Plastic in the ocean: 187+ Statistics and facts on marine pollution

Our oceans are under massive threat. Marine plastic pollution is a big part of the problem. 12.2 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year, causing irreparable damage. But how polluted are the oceans really? And how does plastic actually end up in the ocean?

Current marine plastic statistics and facts:

Every year BeyondSurfing collects and evaluates the latest statistics and scientific findings on the subject of ocean pollution. We have now analyzed over 187+ facts, statistics and studies on ocean pollution and summarized the most important facts for you below.

What many people don’t know:

Our oceans serve as the basis of life on our planet. 97 % of the world’s water is found in the ocean and 70 % of oxygen is produced by marine plants. Find out below how dramatic marine littering is and how badly people are actually affected by pollution in the ocean.

The most important facts in brief:

Around 8 million pieces of plastic end up in our oceans every day.¹
Over 12 million tons of plastic are dumped into the oceans every year.²
79% of plastic waste ends up in landfill sites or in the ocean, only 9% is recycled and 12% is incinerated.³
Plastics make up 80 % of all marine litter examined.⁴
An estimated 5.25 billion pieces of macro- and microplastic are currently floating in the open ocean. They weigh up to 269,000 tons.⁵
The “Pacific Garbage Patch” is 1.6 million square kilometers in size, making it three times the size of France or almost five times the size of Germany.⁶
More than 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed by plastic in the ocean every year.⁷
Plastic bottles take 450 years to decompose in the ocean.⁸
Excessive marine pollution has contributed to the creation of 500 dead zones in the ocean.⁹
1 in 3 fish for human consumption contains plastic.¹⁰

1 Facts about plastic pollution in the ocean
2 Statistics on plastics in the oceans
3 Statistics on the impact of marine pollution
- 3.1 What impact does plastic have on the environment?
- 3.2 How does marine pollution affect humans?
4 What can we do about littering and plastic pollution?
5 Frequently asked questions and answers
6 References

Facts about plastic pollution in the ocean

How does plastic get into the ocean?

Two thirds of plastic pollution comes from waste that is washed into rivers and drains and left behind on beaches, in cities or communities. The rest ends up in our oceans through illegal dumping, poorly managed landfills and industries. Every year, 18 billion pounds of plastic flow into the ocean from coastal regions.¹¹

More figures and data on the sources of marine pollution:

Every year, 18 billion pounds of plastic pollution flow from coastal regions into the ocean.¹²
Two thirds of plastic pollution comes from waste that is washed into rivers and drains, left on beaches or dropped in cities.¹³
Industrial pollution, waste flushed down toilets and poorly managed landfill sites near the coast all contribute to the problem.¹⁴

How much plastic is in the ocean?

380,000,000 tons of plastic are produced every year.¹⁵
➤ 12.2 million tons of plastic parts end up in our oceans every year¹⁶

Up to 12.7 million tons of plastic parts end up in our oceans every year. The waste escapes from landfills, floats in our drains, reaches our rivers and thus finds its way into our oceans.

A large proportion of plastic waste is invisible to the naked eye. It collects in ocean eddies, on which marine life feeds. These are not only single-use plastics such as plastic bottles and straws, but also microbeads from cosmetics and fibers from clothing and tea bags.

where_swims_most_garbage — Source: Estimated weight of plastic particles in the oceans in 2014

The problem will increase tenfold if we continue to use plastic at this rate. Based on current knowledge, the effects on the ecosystem, marine life and humans may be irreversible.

