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Ocean Pollution

Ocean pollution is caused primarily by human activities that dump industrial, agricultural, and residential waste into oceans. Major sources of pollution include oil spills from tankers, dumping of industrial waste, and garbage from land-based sources. This pollution threatens marine habitats and species by reducing oxygen in water, making it difficult for sea creatures to breathe, and destroying coral reefs. The effects of ocean pollution are already apparent through declining fish populations and mass deaths of marine mammals and sea birds. If not addressed, ocean pollution poses serious risks to both marine ecosystems and human food sources.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
252 views

Ocean Pollution

Ocean pollution is caused primarily by human activities that dump industrial, agricultural, and residential waste into oceans. Major sources of pollution include oil spills from tankers, dumping of industrial waste, and garbage from land-based sources. This pollution threatens marine habitats and species by reducing oxygen in water, making it difficult for sea creatures to breathe, and destroying coral reefs. The effects of ocean pollution are already apparent through declining fish populations and mass deaths of marine mammals and sea birds. If not addressed, ocean pollution poses serious risks to both marine ecosystems and human food sources.

Uploaded by

safrone
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ocean pollution, also referred to as marine flushing of oil tankers.

On the other hand,  Ensuring that there is no leakage


pollution, is ocean water pollution caused the ocean pollution caused by natural of crude oil from tankers by
due to dumping of industrial, agricultural, or seeps, which is the major natural pollutant, regular monitoring of vessels by
residential waste into the vast ocean body. accounts to only 8 percent of total ocean proper agencies.
Oceans are large water bodies, which pollution. Oil spills, which are estimated to  Declaring deliberate discharge of
provide shelter to millions of marine animal be close to around 900,000 metric tons crude oil by vessels and industrial
and plant species. Ocean water pollution is annually, are major pollutants of ocean waste by industries on land as an
a serious threat to the basic survival of water. offense with a significant penalty.
these marine species owing to habitat  Ensuring that garbage produced
destruction. Most of the ocean pollution Another important cause of marine by humans is treated properly
causes are land based, wherein human pollution is industrial waste dumping. This instead of just dumping it in the
intervention is involved, either directly or toxic waste contains various contaminants oceans.
indirectly. Read more on marine biology. including mercury, polychlorinated biphenyl  Ensuring that the amount of air
(PCB), and polycyclic aromatic pollution, which causes
Ocean Pollution Causes and Effects hydrocarbon (PAH). Garbage dumping, i.e. phenomena such as acid rain, is
channeling of human waste into the ocean lessened if not totally curbed.
There are several causes of ocean water as a method of garbage treatment, is  Understanding the importance of
pollution, and each cause in turn has another major cause of ocean pollution, marine life for us and making sure
several adverse effects on various life which can be attributed to sheer that we don't cause harm to them.
forms. Life forms affected by ocean negligence on our part. It doesn't just end
pollution include humans as well, but then there. The polluted air, containing gases More importantly, rather than just talking
its the humans who have a dominant role like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide about such measures, proper
in pollution of water, air, as well as land. also leads to ocean water pollution. Read
Mentioned below are some of the more on water pollution. implementation at all the levels has to be
prominent ocean pollution causes, and ensured if we intend to make the crusade
their effects on marine life forms and Ocean Pollution Effects of 'clean oceans' successful.
humans. Ocean pollution is hazardous for marine
life. Oil spilled in oceans is disastrous for These were some of the ocean pollution
Ocean Pollution Causes all forms of marine life including coral reefs, causes, their effects on various life forms,
One of the major causes of ocean pollution fish, and marine plants. Coral reefs are in
and the preventive measures we need to
is the discharge of crude oil, accidental or fact the worst affected as excessive ocean
deliberate, in the oceans. This happens in pollution and global warming threaten to take to mend the damage that has been
course of transportation of ships, when wipe them off the planet within a few more already done. We can't just leave the
these ships discharge their waste in the years. Ocean pollution leads to depletion of prevention part to the authorities, in fact,
ocean. Ocean pollution statistics give the oxygen dissolved in water, which in turn it's the steps at individual level will ensure
gruesome picture of the hazard the marine makes it difficult for various sea animals to that no further damage is caused. We need
life is facing. This problem is faced by all breathe underwater. Humans are not left to understand that irrespective of what
the oceans of the world. Transportation of out the hazardous effects of ocean
development we achieve in various
vessels carrying various ores can also lead pollution as marine life is a major source of
to pollution of the water body when these food for humans. sciences, success will always elude us
ore sediments are accidentally dumped in when we take on nature.
it. Ocean Pollution Prevention
One of the major environmental issues
Statistics reveal that approximately 45 Prevention of marine water pollution today, ocean pollution is taking a toll on the
percent of ocean water pollution is caused emphasizes on identifying the various marine life at an alarming rate. In
by marine transportation, while 32 percent ocean pollution causes and finding a oceanography, ocean pollution is basically
is caused by loading, discharging, and solution for them. These include described as pollution of ocean water due
to accidental or deliberate dumping of comes from cruise ships. Statistics reveal The first casualties of ocean pollution are
harmful materials, such as crude oil, ore or that an average sized cruise ship produces the marine species, most prominent ones
toxic materials in it. Pollution of ocean around a million gallons of waste water in a being fish and marine plants. Although it's
water leads to destruction of habitat for week. (The incidents of oil spills are lesser difficult to study the depletion of fish from
several marine animals and plants, compared to incidents of garbage dumping the ocean floor, the study of global trends
threatening to wipe them off the planet in by cruises, and hence cruises are regarded of sea birds and sea animals, depending
near future. One look at the ocean pollution as the most polluting factors, but one major on ocean fish for food, shows that there is
facts given below will make you realize the oil spill can lead to tonnes of oil being a drastic decline in fish population. Other
seriousness of the issue. dumped in the water body amassing to than overfishing, the major cause of this
much more pollution than what a single decline is regarded to be ocean water
Ocean Pollution Facts cruise ship can possibly do.) pollution.

