Tag: marine pollution

Japan Tsunami Debris Are Degrading Into Tiny Bits Of Plastic One year after a massive tsunami ravaged the east coast of Japan, much attention is focused on the bottles, refrigerators and other debris washed out to sea and its pending arrival on the U.S. West Coast -- endangering ships, seabirds and other wildlife along the way.Some experts, however, are more concerned about the debris we may never see but that might still pose a threat to human health."Over long periods of time, big plastics degrade into smaller and smaller particles, and these may create an additional route of exposure to certain chemical contaminants," said Courtney Arthur, a scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Debris Program.As sunlight and waves break down plastic materials into pieces the size of fish food, new research suggests that fish may mistakenly eat the so-called microplastics and subsequently absorb chemicals into their bodies. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins, among other toxins, could then travel up the food chain and onto our dinner plates.These pollutants have been linked to everything from hormone problems to neurological disorders to cancer in humans.So far, microplastic debris -- generally defined as particles less than one millimeter wide, or ...

3 million to 4 million tons of debris into the ocean Tsunamis generated by the magnitude-9 earthquake in Japan last March dragged 3 million to 4 million tons of debris into the ocean after tearing up Japanese harbors and homes.Scientists believe ocean currents are carrying some of the lumber, refrigerators, fishing boats and other objects across the Pacific toward the United States.One to 5 percent of the 1 million to 2 million tons of debris still in the ocean may reach Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon and Washington and British Columbia, said University of Hawaii senior researcher and ocean current expert Nikolai Maximenko.That's only a portion of the 20 million to 25 million tons of debris the tsunamis generated altogether, including what was left on land.Maximenko plans to discuss Tuesday at a news conference his latest estimates for where the debris is and when it may wash ashore. Last year, his team estimated debris could arrive in Hawaii in early 2013.Some debris appears to have already arrived in the U.S., like a half-dozen large buoys suspected to be from Japanese oyster farms found in Alaska late last year.Nicholas Mallos, conservation biologist and marine debris specialist for the Ocean Conservancy, said many of ...

Agency providing $15,000 to further the universitys efforts The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently provided $15,000 in funding to the University of Hawaii to further research efforts on marine debris.The funding will be used to begin studying plastic debris caught in the filters of ship-board cooling systems - this project will develop methods and protocols to better monitor debris as the ships cross the Pacific. Investigation and study of plastic debris in filters of cargo ships will further the understanding of the nature and distribution of plastic debris pollution throughout the North Pacific Ocean."Plastic marine debris can have a large impact on the marine environment as it never really 'goes away' -- it eventually breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, and can be eaten by wildlife such as seabirds and fish," said Dean Higuchi, EPA's Press Officer for Hawaii and the Pacific islands. "Our funding will support the efforts of the university, which is a strong partner in marine debris research and a leader in creating forecasting tools for marine debris movements."Marine debris can damage wildlife habitats, transport chemical pollutants, threaten marine life, and interfere with human uses of marine and coastal environments. Plastic marine debris has great ...

Timber, plastic and dozens of sacks of milk powder washed ashore Shipping containers, sacks of milk powder and other debris washed onto popular New Zealand beaches on Monday after a cargo ship stuck on an offshore reef for three months started breaking apart in heavy seas at the weekend.The 47,230-tonne Liberian-flagged Rena, grounded for three months on Astrolabe Reef, finally broke in two about 22 km off Tauranga on the east coast of New Zealand on Sunday after being pounded by waves of up to 6 metres (20 feet).Maritime authorities and salvage crews have tried to remove fuel oil and containers from the ship, which ran aground in calm conditions on Oct 5. But fuel and cargo continued to leak in rough seas, causing New Zealand's worst environmental disaster in decades.At least five containers had washed ashore at Waihi Beach, a popular spot for holiday makers, Maritime New Zealand spokesman Bruce Fraser said."There are a lot of containers and debris in the water and washing up on the beaches," he said. An oil sheen was spreading 3kms (1.8 miles) from the stricken vessel and small amounts of oil was washing up on nearby islands and beaches, he added.Timber, plastic and ...

Tracking Marine Debris from the Japanese Tsunami

1 million sea birds die annually as a result of marine debris Did you know, over 1 million sea birds die annually as a result of marine debris? This raw video offers many other jaw-dropping facts and stories about marine debris, along with some positive news about the best managed reef on the planet - the Great Barrier Reef!