More facts and figures on plastic pollution in the ocean:

Every year, 12.2 million tons of plastic parts are dumped into our oceans.¹⁷
Every day, 8 million pieces of polluted plastic end up in our oceans.¹⁸
79% of plastic waste ends up in landfill sites or in the ocean, only 9% is recycled and 12% is incinerated.¹⁹
It is estimated that there are 5.25 trillion plastic particles in our oceans, weighing 269,000 tons.²⁰
This is the equivalent of 1345 blue whales and 500 times the number of stars in our galaxy.²¹
4 billion plastic microfibers per square kilometer litter the oceans.²²
Every year, 380 million tons of plastic are produced, weighing as much as the entire human population, and 50% of it is for single use only.²³
Every minute, a garbage truck full of plastic is dumped into our oceans.²⁴
Plastic has been found at depths of up to 11 km and contaminates the most remote places on earth.²⁵
70 % of the waste sinks into the ocean ecosystem, 15 % floats and 15 % ends up on our beaches.²⁶
Various studies have found that 80% of marine pollution is caused by plastic.²⁷
Marine conservationists estimate that there are 46,000 pieces of plastic per mile (squared) in our waters.²⁸
As plastic decomposes over the course of 100 years, it breaks down into micro parts and can spread all over the planet.

How big is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

➤ The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is approximately 1,600,000 square kilometers in size.²⁹
➤ That is three times the size of France and almost five times the size of Germany.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a floating island of waste that stretches from the west coast of North America to Japan. It is about 1.6 million square kilometers in size and accumulates through an extensive system of currents known as eddies.

The western garbage patch near Japan and the eastern garbage patch on the American west coast near California and Hawaii are connected here and form a large vortex. This consists of 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic, 705,000 tons from the ocean, e.g. fishing nets, and about 56% from land-based activities. For example, when garbage is left on beaches or flushed down the toilet. This also includes poorly organized landfills and industrial waste.

The size of the vast Pacific garbage patch is shocking – these fields are said to be almost five times the size of Germany. It is extremely difficult to measure the exact size, as the fields float on the surface but in some places fall several meters into the depths of the ocean.

The effects of the large Pacific garbage patch on marine fauna are extremely serious. In addition to the large pieces of plastic that are swallowed and in which wild animals become entangled, the plastic waste in this patch blocks the sunlight for plankton and algae. Plankton and algae produce nutrients for other living organisms from carbon and sunlight. If their existence is threatened, the entire food web can change.

More facts and figures about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch:

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is 1.6 million square kilometers in size.³⁰
It is around three times the size of France or almost five times the size of Germany.³¹
It contains 1.8 billion plastic parts weighing more than 80,000 tons.³²
The spot floats between Hawaii and California and 46% of the waste consists of fishing nets.³³
This garbage patch consists of two different patches that are connected by the subtropical gyre in the North Pacific.³⁴
The subtropical gyre in the North Pacific is 20 million square kilometers in size and is formed by four currents (North Pacific, Kuroshio, North Equatorial Current and California Current).³⁵
80% of the Pacific garbage island is waste from Asia and North America.³⁶
20% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch comes from oil rigs, Pacific cargo ships and boaters dumping their waste into the water.³⁷
705,000 tons of these are fishing nets, which make up the majority of the waste. But all kinds of electrical appliances and toys are also lost from cargo ships.³⁸

About Project Ocean Cleanup

Ocean Cleanup is an organization that develops and scales technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. The organization’s goal is to eliminate 90% of floating plastic pollution in the oceans.

Last year, the non-profit organization achieved a breakthrough. 8 years after its founding and 3 years after the launch of its first cleanup system, the organization has finally been able to effectively collect plastic from the ocean with a scalable ocean cleanup concept.

During 9 test extractions, the organization collected a total of 28,659 kilograms of plastic from the ocean. Although this is only a very small part, it is also the most important, as these kilos prove that a clean-up is possible.³⁹

In July 2022, more than 100,000 kg of plastic was officially removed from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. System 002, also known as “Jenny”, has been in operation since August 2021 and has collected 101,353 kg of plastic in 45 deployments. The system has thus cleaned an ocean area of over 3000 km2, which is equivalent to the size of Luxembourg.⁴⁰

What causes plastic pollution in the oceans?

most_frequent_plastic_waste_sea — Source: Ocean Pollution Facts, Stats, and Solutions

There are numerous reasons for the pollution of the oceans. These include toxic chemicals, nuclear waste and oil spills. However, plastic waste is at the top of this list. Only 9% of single-use plastics, out of a total of 381 million tons of plastic waste per year, are recycled. The rest ends up in landfill sites or in the ocean.⁴¹

length_plastic_objects_decompose — Source: Plastic lasts forever in the oceans

Fishing fleets that leave behind ropes, lines and nets are responsible for 20% of the plastic waste in the ocean. Sea creatures often become entangled in them and are thus held captive.