Statistics reveal that approximately 80 Pacific Ocean Pollution Facts Ocean Pollution Effects on Animals and
percent of ocean pollution causes are land Plastic trash, floating wreckages of ships Birds
based, or human induced, to be precise. and other such floating pollutants in the Various ocean pollution facts reveal that
We have made the oceans a dumping ocean may lead to clogging of the water there has been a drastic decline in marine
ground for our waste. Here is a compilation bodies sometime in the future. One such wildlife owing to the pollution of ocean
of some of the staggering ocean pollution mass of pollutants has been created in the waters. More than a lac marine mammals,
facts for kids and adults alike. North Pacific due to transportation and including sea otters and sea lions, have
deposition of these pollutants by the North died in the very ocean, which were a major
Ocean Pollution: Oil Spills and Ore Pacific Gyre, a gigantic swirling vortex in source of food for them at one point of
Deposition the Pacific Ocean. Scientists estimate that time. More than a million sea birds, like
Large vessels carrying crude oil are the trash carpet created here has reached pelicans and gulls, have also met a watery
responsible for ocean pollution to a great the size of Texas, and is still growing. It's grave owing to the domino effect triggered
extent. Oil spills are major contributers in not that only Pacific ocean is affected, all due to the depletion of fish population in
this context, followed closely by accidental the oceans of the world are equally the oceans.
ore deposition by vessels transporting ore. affected by the menace of ocean water
Oil spills are categorized into major spills pollution. Ocean Pollution Effects on Humans
(over 700 tonnes ), medium sized spills (7 - Unlike the marine animals which are
700 tonnes) and small spills (less than 7 Ocean Pollution Effects directly bearing the brunt of ocean
tonnes). In 2008, the oceans witnessed 1 pollution, humans will be facing the
major oil spill and 7 medium sized oil spills. All this pollution of the oceans from the hazards of ocean pollution indirectly.
On an average, since 2001, the oil spill various sources is taking a toll on these Marine life is an important source of food
count has come down to 3.4 oil spill huge water bodies. Pollution in the ocean for humans, and hence depletion of marine
incidents per year, but even one major oil not only affects ocean or marine life, but life will lead to shortage of food for
spill is hazardous for the marine life. also affects the rest of the planet indirectly. humans. More importantly, the pollution is
The following are the major effects of bound to have adverse effects on fish,
Ocean Water Pollution by Cruise Liners ocean pollution on marine life, animals, which may eventually lead to adverse
Only about 20 percent of ocean pollution is and humans as well. effects on humans who consume this fish.
caused by ocean based activities. Even These adverse effects may range from
from this 20 percent, the major contribution Ocean Pollution Effects on Fish food poisoning to children being born with
deformities. It will also alter the natural
cycle of the planet which will again have a Garbage Dumping: Dumping of human
disastrous impact on humans. wastes, sewage water and plastic into the
ocean is known as garbage dumping.
One of the major pollution problems that Garbage dumping is one of the major
are faced by the nations of world is ocean causes of ocean pollution. Garbage
pollution. The oceans of the world are pollution could lead to oxygen depletion. It
becoming polluted and some of the marine could also affects the health of the marine
lives have been listed as endangered life, which in turn could affect the health of
species. When an ocean is polluted, the the human beings. Dumping of plastic
marine life is directly affected and this waste could lead to death of the fishes and
indirectly affects the human beings. Here is other sea animals such as whales, seals,
a list of pollutants that cause ocean herrings, dolphins, penguins and sharks due
pollution. to suffocation.

Oil Pollution : The main causes of oil Carbondioxide: One of the major
pollutants in the ocean are due to the oil pollutants of ocean is carbon dioxide. The
leakage of the ships and also oil spilling by gas harms the coral reefs and the free-
the cargo ships. Oil pollution of the ocean swimming algae. You must be wondering
affects the creatures of the oceans, which how CO2 would harm the ocean life. The
in turn affects the environment. It has been fumes from the automobiles such as cars
estimated every year, around seven million are the major source of carbon dioxide
gallons of oil are accidentally spilled into pollution. The carbon dioxide emitted from
the oceans of the world. The oil pollution the vehicles makes way into the ocean as
slows down the growth and hampers the acid rain.
life cycle of the coral reefs. Oil could clog
the gills of the fishes and blocks the Pollution in the ocean is a major
sunlight from being absorbed by the
problem that is affecting the ocean
marine plants as well.
and the rest of the Earth, too.
Toxic Waste: Another cause of ocean Pollution in the ocean directly affects
pollution is the dumping of the toxic waste ocean organisms and indirectly
into the ocean. Toxic wastes are poisonous affects human health and resources.
and not only cause harm to the marine life Oil spills, toxic wastes, and dumping
but also to the human beings. The fishes of other harmful materials are all
could consume toxic waste, the humans major sources of pollution in the
would in turn eat the seafood, which can ocean. People should learn more
lead to food poisoning. The toxic waste about these because if people know
from the industries, mines and farms are
more about pollution in the ocean,
dumped into the sea. The most harmful
then they will know more about how
toxic waste is lead.
to stop pollution.

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