Ocean Pollution

Beth Roland

Eighth Grade Science

Team 5 Mountaineers

What is Ocean Pollution?

• Pollution: damage to the environment as a result of contamination by chemicals, biological agents, sediment, radiation, or heat

Coastal Pollution

• Coastal waters are MOST sensitive to pollution because they are:

– Heavily used– Close to sources of pollution– Shallow-water bodies– Not as well circulated as the open ocean• Coastal pollution is made up of marinepollution and marine debris

Pollution: Cause and Effect

• The introduction by man, directly or indirectly, ofsubstances or energy into the marineenvironment, including estuaries, and has the following

effects:– harm to marine life– hazards to human health– adversely affects marine activities, including fishing andother uses of the sea– decreases quality for use of sea water(World Health Organization)

Main Sources of Marine Pollution

• Petroleum (oil)• Sewage sludge• DDT and PCBs• Mercury• Point source: clearly discernable in terms of origin(municipal sewage outfall, oil tanker spills, offshore oilwell blowouts)• Non-point-source pollution: ill-defined or diffusedsources, runoff (harbors and marinas, TBT, powerboatpollution, invasive species, agriculture, forestry, urbanrunoff, marine debris, air pollution, noise pollution,dredging

Impact of an Oil Spill

• When oil washes up on a beach, it can negativelyaffect the marine environment• Oil can coat aquatic life and render their insulating fur or feathers useless

Sludge DepositorySewage sludge isthe semisolidmaterial thatremains aftersewage treatment• Much sewage sludgewas dumpedoffshore until lawsrestricted sewagedumping

DDT and PCB’s • DDT was a widely used pesticide that became

concentrated in marine fish-DDT caused brown pelicans and ospreys to

produce thin egg shells- Worldwide, DDT has been banned from

agricultural use but is still found in developing countries

• PCBs are industrial chemicals used as liquid coolants and insulation in industrial equipment such as power transformers

-PCBs enter the marine environment through leaks and from discarded equipment

-PCBs can accumulate in animal tissues andaffect reproduction

Current Laws Regulating Off-shore Dumping

Plastic in an Aquatic Environment