80% of plastic waste is generated on land, with single-use plastic such as bags and packaging making up the largest proportion. Overflowing sewers, litter left behind by beachgoers, inadequate waste management, construction work and illegal dumping all contribute to the enormous amount of plastic entering our oceans.⁴²

More facts and figures on the causes of plastic pollution in the sea:

Plastics make up 80 % of all marine litter examined.⁴²
20% of all plastic waste in the sea comes from marine sources such as nets, ropes and lines.⁴⁴
32 % of the plastic waste found was cigarette filters, 9 % food packaging, 8 % bottle caps, 6 % tableware, also 6 % plastic bottles and 5 % plastic carrier bags.⁴⁵
60% of the materials used to make clothing are plastics (nylon, acrylic, polyester, etc.). A normal wash produces around 700,000 microplastic fibers.⁴⁶
35% of all primary plastics that end up in our oceans come from textiles – making them the largest source of microplastics.⁴⁷
4,800 million straws are thrown away in Germany every year.⁴⁸
In Germany, 9,628 million disposable bottles and 2,800 million coffee cups are disposed of every year.⁴⁹
500 billion plastic bags are used every year – the average life span of these bags is 15 minutes.⁵⁰
We consume 500 billion plastic bottles every year – that means there are 66 times as many bottles as people on the planet.⁵¹
14% of our waste consists of these bottles, less than half is collected for recycling, but only 7% becomes a new bottle.⁵²
It takes 50 years for polystyrene cups to biodegrade, 200 years for aluminum cans, 450 years for diapers and plastic bottles and 600 years for fishing lines.⁵³

What types of marine pollution are there?

1. acidification of the oceans

Our oceans act like a carbon dioxide sponge. When carbon dioxide enters our atmosphere, it is absorbed by the oceans. The positive effect of this is that our oceans mitigate global warming by reducing CO2 concentrations. However, the problem is that the CO2 content is too high. This means that the amount absorbed by the sea affects the pH value. As this changes the entire ecosystem, it is extremely harmful. Vulnerable habitats such as corals, which are home to 25 % of all marine life, fall victim to this.⁵⁴

2. plastic waste

It is estimated that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in our oceans. This amount of plastic waste poses a huge threat to all marine life. All kinds of creatures get caught in discarded fishing nets. Fish, turtles and seabirds eat microplastics, which they mistake for food. The ingestion of these products leads to the protracted and cruel deaths of millions of animals every year. Many of the animals that consume plastic are also in our food chain. This means that our waste comes back and also poisons us.⁵⁵

3. eutrophication

Eutrophication is a process in which the chemical concentration of nutrients in a body of water increases. This can either stimulate plant growth or lead to mass mortality. The latter is more often the case with pollution, which reduces the oxygen content in the water. This leads to so-called “dead zones”. The oxygen content here is so low that marine life cannot survive.⁵⁶

4. noise

In the oceans, human activities, such as seismic surveys, oil exploration, sonar equipment or bulk cargo traffic, can cause a lot of noise. Many species of marine life depend on their hearing to survive. The confusion caused by naval sonar equipment has been linked to whale strandings, for example.⁵⁷

5. toxins

So-called persistent toxins – toxins such as DDT, heavy metals, pesticides, phenols, PCBs, etc. enter the bodies of all forms of marine life in the food chain and ultimately lead to disease and death. As apex predators, we humans are naturally part of this food chain. This means that we also ingest these biomagnified toxins with our food.⁵⁸

How many fish and marine animals die from plastic pollution in the sea?

