• Oceans are the biggest water bodies on Earth.
• Human activities in the past few decades have greatly harmed marine life in oceans.
• Ocean pollution, also called marine pollution, is the spread of harmful substances into oceans, such as oil, plastic, industrial and agricultural waste, and chemical particles.
• Oceans provide homes for many marine animals and plants.
• Every citizen has a responsibility to help keep oceans clean.
• Marine species can thrive for a longer time if the oceans are kept clean.

Laws and Policies

• 1948: Federal Water Pollution Control Act was signed by Harry Truman to control marine pollution in the USA
• 1972: Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 passed by the Council on Environmental Quality to control ocean dumping
• 1973 & 1978: MARPOL treaty was written to control vessel pollution, especially regarding oil
• 1983: International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships enforced the MARPOL treaty internationally
• 1982: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was established to protect the marine environment and put restrictions on the amount of toxins and pollutants that come from all ships internationally.

Causes of Ocean Pollution

• Plastic waste: 4-12 million metric tons of plastic enters the ocean annually. In India, 10-12% of the 62 million metric tons of waste generated each year is plastic waste, including single-use plastics.
• Sewage: Polluting substances from sewage, rivers, or drainages can directly enter the ocean. In India, only 20% of the 80% of collected municipal sewage is treated, with the rest discharged directly into the ocean.
• Industrial and agricultural waste: These wastes are directly discharged into the ocean, causing pollution and affecting marine life.
• Land runoff: Excess water from rain, flooding, or melting can flow into the ocean, picking up harmful contaminants such as fertilizers, petroleum, pesticides, and other forms of soil contaminants.
• Ship pollution: Large scale oil spills from ships are a major source of ocean pollution, with crude oil being extremely toxic to marine life and difficult to clean up.
• Ocean mining: Drilling for silver, gold, copper, cobalt, and zinc in deep-sea mining sites creates sulphide deposits up to 3,500 meters down into the ocean.
• Littering: Objects blown by the wind over long distances, including debris and trash, can end up in the ocean and remain suspended in the ocean’s currents for years.

Devastating Effects of Ocean Pollution

• Toxic wastes, such as oil spills, can harm marine animals by interfering with their movement, feeding, and reproductive systems, and may cause cancer, behavioral changes, and death.
• Oil spills can also disrupt the coral reef cycle by blocking sunlight and causing skin, eye, lung, and liver problems in marine life.
• Chemicals from industries and agriculture that are carried into oceans can accumulate in the food chain, affecting human health through contamination of animal tissues with toxins that can cause cancer, birth defects, and other long-term health problems.
• Eutrophication, caused by excessive mineral and nutrient enrichment, leads to the overgrowth of algae and depletion of oxygen, further affecting the marine ecosystem.

Solutions for Ocean Pollution

• Stricter government regulation on industry and manufacturing
• Implement renewable energy sources to limit offshore drilling
• Limit agricultural pesticides and encourage organic farming and eco-friendly pesticide use
• Proper sewage treatment and exploration of eco-friendly wastewater treatment options
• Cut down on industry and manufacturing waste and contain landfills to prevent spills into the ocean
• Educate oneself on ocean pollution causes and make small changes at home to reduce carbon footprint
• Work together to reduce pollution and its impact on oceans
• Improve the ocean’s health