Plastic pollution's effects on marine life

Plastic pollution's effects on marine life

Fish are sophisticated animals. Fish, mussels, and oysters all have intricate mechanisms for surviving. Marine life unintentionally ingests tiny pieces of human garbage like nano and microplastics (MPs and NPs) or swallows them whole. According to a UK investigation, microplastic contamination has been discovered in all of the marine samples.

Even without the negative consequences of plastic waste, turtle survival rates are already poor. Turtles unwittingly ingest our marine plastics, which harm their internal organs and cause obstructions, malnutrition, and death. Every day, discarded fishing gear and single-use plastic become entangled in seabirds, and MP particles contaminate all food sources supplied to chicks, making it unlikely that they will survive. Researchers discover that seabirds have plastic-filled stomachs.

We cannot survive without one another. Predators at the top of the food chain consume tainted prey that has bioaccumulated plastic pollutants. Bear in mind that humans are also apex predators.