➤ 1,000,000 marine animals die every year from plastic waste alone.⁵⁹

Animal species polluted by plastic waste:

100 % of the sea turtle
56 % of the whales
40 % of seabirds
36 % of the seals

The exact number of animals that die from plastic pollution in the oceans is unknown. However, it is estimated that over 100,000 marine mammals and over 1 million seabirds are killed by plastic in the ocean every year. Likewise, 100% of baby sea turtles have plastic in their stomachs. The impact of plastic waste on marine life has become a global crisis, with so many animals mistaking plastic pieces and particles for food or becoming entangled in them.⁶⁰

Animals that ingest plastic are often prevented from eating properly as the plastic fills their stomachs. Organs also rupture or the transportation of food to the intestine is blocked by the plastic. In the Philippines, for example, a curvy mug whale was found. He was vomiting blood and had over 88 pounds (approx. 40 kg) of plastic in his stomach. Because of the plastic waste, his body began to destroy itself from the inside out.⁶¹

Plastic pollution is ridding the world of marine species, the facts show. Over 700 species are threatened with extinction, including the Hawaiian monk seal and the loggerhead sea turtle. Not only larger mammals, but also the smallest organisms can be affected by toxic microplastics that make their way through the food chain.⁶²

More facts and figures on the threat of plastic pollution:

1 million marine animals die every year from plastic waste alone.⁶³
100,000 marine animals die every year because they become entangled in plastic – and these are just the creatures that have been found.⁶⁴
100 % of sea turtles, 59 % of whales, 36 % of seals and 40 % of seabirds surveyed are contaminated with plastic.⁶⁵
More than 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed by plastic in the ocean every year.⁶⁶
700 species of marine animals are threatened with extinction due to plastic.⁶⁷
The tuna population has declined by 74% since 1970 and 1 in 4 shark species is threatened with extinction.⁶⁸
It is assumed that 90% of all seabirds and fish have plastic particles in their stomachs.⁶⁹
Sea turtles caught in fisheries in and around the patch can have up to 74% (dry weight) of their diet made up of plastic.⁷⁰
More than two thirds of the world’s fish stocks are suffering from the consumption of plastic.⁷¹
12,000 – 24,000 tons of plastic are swallowed by fish in the North Pacific every year.⁷²
Our coral reefs are home to around 25 % of all marine life known to man. If they come into contact with plastic, the probability of illness increases from 4% to 89%.⁷³

Statistics on plastics in the oceans

How many plastic bags are in the ocean?

Plastic bags in the ocean

Worldwide, this year

In 2024 This month This week Today

➤ 1,000,000 plastic bags are sold worldwide every minute.⁷⁴
➤ 100,000 marine animals are killed by plastic bags every year.⁷⁵
➤ 10% of 5 billion plastic bags end up in our oceans.⁷⁶

Today, plastic bags are one of the most controversial forms of plastic pollution. On average, they are only used for 12 minutes and over 1 million of them are disposed of every minute.

Single-use plastic is responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 marine animals every year. By becoming entangled in wildlife and mistaken for food by larger animals such as whales and turtles, plastic bags contribute to the death of many marine animals. It takes between 20 and 1000 years for them to decompose. Over the years, each bag can kill numerous animals on its way through our oceans.⁷⁷

More figures and data on plastic bags in the ocean:

Almost 1 million plastic bags are sold every minute.⁷⁸
100,000 marine animals are killed by plastic bags every year.⁷⁹
Every year, up to 5 billion plastic bags are used worldwide – that’s 160,000 per second and around 10% of them end up in our oceans.⁸⁰
If you were to line them up, they would circle the globe 4,200 times, or 7 times per hour, and cover an area twice the size of France.⁸¹
Less than 1% of bags are recycled, the rest are thrown away and often end up in our oceans.⁸²
On average, plastic bags are only used for 12 minutes and then disposed of.⁸³
Plastic bags take up to 20 years to completely decompose in the ocean.⁸⁴
It is estimated that 300 million plastic bags end up in the Atlantic Ocean alone every year.⁸⁵
A constant annual decline in plastic bag consumption can be observed. This means that consumption was reduced by 76 % between 2000 and 2019.⁸⁶

How many plastic straws are there in the ocean?

