Tracking your garbage footprint Marine Debris Environmental & - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Tracking your garbage footprint

 Marine Debris  Environmental & Human Impact  The Great Biodegredation Debate  Micro-Plastics and Bioaccumulation  How To Be Green In A Plastic World

 Any type of man-made, organic or inorganic material dispersed into the water system, ending up in the ocean, becoming caught in gyres and spread by currents. Ending up on the shore, suspended in the water column or on the ocean floor.

What happens to trash after you throw it away? On-Shore sources Off-Shore sources

Land to water pollution effects:  Degradation of the quality and health of our oceans  Damage to marine habitats  Irrevocable harm to marine life  Significant risks to human health and safety

Entanglement

Ghost Fishing

An Oily Mess

Human Health & Safety

Four Factors

Biodegradable Plastics? 1.) Break up into plastic polymers (micro plastics) — Yes 2.) Break up into CO 2 + H 2 O by way of microorganisms (mineralization) — No

Pieces of plastic debris ≤ 5 mm Primary Sources

Secondary Sources “Although useful and desirable for many purposes, the indestructibility of petroleum-based plastic is a growing concern because of its accumulation in the environment.” -Paetau et.al Iowa State University 1994

 1.)Polyethylene  2.) Polypropylene  3.) Polystyrene  4.) Polyvinyl Chloride

Polychlorinated Biphenyl’s (PCB’s) Dichlorodiphenyl Trichloroethane (DDT) “Plastic resin pellets concentrate such poisons to levels as high as a million times their concentration in the water as free- floating substances.” (Hideshoge Takada- Tokyo University)

Bioaccumulation

Brown Pelican, Bald Eagle, Osprey VS DDT 

Reduce  Paper or Plastic?! … Neither!  Use Reusable Shopping Bags  14 plastic bags contain enough petroleum to drive a car a mile!  380 billion plastic bags or wraps are thrown away in America each year! • Making paper bags emits 70% more global warming gases than the production of plastic bags.

Reuse  Just say NO to beverages in plastic bottles  Most bottled water is filtered tap water  Explore alternative storage options

Recycle  Check with your local recycling center for acceptable items

 Mississippi Coastal Clean-Up: October 20 th , 2012  Mississippi Marine Debris Removal & Prevention Project: 2012-2014  Pick up trash you see it… even if it isn’t yours!

 The ultimate solution to pollution is a reduction in consumption of persistent pollutants.  Be aware of what you buy; a conscience consumer is a smart consumer  Participate in or start a local trash clean up in your area!