The Impact of Marine Debris on Oceans, the Environment, Wildlife, and Human Health

Book excerpt: Plastics last for centuries in the natural environment and are found nearly everywhere on our planet. An estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans each year at a rate of about one garbage truck per minute, threatening biodiversity and accumulating in the seafood and in the water as discussed in chapter 1. Chapter 2 will examine the issues of man-made trash that is polluting the oceans, also known as marine debris. This marine debris can range from metals, glass, rubber, paper, textiles, and plastic.