even washing clothes made from materials like polyester releases tiny plastic fibres into the water.

In the ocean, large pieces of plastic can trap animals. Turtles sometimes mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish, which they eat. Over time, sunlight and waves break plastic into smaller and smaller pieces. Pieces smaller than five millimetres are called microplastics, and scientists have found them almost everywhere, from Arctic ice to the deepest parts of the ocean.

The good news is that many people are working on solutions. Some countries have banned certain single-use plastics, such as straws and thin shopping bags. Volunteers organise beach cleans, and engineers are designing new materials that break down more quickly.

You can help too. Carry a reusable bottle, say no to plastic you do not need, and put rubbish in the right bin. If lots of people make small changes, together they add up to a big difference.