➤ Plastic straws only make up 1% of plastic waste in the ocean.⁸⁷
➤ 4,800 million straws are thrown away in Germany every year.⁸⁸
➤ 7.5 million plastic straws were found on the US coast within 5 years.⁸⁹

Statistics on single-use plastic show that plastic straws are among the 10 most common items found at the international coastal cleanup Ocean Conservancy. The heartbreaking video of the sea turtle with the straw in its nose went viral and helped launch the anti-plastic straw movement.⁹⁰

In various countries, large companies such as McDonalds have banned plastic straws in restaurants. This does help to reduce the billions of plastic straws that are used every year. However, plastic straws only make up around 1% of plastic waste in the ocean.⁹¹

More figures and data on plastic straws in the ocean:

4,800 million straws are thrown away in Germany every year.⁹²
Plastic straws only make up around 1% of plastic waste in the ocean.⁹³
Almost 7.5 million plastic straws were found on the US coast within 5 years.⁹⁴
There are an estimated 437 million to 8.3 billion plastic straws on the world’s coasts.⁹⁵

How many plastic bottles are in the ocean?

➤ 500 billion plastic bottles are used every year.⁹⁶
➤ 14% of all marine litter comes from drinks packaging.⁹⁷
➤ 16,700 plastic bottles are bought every second.⁹⁸
➤ O nly 7% of the bottles collected are used to make new bottles.⁹⁹

Perhaps the exact number of plastic bottles in the ocean will never be known. However, of the 500 billion plastic bottles we consume each year, less than half are recycled. This means that the rest ends up in our waters and in landfills.

Many of the plastic bottles used worldwide are used for drinking water. China is responsible for the increase in demand in recent years. In addition, large beverage companies such as Coca Cola produce the most plastic bottles. According to Greenpeace, it is estimated that they produce over 100 billion plastic bottles every year.¹⁰⁰

Combined with poor waste management and recycling, the high volume of plastic bottles contributes to marine pollution. These bottles can last for 450 years and are absorbed by marine life. When the plastics decompose, they form thousands of floating microplastics. These in turn are life-threatening for fish and mammals.¹⁰¹

More figures and data on plastic bottles in the ocean:

500 billion plastic bottles are used every year – that means there are 66 times as many bottles as people on the planet.¹⁰²
In Germany, 17.4 billion single-use plastic bottles are consumed every year.¹⁰³
A plastic bottle can last 450 years in the marine environment.¹⁰⁴
In 2016, more than 480 billion plastic bottles were sold worldwide, compared to around 300 billion ten years ago.¹⁰⁵
14% of all waste comes from drinks packaging.¹⁰⁶
Less than half of the bottles purchased in 2016 were recycled¹⁰⁷
7% of the bottles collected were used to produce new bottles.¹⁰⁸
16,700 plastic bottles are bought every second.¹⁰⁹

Which countries cause the most marine pollution?

marine_pollution_by_country — Source: These countries pollute the world’s oceans particularly heavily

According to Statista, China was responsible for 8.8 million tons of incorrectly disposed waste in 2010. An estimated 3.53 million tons of this ended up in our oceans. However, it should be noted that China has the largest population in the world.

Indonesia has 264 million inhabitants and produced 3.2 million tons of incorrectly disposed waste, of which 1.29 million tons ended up in the oceans.
In comparison, 327 million people live in the United States and 0.11 million tons of waste end up in the sea.¹¹⁰

which_fluids_plastic_waste_sea — Source: Our planet is drowning in plastic pollution-it’s time for change!

