How to Solve the Problem of Marine Pollution?

Marine pollution has been arousing many predicaments worldwide, and there are numerous solutions to help solve this. Many federal laws have been made to help resolve this problem, but additional laws are needed. There are numerous ways for you to help minimize marine pollution. Fortunately, there are plentiful organizations working to support the decrease of the amount of marine pollution.

Many laws have been made to help resolve this problem. For example, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act has greatly supported the decrease of marine pollution. Also known as the Clean Water Act, this law has established the basic structure for managing pollutant discharges into the US waters. Not only this, but the law has made it illegal for any person to release any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters. On the other hand, this law has also recognized the severe problems presented by nonpoint source pollution. After these laws were made, it was proved that a decrease in marine pollution had occurred.

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Furthermore, another law that has provided support is the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act. Also known as the Ocean Dumping Act of 1972, this law forbids dumping material into the ocean that may possibly degrade or endanger the marine environment, as well as human health. This law was created to reduce and essentially eliminate the effects of plastic pollution on the environment. So far, this law has provided help with reducing the amount of marine debris found in the ocean, but further help is greatly needed.

Furthermore, the Porter Cologne Water Control Act has proved to be extremely helpful. This act requires plastic manufacturing, handling, and transportation facilities to implement minimum BMPs to control discharge, which ultimately controls the leakage of preproduction plastics. I believe that if this program was organized nationwide, our waterways amount of preproduction plastics could be significantly reduced.

In addition, there is also a need for generating less waste in the supply chain. For example, many products in China are shrink wrapped individually before they are shipped, then unwrapped before placed on shelves. Also, industries could possibly turn to plant-based plastics, though they frequently must be treated to decompose. As well as this, establishing nationwide limits on the amount of plastics allowed in watersheds can greatly reduce the flow of plastics and marine debris from land to sea.

There are numerous ways for you to help minimize marine pollution. By changing our own habits, we can gradually slow the flow of plastic pollution, which will ultimately reduce the pollution affecting the ocean. For example, you can start by recycling any plastic products. In addition to this, you can drink from reusable bottles to reduce the use of plastics. These small actions can save marine animals from being entangled, injured, and possibly killed by plastics found in the ocean. Furthermore, you can buy products with non-plastic packaging, as well as to support restaurants that offer biodegradable take-out containers and utensils. If more people take into consideration the health of marine life, then the outcome of these actions could be remarkable. Additionally, you can request paper straws with your drinks, instead of plastic. If you are willing to take a step forward with this, you can start by encouraging waste reduction in your community. Some examples of this may include organizing a beach or park cleanup. Beach cleanups have been proven to be beneficial to marine life, for they keep microplastics out of garbage patches. Overall, your individual help and work can help to gradually resolve the predicament of marine pollution in the long term.

Fortunately, there are plentiful organizations working to support the decrease of the amount of marine pollution. For example, the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has proved itself to be greatly beneficial. Through a mussel watch program, this organization monitors contamination, as well as provides seafood safety tips through the Fishwatch Program. Essentially, this organization focuses on the conditions of the ocean, major waterways, and the atmosphere. As well as this, they work to manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. In addition to this, the NOAA also has a strong education program, from which reached more than 2.6 million youths and adults in 2018. This program helps to inspire millions of people with their mission. If it wasn’t for the organizations as dedicated like the NOAA, the current amount of marine pollution would be significantly worse. With the help of others and this organization, marine pollution can overall be decreased in the long term. Furthermore, another organization that has significantly helped the decrease of marine pollution is the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council Inc.) The NRDC fights to prevent plastic pollution to help protect marine life. This organization has also worked to support strategies that will help reduce the amount of debris entering the ocean. For example, the NRDC has analyzed data from coastal communities in California, and discovered that they had spent a substantial amount of $428 million each year to clean up plastic trash and debris from their waterways. In addition to this, the NRDC has also found that recycling 75% of the nation’s waste could generate 1.1 million jobs by 2030. Altogether, organizations like these have came up with global solutions to decrease marine pollution, and their determination and accomplishments are significantly appreciated.

References

• Water Pollution Control Laws
• Clean Water Act