The Effects of Improper Waste Disposal on Marine Life: Why Does it Matter and How can We Prevent It?

Improperly disposed of waste, specifically plastic, can end up in the ocean and negatively impact marine life, and in turn, negatively impact human health. Marine life, such as turtles, have faced serious health consequences and even death from entanglement in abandoned fishing gear and consuming plastics. Larger plastic particles can break down into smaller particles known as microplastics which can harbor harmful substances (such as Bisphenol A and persistent organic pollutants) and can cause several negative health effects when consumed by marine life such as loss of nutrition, starvation, and death. Microplastics have been found in 75% of commercial fish. The chemicals that microplastics harbor could accumulate and be magnified in higher levels of the food chain, which often includes the fish that humans consume. The consequences of microplastics on human health have not been well researched, but the particles have been found in a human placenta, indicating that microplastics can translocate through humans like they translocate in fish. Taking action to reduce the number of plastics in our oceans through plastic bag bans, recycling, and organizations like the ocean cleanup, is an important step in protecting the health of marine and human life. More research must be done on the topic of microplastics to truly understand its effects on human health as it could have current or future consequences that are unknown.