Marine Debris

Marine Debris

From pristine shores to plastic tides, Hawaii faces a challenge of marine debris which vandalizes its natural beauty.

Marine debris is an issue in Hawaii that causes many problems and harms our beautiful beaches and sea animals. An estimated 15-20 tons of marine trash end up being washed up on the shores of Hawaii’s beaches every year. Marine debris comes from anywhere and it can be both land-based debris and ocean-based debris. Much of the debris can come in all different sizes Also, in the Pacific Ocean, there is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is located a few hundred kilometers north of Hawaii and it is a massive collection of marine debris. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is bigger than Texas, which is an issue because ocean debris can not only destroy our beautiful ocean, but the shores of Hawaii’s scenic shores are affected by marine debris also. Our sea animals are also affected by marine debris The sea animals that are mainly  affected are the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle and the Hawaiian Monk Seal. Plastic threatens these endangered species by causing them health problems and other physical issues.

Plastic Pollution

Plastic Pollution in the waters of Hawaii is a major issue. Of the trash which washes up on our shores, 96% is plastic material. The global plastic consumption makes around 300 million tons of plastic, 11 million tons of which end up in the ocean. A big impact of the worldwide plastic pollution is that nearly 100,000 animals die from entanglement each year. A result from the plastic pollution drives animal species down into endangerment, for example the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle or even the Hawaiian Monk Seal. 

Sources of Marine Debris

Pollution in our oceans can come from anywhere and anyplace. The two main sources of marine debris come from land-based debris and ocean-based debris. The litter from land-based debris can come from beach-goers or trash blown into the ocean or washed in by stormwater. As far as debris from the ocean, it can come from trash being thrown overboard or fishing debris which could be fishing lines, bait boxes, etc. Contaminants harm the waters off of Hawaii. Some of the contaminants could be chemical waste, runoff from agricultural waste, household waste, sewage spills, and dumping industrial waste. 

Microplastics

Plastics can come in all different shapes and sizes, however microplastics cause a problem in our oceans. Microplastics are tiny plastic particles resulting from breakdown of larger plastics. The problem is that they don’t break down into harmless particles. Microplastics were found in marine organisms from plankton to whales. They were even found in seafood and even drinking water. Microplastics are often consumed by marine animals. Microplastics also end up washing up on Hawaii’s shores which causes the beautiful beaches to look dirty and unpleasant. Debris like this ends up floating in our waters because it is less dense than saltwater.

Marine Species Impact

According to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation by the year 2050, there could be more plastic than fish by weight in the ocean. This impacts many species, including Hawaii’s endangered species like the Hawaiian Monk Seals and the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles. The plastics that end up in our marine organisms work up the food chain because smaller organisms consumed by bigger organisms end up consuming the plastic that the smaller organisms consume.

Interview with Jan Hafner

Ke Ali’i asked Jan Hafner (International Pacific Research Center/School Of Earth Science Technology University of Hawaii) how we can reduce marine debris. To reduce marine debris, “the easiest way is to reduce the use of plastics which could potentially become marine debris.” Hafner also said that “a shift from plastic material to more natural” is going to occur.  Recycling can help as it “contains plastic on land and prevents it from reaching the marine environment.” Possibly, “more advanced technologies, to replace the plastics and also to effectively clean our oceans from pollution. It is up to you the younger generation to think more about marine pollution and invent new technologies and machines to solve this problem.” Hawaii’s biggest money-maker is tourism and with plastic washing up on the shores and floating on the water this affects the beauty of Hawaii. Ke Ali’i asked Hafner about how marine debris can affect something like tourism. Hafner commented that “tourists come to Hawaii for its natural beauty which includes the oceans and beaches.” Hafner also stated that there is a “tradeoff” with tourism. As there are “more tourists visiting Hawaii beaches there is more potential for local pollution.”

How to Mitigate Marine Debris

Ke Ali’i asked Hafner about ways to mitigate the impact of marine debris. Hafner said that: “there can be several ways to reduce the impact of marine debris on marine life. One is on a legislative level, banning certain plastic products, regulate industries which could potentially pollute marine environments.” Hafner also pointed out that “include to re-design certain products so they will be much less harmful once released to seas. Or change people’s behaviors, a shift to consumer practices.” We could also “make a general public aware about the problem.” 

In conclusion, while there are many reasons to be concerned about marine pollution, there are also some promising solutions on the horizon.