What makes the Earth different from other planets? The answer is water. For
existence of life, as we know it, water is the most precious of substances. Marine and aquatic environments are the homes for a diverse array of organisms. Without water, these organisms would not survive. The ocean and aquatic habitats are often exploited for these resources. However, neither habitat is limitless in its ability to absorb negative impacts.
All the waters in the world are affected in some way by pollution. The highest
mountain streams have been impacted by acid rain. Pollutants are added from these mountains’ starting points and spread throughout the watershed to areas where the rivers flow into the sea. Lakes, groundwater, and wetlands are all affected by either point or nonpoint source pollution. Litter left behind or carelessly tossed away, chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers, and oil-based products seeping into the watersheds from industry and pleasure vehicles all impact marine and aquatic environments. Runoff from highways, parking lots, city streets, bridges, and heavily populated coastal areas is washed into nearby watersheds and adds its detrimental effects to the ecosystem.
Until approximately fifty years ago, most pollution was not seen in our oceans, since it was comprised mainly of metal and glass, which sink; and paper and cloth, which decay. Today, pollution is more visible because many of the manufactured objects are made of plastics, which are light-weight, strong, and very durable. Not only do plastics as they are
commonly produced degrade slowly, but some animals see plastics as food and ingest them, or they become entangled in them. In either case, the result is usually death.
The following are the lengths of time it takes several forms of litter to biodegrade:
| Tin cans - 50 years | Wool - 1 year |
| Painted wood - 13 years | Plastic six pack rings - 400 + years |
| Newspaper - 6 weeks | Plastic bottles - 450 years |
| Paper towels - 2 to 4 weeks | Aluminum cans - 200 years |
| Disposable diapers - 450 years | Cotton - 1 to 5 months |
| Polystyrene foam - indefinite | Monofilament line - 600 years |
| Cardboard - 2 months |
Wetlands are an integral part of the ecosystem. Estuaries serve as an important habitat for many organisms including fish, shellfish, various reptiles, and birds. Marine and aquatic habitats serve as nursery areas, a source of food, and shelter from predators. Plants can filter impurities; hold substrate and the shoreline, in place; absorb the force of storms; and release flood waters from the land. Wetlands are also directly affected by runoff filled with chemicals and trash.
As the human population rapidly increases, the world has become more industrialized, and chemical wastes have increased to dangerously high levels in some areas. The ocean, because it is so vast, can neutralize some chemical wastes; however, as the amounts of chemicals increase, toxins begin to accumulate. Chemical pollution originates from factories, farms, lawns, or almost anywhere there are people. Chemical pollutants can cause an increase in algae that, in turn, reduces oxygen available for other life forms, often resulting in death. Some marine organisms absorb the toxins, and these toxins become more concentrated in animals higher in the food chain. This adversely affects the animals at the top of the food chain and may cause a decline in their
populations. Other toxins may kill the organisms that come in contact with them.
Oil pollution is another major source of environmental damage to the ocean. The thick, sticky oil coats the feathers on birds, inhibiting flight and the ability of those feathers to insulate the bird. The gills of fish become clogged with oil, and the fish suffocate. Marine mammals’ bodies become coated in oil, and they cannot maintain their body
temperatures. Oil coated marine plants cannot obtain energy from the sun for
photosynthesis. Oil may also become trapped in sediments for many years and may
become suspended again in storms or dredging.
To further compound this situation, humans in general desire to live near the water. Water provides recreation, a means of transportation, a source of food, and other
resources. Groundwater aquifers, rivers, and streams supply the world with drinking water. These water bodies are too often used for sewage disposal. Access to the water has always been an important consideration. However, as more people inhabit coastal areas, the problems of water pollution increase. Ports or harbors require maintenance dredging, which may again resuspend pollutants originally trapped in the sediment below the water column. Untreated sewage may spill into the water during storms.
Commercial and recreational vehicles compete for space and resources on and in the water. Gas and oil from these vessels may inadvertently spill into the water. People crowd beaches, and many leave litter behind. Increased construction along the coast leads to increased erosion, loss of habitat, and more damage to the coast during storms as the natural buffer zone is degraded.
To rescue marine and aquatic habitats from the devastating effects of pollution will take cooperation and education. More people need to understand the inter-connectedness of the role humans play in the ecosystem. Pollution is a global problem. Since this is a
recognized fact, many governments and organizations are working together to develop solutions in combating pollution. Most of these efforts are concentrated in the marine environment.
In 1973 the International Maritime Organization, an agency within the United Nations, developed an agreement known as MARPOL (Marine Pollution). This agreement
regulates the disposal of trash, sewage and hazardous chemicals from ships at sea (Greene, 1998). According to Greene (1998), as of 1992, fifty nations had ratified the MARPOL Treaty. In 1972 the U.S. Congress passed the Clean Water Act that prevents toxins from being released directly into the water. In 1990 the Environmental Protection Agency established the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPES). This act requires industry and municipalities to obtain permits to discharge pollutants directly from point sources into surface waters. Direct discharging includes industrial and
commercial wastewater and industrial stormwater.
Private industry, environmental organizations, and individuals are working on ways to reduce the amount of litter that is improperly discarded. Beach cleanups, recycling programs, and lobbying for more strict regulations and enforcement are all ways individuals and corporations can help combat the global pollution problem.
