Marine Pollution Pages 102 & 103

What is “marine pollution?” Marine Pollution – any foreign object that is either directly or indirectly entered into a marine ecosystem Solid Waste Sewage Waste Run-off (toxicants) Oil Spills

Solid Waste – Your Trash The US generates about 251.3 million tons of trash per year (around 4.5 pounds per person per day). Of that, 81.8 million tons is recycled 6.5 million tons requires disposal

Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) Established in 1972 Prohibits all ocean dumping in any US ocean waters or by any US vessel or vessel sailing from a US port Some dumping still allowed via EPA permits Also establish National Marine Sanctuaries

Plastics Despite MRPSA, around 1.4 billion pounds of trash gets dumped in the ocean each year. Approximately 8 million tons of that trash is plastic. Plastic takes over 400 years to degrade or breakdown, making it a huge issue for marine life.

Sewage Most urban US sewage systems were built in the late 1800’s, early 1900’s – they drain directly to the closest body of water. Until 1972, it was legal to discharge anything into a body of water. In 1972, the Federal Clean Water Act mandated the upgrade of all sewage system to include water treatment.

Run-off and Toxicants Surface runoff in coastal areas (like ours) feeds directly into the marine environment via storm drains. Surface runoff includes silt, oil, pesticides, fertilizers, coliform bacteria, and road and industry residue. Toxicants are items that, when dissolved in water, produce a harmful effect on organisms, either by immediate large dose or smaller doses over a period of time.

Mercury Mercury is a toxicant that bioaccumulates as it moves up the food chain. Humans who eat large predatory fish (marlin, swordfish, shark, tuna, etc.) can cause mercury poisoning. Mercury affects brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, and immune system. In the 1950’s a fishing village in Minimata, Japan lost over 900 people due to mercury poisioning (Minimata Disease).

Hypoxic Zones An increase in toxicants can also cause a hypoxic or low oxygen zone. One of these forms in the northern Gulf of Mexico at the mouth of the Mississippi River each year from early spring to early fall. Oxygen there drops from 12ppm to under 5ppm, causing fish to die off in this area.

Oil Spills Oil spills happen more often than we know about! Annual oil spills average over 700 metric tons or 205,800 gallons each year. Immediate damage is obvious, but gasoline and diesel fuel tend to evaporate or disperse quickly. Crude oil takes years to break down and can contaminate all areas of the water column.

U.S. Oil Spills Exxon Valdez – 1989 Occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska Lost 37,000 metric tons (nearly 11 million gallons) Around 250,000 sea birds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, 22 killer whales, and billions of salmon and other fish died. Cost 1.2 billion to clean up

U.S. Oil Spills Deepwater Horizon – 2010 Happened in Gulf of Mexico Lost 200,000 metric tons of oil (210 million gallons) Killed over 6000 seabirds, 600 sea turtles, 100 whales and dolphins immediately 900 dolphins stranded in the 2 years following the spill with long-term effects of oil as suspected culprit Cost $61.6 billion to clean-up