Ocean Trash Facts
The world’s oceans cover around 71% of the planet’s surface and are home to marine and plant life that form an important ecosystem. Sadly, billions of pounds of trash enter the oceans every year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), causing significant harm to the environment.
Plastic is the prime type of trash that ends up in our oceans with estimates of 171 trillion pieces of plastic floating around, according to scientists. Other common garbage that makes its way into the ocean includes oil, wood, and glass.
We’ve pulled together many ocean waste facts and statistics from across the world. These show the severity of the issue and the importance of recycling and disposing of garbage responsibly from businesses and households to improve things and protect the seas. Dive into some shocking facts about trash in the ocean.
Contents
How much garbage
is in the ocean?
It’s hard to say exactly how much garbage is in the ocean due to its size, different trash types, the many entry points, and the fact that waste floats around. Many ocean garbage facts focus on a specific waste stream with it estimated that there are between 75 and 199 million tons of plastic waste in the ocean.
However, it’s believed that at least 80% of the ocean remains unexplored, mapped, or seen by humans. This means there could be lots more garbage that’s sunk or floated into parts of the oceans that we simply haven’t studied or seen.
How much trash is dumped
in the ocean every year?
Estimates vary about how much trash is dumped in the ocean every year based on different materials:
- Up to and possibly more than 12 million metric tons (around 26 billion pounds) of plastic are dumped in the ocean every year
- Between 210 and 340 million gallons of oil enter the oceans annually
- Some studies claim 7 million cubic meters of wood could enter the ocean each year (around 166 million cubic feet)
According to the National Park Service, every year 14 billion pounds of tires, cardboard boxes, plastic cups, and other trash end up in the ocean.
How much trash is dumped
in the ocean every day?
There’s no specific number for the amount of trash dumped in the ocean daily. Estimates of the volume of garbage that ends up in our seas vary based on the material. However, it’s generally stated as a rough estimate that the equivalent of 2,000 truckloads of trash are dumped into the ocean every day worldwide.
How does trash get into the ocean?
Trash gets into the ocean due to human activities and mismanagement of garbage. These are the main ways that waste gets into our oceans:
- Runoff from farms, vehicles, landfills, and other places as rainwater washes oil and other pollutants into the ocean and waterways
- Direct littering and dumping of waste in the sea and on beaches that gets washed into the ocean
- Dumping fishing gear directly into the ocean (including fishing nets, lines, and abandoned vessels)
- Damaged and lost shipping containers into the sea that release their contents
- Storm water discharge
- Extreme weather, such as hurricanes and tsunamis, blowing trash into the ocean
How does trash affect the ocean?
Trash harms the ocean in many ways. It has a direct impact on sea life, including fish and mammals as they may mistake garbage for food and ingest it. This can hurt or kill them as it’s estimated that 100,000 marine mammals and more than a million marine animals die annually due to plastic pollution in the ocean.
They can also get entangled in plastic waste (including discarded fishing lines) that causes them to die. Any fish caught for human consumption that has ingested trash can be unsafe to eat and affect human health. Large volumes of trash in the ocean can also impact navigation safety for marine life and humans.
Garbage in the ocean contributes to hypoxic zones (also known as dead zones). There are currently more than 500 dead zones in our oceans. These are areas with really low oxygen levels that cause animal and plant life to suffocate and die, which negatively impacts the marine ecosystem.
Statistics and facts about
trash in the ocean
These are some important statistics and facts about trash in the ocean:
- 80% of marine pollution is due to plastic waste, according to the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
- It’s predicted that by 2050 the amount of plastic in the ocean will outweigh all the fish
- Oil spills are responsible for only 12% of oil in the oceans – runoff from roads, rivers, and drainpipes account for two to three times as much oil in our oceans
- One in three fish caught for eating contains plastic
- Marine plastic pollution kills 100,000marine mammals and one million sea birds each year
- It’s estimated that 94% of plastic pollution has already sunk to the seafloor
How much plastic waste
is in the ocean?
There are more than 171 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean currently with that amount expected to increase and possibly triple by 2040. The volume of plastic that enters our oceans is difficult to track precisely and may change every year. However, any plastic in the ocean is too much as it negatively affects the environment.
Indonesia and India are responsible for the most plastic entering the ocean and together contribute more than the next seven countries combined. The US is third in the list of countries that release plastic waste into the oceans.
These are some key facts about plastic waste in the ocean:
- A single laundry load can release 700,000 synthetic microfibers into our waterways that may then enter the ocean
- It’s estimated there could be four billion plastic microfibers per square kilometer in the ocean
- There are 21,000 pieces of plastic polluting our oceans for every person in the world
- Fish in the North Pacific ingest between 12 and 14,000 tons of plastic every year
- Of all the pieces of plastic waste in the oceans it’s estimated that around 269,000 tons float while the rest dwells below the surface
How many garbage patches
are in the ocean?
Garbage patches (or gyres) are big areas in the ocean where debris collects, such as trash, fishing gear, and other marine debris. Rotating ocean currents pull the debris in and form these garbage patches. They’re not islands of trash but collated garbage that spreads from the water’s surface to the ocean floor.
There are currently five garbage patches in the world’s oceans:
- Great Pacific Garbage Patch – the largest garbage patch in the ocean between Hawaii and California
- South Pacific Garbage Patch – to the west of South America
- North Atlantic Garbage Patch – found between Africa and North America
- South Atlantic Garbage Patch – between the southern tip of Africa and eastern South America
- Indian Ocean Garbage Patch – to the east of South Africa
How much trash has been
removed from the ocean?
The Ocean Cleanup Is a non-profit that works to get rid of plastic from the ocean. So far it has removed 22 million pounds (10 million kilograms) of trash. This includes removing floating plastic and clearing up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch while preventing more plastic from entering rivers and waterways.
There are many projects, charities, and work that aim to clean up beaches, coastal areas, and our seas by removing garbage. Therefore, it’s difficult to quantify the exact amount of trash removed from the oceans.
How much waste do cruise
ships dump in the ocean?
Cruise ships dump more than a billion gallons of waste in the ocean worldwide every year. An average cruise liner can dump 30,000 gallons of sewage into the ocean every day. Common waste streams include human waste, graywater, hazardous waste (cleaning fluids), oil, and chemicals.
More than 300 cruise ships are operating every day, so it’s no surprise they dump lots of waste in the ocean. In many areas, it’s legal to dump sewage from cruise ships that are three or more miles away from the coast, but it still negatively affects marine life.
Prevent ocean waste with commercial recycling
Don’t add to any ocean waste statistics by ensuring your commercial waste is stored, removed, and disposed of responsibly. Recycling plastic, glass, and other trash properly reduces the risk of it ending up in our oceans. At Business Waste, we can help your organization with a range of commercial recycling services.
Speak to one of our friendly team and get your free no-obligation quote for commercial recycling today. Learn how we can recycle your garbage to protect the environment and the oceans – call 888 584 2118 or contact us online.
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