THE IMPACT OF PLASTIC WASTE ON MARINE LIFE: A CONTEMPORARY ANALYSIS OF ECOSYSTEM AND BIOLOGICAL RISK
Main Article Content
Abstract
This article provides a scientific analysis of the impact of plastic waste on marine ecosystems, particularly its threats to wildlife, food chains, and human health. Millions of tons of plastic enter aquatic environments annually, causing the death of sea turtles, birds, fish, and other marine organisms. The study highlights issues such as the bioaccumulation of microplastics, biomagnification of toxic substances in food chains, and the emergence of new diseases like “plasticizes.” The article emphasizes the importance of global initiatives, innovative cleanup technologies, environmental education, and stricter regulations in addressing this problem. Overall, the article aims to explore the scientific foundations of the issue, assess its harmful consequences, and propose comprehensive solutions to reduce the scale of marine plastic pollution.
Downloads
Article Details
Section

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
1.International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (2024). Marine Plastic Pollution: Issues Brief. Retrieved from https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/marine-plastic-pollution-issues-brief_nov21-april-2024-small-update_0.pdf
2.Herrera, A., Rapp, J., Rico, M., Martínez, I., Álvarez, S., Aguiar-González, B., ... & Henríquez-Hernández, L. A. (2021). Microplastic pollution in seawater and marine organisms across the Tropical Eastern Pacific and Galápagos. Scientific Reports, 11, 16362. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85939-3
3.International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (2024). Plastic Pollution: Issues Brief May 2024 Update. Retrieved from https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/2024-05/plastic-pollution-issues-brief-may-2024-update.pdf
4.Herrera, A., Rapp, J., Rico, M., Martínez, I., Álvarez, S., Aguiar-González, B., ... & Henríquez-Hernández, L. A. (2021). Microplastic pollution in seawater and marine organisms across the Tropical Eastern Pacific and Galápagos. Scientific Reports, 11, 16362. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85939-3
5.Meijer, L. J. J., van Emmerik, T., van der Ent, R., Schmidt, C., & Lebreton, L. (2021). More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global riverine plastic emissions into the ocean. Science Advances, 7(18), eaaz5803. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaz5803
6.Beaumont, N. J., Aanesen, M., Austen, M. C., Börger, T., Clark, J. R., Cole, M., ... & Wyles, K. J. (2019). Global ecological, social and economic impacts of marine plastic. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 142, 189-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.03.022
7.Gola, D., Dey, T., Bhattacharya, M., & Das, M. (2021). The impact of microplastics on marine environments: A review. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management, 16, 100552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enmm.2021.100552
8.International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (2024). Marine Plastic Pollution: Issues Brief. Retrieved from https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/marine-plastics
9.RTS. (2023). Plastic Pollution in The Ocean - 2025 Facts and Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.rts.com/blog/plastic-pollution-in-the-ocean-facts-and-statistics/
10.Mongabay. (2023). Microplastics pose risk to ocean plankton, climate, other key Earth systems. Retrieved from https://news.mongabay.com/2023/10/microplastics-pose-risk-to-ocean-plankton-climate-other-key-earth-systems/
11.Ocean Conservancy. (2023). Microplastics Facts & Figures. Retrieved from https://oceanconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Microplastics-Fact-Sheet-FINAL-2.3.23.pdf
12.Condor Ferries. (2025). Marine & Ocean Pollution Statistics & Facts 2025. Retrieved from https://www.condorferries.co.uk/marine-ocean-pollution-statistics-facts
13.Condor Ferries. (2025). Marine & Ocean Pollution Statistics & Facts 2025. Retrieved from https://www.condorferries.co.uk/marine-ocean-pollution-statistics-facts
14.NOAA Marine Debris Program. (2023). Ingestion. Retrieved from https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/why-marine-debris-problem/ingestion
15.Washington Post. (2025). On a remote Australian island, the birds are so full of plastic they crunch. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/05/16/birds-crunch-plastic-pollution-lord-howe/
16.Wikipedia. (2025). Microplastics and human health. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microplastics_and_human_health
17.World Economic Forum. (2025). Microplastics everywhere: Are we facing a new health crisis?. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/02/how-microplastics-get-into-the-food-chain/
18.Laurent C. M. Lebreton, Boyan Slat, et al. Evidence that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is rapidly accumulating plastic Scientific Reports, Volume 8, Article 4666// 2018 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-22939-w
19.Jennifer L. Jones, et al. Plastic contamination of a Galapagos Island (Ecuador) and the relative risks to native marine species Science of The Total Environment, Volume 798, Article 149244// 2021//
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721027753
20.United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Pollution in the Mediterranean – Factsheet 2020 https://www.unep.org/unepmap/resources/factsheets/pollution
21.Lourens J. J. Meijer, Tim van Emmerik, et al. More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global riverine plastic emissions into the ocean Science Advances, Volume 7, Issue 18, Article eaaz5803//2021// https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aaz5803
22.Anastasia Moloney Paradise lost: Is plastic threatening Africa’s potential to tap into tourism? Reuters May 27, 2025 https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/paradise-lost-is-plastic-threatening-africas-potential-tap-into-tourism-2025-05-27