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As plastics enter the bodies of fish and other marine animals, they also enter our food chain. Microplastics, in particular, can easily enter our bodies through the fish we consume. It is estimated that the average human ingests around 21 grams of microplastics per month. These plastics contain toxic chemicals that can cause cancers and immune system diseases.

Worldwide, over 700 species are affected by ocean and marine plastic pollution. Marine animals often mistake floating plastic for a viable food source. Once ingested, plastic can cause internal injuries, suffocation, and even end up in the animal’s stomach. A full stomach of plastic can lead animals to feel falsely full instead of eating nutritious food. Over one million animals are killed each year due to plastic pollution.

It is estimated that around 14.3 million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean per year. That’s approximately 15 trillion individual pieces. Circulating ocean currents trap plastic, creating garbage patches. One of the largest, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is over two times the size of Texas. The waste in these patches never leaves; the chemicals naturally produced by plastic are responsible for destroying hundreds of habitats, including coral reefs.