90% of the world’s marine litter comes from just 10 rivers. Of these, 8 rivers are in Asia and 2 in Africa. The Asian river Chang Jiang (Yangtze River) carries 1,469,481 tons of waste into our oceans every year, compared to 41,700 kilograms of plastic washed into the ocean by the Elbe. Other main polluters are Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Egypt.¹¹¹

How many kilograms of plastic end up in the sea per person_ — Source: ScienceAdvances

In the Philippines, 3.3 kg of plastic per person ends up in the ocean, the most in the world. Far behind with 0.55 kg of plastic per person is the country of Timor. In comparison, only 0.01 kg of plastic per person ends up in the ocean in the UK and USA.¹¹²

More figures and data on marine pollution by country:

The country with the greatest environmental pollution worldwide is China.¹¹³
The top 10 worst polluters include Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Egypt.¹¹⁴
The top 5 countries are responsible for 60% of all marine plastic pollution.¹¹⁵
50% of the world’s plastic is produced in Asia; 18% of the world’s population lives in China and 29% of this plastic is produced there.¹¹⁶
90% of the world’s marine litter comes from just 10 rivers.¹¹⁷
Eight of these rivers are located in Asia: Yangtze, Yellow, Indus, Hai He, Ganges, Mekong, Amur and Pearl.¹¹⁸
The Nile and the Niger in Africa are the other two.¹¹⁹
The Elbe washes 41,700 kilograms of plastic into the sea every year.¹²⁰
In the Philippines, 3.3 kg of plastic per person ends up in the ocean.¹²¹

Where does the plastic waste in the Mediterranean come from?

Countries Plastic pollution Europe — Source: WWF (2019): STOP THE FLOOD OF PLASTICWWF (2018): Ways out of the plastic trap
Ranking of rivers worldwide

Plastic pollution in the Mediterranean is caused most by the countries of Egypt, Montenegro and Albania. Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Israel contribute the least to pollution.

More figures and data on marine pollution in the Mediterranean:

There is an average of 1.25 million plastic fragments per km².¹²²
7% of global microplastics are said to float in the Mediterranean.¹²³
The plastic problem in the Mediterranean is illustrated by the 2:1 ratio between plankton animals and microplastic particles.¹²⁴
Every year, 0.57 million tons of plastic are washed into Mediterranean waters. This is equivalent to 33,800 plastic bottles entering the sea ocean minute.¹²⁵
The Mediterranean region is the world’s fourth largest producer of plastic goods, and its inhabitants and visitors generate 24 million tons of plastic waste every year.¹²⁶
The Nile is said to carry up to 3.3 million tons of plastic into the European Mediterranean every year.¹²⁷
In the Mediterranean region, up to 720 kg of municipal waste is generated per capita every year.¹²⁸
6.5 million tons of plastic produced in the Mediterranean region are disposed of improperly.¹²⁹

Statistics on the impact of marine pollution

What impact does plastic have on the environment?

In 2019, 368 million tons of plastic were produced worldwide, destroying parts of the environment. If we don’t change our plastic consumption, the impact of plastic waste on the environment will be irreparable.¹³⁰

Map with dead zones in the ocean due to plastic waste:

dead_zones_sea — Dead zones in the ocean. Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Pollution with toxic substances turns the marine environment into dead zones. The oxygen content in these areas decreases to such an extent that it leads to the extinction of aquatic plants. It also forces marine life to migrate to other parts of the ocean, disrupting the entire ecosystem.¹³¹

Marine plants produce 70 % of our oxygen. 30 % of CO2 emissions are absorbed by the oceans. So, together with the chemicals released during the production of plastic, we have a major impact on the toxicity of our air and our ecosystem. This inevitably leads to health problems for animals and humans.¹³²

More figures and data on the consequences and effects of plastic waste:

We have produced over 368 million tons of plastic – around 18 million tons of it in Germany.¹³³
Excessive marine pollution has contributed to the creation of 500 dead zones in the ocean, equivalent to the area of the United Kingdom (245,000 km²) – a number that will double every decade.¹³⁴
The lack of oxygen in the dead zones causes marine life to migrate to new areas, upsetting the balance of marine life in other parts.¹³⁵
70% of the earth’s oxygen is produced by marine plants.¹³⁶
30% of our CO2 emissions are absorbed by the oceans.¹³⁷

How does marine pollution affect humans?

Danger from the food chain — Source: WWF (2018): Ways out of the plastic trapUBA (2015)
Gonstalla (2017): The ocean book.

➤ 1 in 3 fish for human consumption contains plastic.¹³⁸
➤ Seafood lovers eat 11,000 pieces of toxic plastic every year.¹³⁹

In order to survive, humans need a harmonious relationship with our planet’s oceans – this is no illusion! 70% of the oxygen we breathe is actually produced by marine plants. What we do on land has an impact on what happens off the coast. For example, 30% of our CO2 emissions are absorbed by the oceans. Our waste disposal also has a major influence on the toxicity of the ecosystem and the animal world.¹⁴⁰

The plastics, metals and chemicals found in polluted water have an impact on humans by contaminating our own seafood and water supplies. Damage to the nervous system, low blood pressure problems, reproductive disorders or hormonal problems are just a few examples of the range of serious problems that can be caused.¹⁴¹

More figures and data on the effects on people:

1 in 3 fish for human consumption contains plastic.¹⁴²
It is estimated that seafood lovers eat 11,000 pieces of toxic plastic every year.¹⁴³
Microplastics can be found in tap water, beer and salt.¹⁴⁴
Numerous chemicals used to make plastic are known carcinogens and can disrupt the body’s endocrine system, leading to reproductive, neurological and immune disorders in humans and wildlife.¹⁴⁵
95% of adults in the USA have BPA levels in their urine.¹⁴⁶
Contamination of coastal waters is responsible for 250 million clinical cases of human disease every year.¹⁴⁷
Only one in 20 adults who bathe in waters that are considered “acceptable” by microbiological standards are at risk of falling ill after a single swim.¹⁴⁸
At the current rate, our waters will be 150% more acidic by the end of the century than they are today.¹⁴⁹
80 % of the wastewater discharged into the Mediterranean is untreated.¹⁵⁰
Contaminated shellfish is the cause of 50,000 to 100,000 deaths per year due to damaged immune systems and cancer.¹⁵¹
People who eat mainly seafood, such as the indigenous peoples of the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, are contaminated by POPs (persistent organic pollutants).¹⁵²
100% of the population of East Greenland is contaminated with blood.¹⁵³
The direct medical and health costs caused by polluted waters amount to 16 billion dollars per year worldwide.¹⁵⁴
The economic losses caused by the introduction of non-native species into the oceans run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.¹⁵⁵
70% of the oxygen that we and other land animals need comes directly from the ocean.¹⁵⁶

What can we do about littering and plastic pollution?

After all these shocking facts, the question arises as to what each of us can do to reduce plastic pollution. BeyondSurfing has put together 5 tips below that are easy to implement in everyday life.¹⁵⁷

1. natural products instead of synthetic fibers

When it comes to clothing, for example, it is worth taking a look at the label. When items of clothing made from synthetic fibers, e.g. polyester, are washed, tiny pieces of fiber detach from the clothing and end up in our wastewater.

2. reduce unnecessary plastic

Unfortunately, we still consume far too much single-use plastic, such as disposable bottles, plastic tableware and straws. However, it would make much more sense to wash our cutlery. There are already a large number of alternative products that are made from durable materials such as wood, glass, fabric or metal.

3. clean up, remove the garbage

It doesn’t matter whether you live in the Alps or on the coast. Plastic waste not only ends up on beaches, but also in the ocean via rivers. That’s why everyone should take part in clean-up campaigns and help remove the garbage.

4. pay attention to the ingredients in cosmetics

Cosmetic products often contain solid, liquid and waxy plastics that serve as abrasives, binders or fillers. Alternatively, there are already natural cosmetics whose contents are free of plastic. Care should be taken not to use products containing the following substances: Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or nylon.

5. use a rucksack, basket or cloth bag for shopping

Far too many plastic bags are used in Germany every year. That’s why everyone should choose a sustainable alternative such as baskets, rucksacks or cloth bags.

Frequently asked questions and answers

What is plastic pollution?

Plastic pollution is when the plastic is where it shouldn’t be. It causes great damage as it is found in the sea and on beaches. The problem is that plastic is durable, cheap to produce and we consume it in very large quantities. It is estimated that 8 million pieces of plastic end up in our oceans every day.¹⁵⁸

How does plastic get into the ocean?

Plastic gets into the oceans through humans. Two thirds of the waste comes directly from the land. Waste that is left behind on beaches or washed into rivers and drains because it is thrown away in cities. It also comes from industry, poorly managed landfill sites and waste containers near the coast or is flushed down the toilet. The rest is lost at ocean, e.g. due to containers going overboard or lost fishing gear.

How much plastic waste is in the ocean?

There are billions of pounds of plastic in the swirling convergences, which make up around 40% of the ocean surface.

It is estimated that there are 5.25 trillion microscopic pieces of plastic in our oceans. There are about 4 million microfibers per square kilometer under the surface of the water.

Marine plastic pollution weighs approximately 269,000 tons. This corresponds to the amount of approx. 1,345 adult blue whales or 500 times the number of stars in our galaxy.

In total, 70 % of the waste ends up in the ocean ecosystem, 15 % floats and 15 % ends up on our beaches.¹⁵⁹

Why is plastic in the sea a problem?

The ingestion, suffocation and entanglement of hundreds of marine animals is the most visible and worrying impact of plastic in the ocean.

Marine animals such as seabirds, whales, fish and turtles mistakenly ingest plastic as food and starve to death because their stomachs are filled with plastic waste. Every year, around 1 million marine creatures die from plastic waste in the sea.¹⁶⁰

How long does plastic survive in the ocean?

The strength, flexibility and durability of the plastic makes it extremely useful. However, this also means that it never really degrades. A plastic bottle can survive 450 years in the ocean. Although it slowly disintegrates into small pieces that eventually become microscopic, they never really disappear. This means that every piece of plastic that has ever been produced is still on earth in some form.¹⁶¹

How much plastic will be in the ocean in 2021?

5.25 trillion macro- and microplastics are currently in our oceans. Likewise, 46,000 pieces in every square mile of ocean, weighing up to 269,000 tons. Around 8 million pieces of plastic end up in our oceans every day.¹⁶²

How much plastic ends up in the ocean every year?

An estimated 12.2 million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean every year. Of this, an average of 8 million tons of plastic waste ends up in the oceans from the 192 coastal states.¹⁶³

>How much plastic will be in the ocean in 2050?

It is estimated that there will be around 850-950 million tons of pollution in our oceans by 2050. This is based on the estimate that there are already 150 million tons of plastic in the world’s oceans and that at least 9.1 million tons are added every year. It should also be noted that this figure is said to increase by 5% annually.¹⁶⁴

Ocean pollution doesn’t affect me directly, does it?

One in three fish caught for human consumption now contains plastic. The question is no longer whether we eat plastic, but how harmful it is for us. The chemicals absorbed by plastic, such as PCBs and DDT, have been linked to endocrine disruption and even some cancers.¹⁶⁵

Likewise, 70 % of the oxygen we need to breathe is produced by marine plants. This means that people who do not eat fish are still affected.¹⁶⁶

Will there still be fish in 2050?

As a result of overfishing and warming waters, it is estimated that 70% of fish populations are fully exploited, overexploited or in crisis. In 2050, there will be no more fish in the ocean if we continue to fish as we do now. This is shown by a study from 2016.¹⁶⁷

What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a floating island of trash in the ocean stretching from the west coast of North America to Japan. It is about 1.6 million square kilometers in size and accumulates through an extensive system of currents known as eddies.¹⁶⁸

The size of the large Pacific garbage patch is shocking – the plastic island is three times the size of France and consists of around 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic.¹⁶⁹

Can’t we just scoop all the plastic out of the ocean?

The Ocean Cleanup organization has made it its mission to fish 90% of floating plastic out of the oceans. Because most of the plastic sinks to the bottom of the ocean, we will never be able to scoop it all out of the ocean.¹⁷⁰

Even if we managed to get all the floating parts out of the ocean, what would we do with them? That’s why we need to stop consuming more.

References

Sources and references for the figures, data and facts presented

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Plastic in the ocean:
187+ Statistics and facts on marine pollution