01
Impact of Typhoons
Typhoons are accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain, and these weather events are one of the main causes of the influx of large amounts of plastic and other waste from land into the ocean. After typhoons pass, plastic waste, which flows into the ocean through rivers and streams, can have a serious impact on the marine ecosystem. Moreover, This plastic pollution also affects the weather.
Typhoons are an important factor in introducing large amounts of plastic waste into the ocean from land. According to a study by Frontiers in Marine Science(2022), the concentration of plastic in the ocean increases significantly after the typhoon. After the typhoon, the concentration of microplastics and medium-sized plastics in the ocean increased significantly compared to before. In particular, on the day after the typhoon, the concentration of microplastics reached 23,032,769 and 3,104,930 for medium-sized plastics, which is about 226 times and 274 times higher than the previous figure.
Microplastics in these oceans hinder the oceans' ability to absorb and store carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Phytoplankton fixes carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through photosynthesis, and microplastics in seawater reduce their ability. Zooplankton plays a role in transporting carbon to the depths of the oceans, and microplastics reduce the basic metabolic rates, reproductive success rates, and survival rates of zooplankton.
02
Impact of Heavy Rain
Rain contributes greatly to ocean pollution by carrying pollutants from land to sea. When it rains, water flows over the ground – which is called a surface runoff. The runoff can pick up various pollutants, including plastic waste lying on the ground. For example, plastic bags, bottles, and wrappers thrown on streets and in gutters can be swept into nearby streams and rivers. Once in an water system, this plastic moves through rivers and streams.
As they move, some plastics can be broken down into smaller pieces, known as microplastics, but they are not chemically broken down. Rivers are the main channels through which these plastics enter the oceans. Also, large amounts of plastic
waste from urban areas is carried into
oceans due to drainage systems.
Finally, rain erodes plastic into the
ground. This contaminated soil can be
carried into rivers that lead to oceans.
03
Impact of Warming
The production of plastic relies on fossil fuels like oil and natural gas, emitting large quantities of greenhouse gases during extraction and refining. According to CIEL, plastic production contributes around 1.8 gigatons of CO2 emissions yearly. Additionally, the energy-intensive manufacturing process further increases its carbon footprint.
The annual financial loss attributed solely to sorting and processing plastic packaging waste is estimated to range between $80 billion and $120 billion. Improper disposal methods, such as landfilling and incineration, exacerbate global warming. Plastics in landfills undergo anaerobic decomposition, generating methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Incineration releases CO2 and other pollutants, contributing to climate change and air pollution. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight.
Furthermore, warm water increases the rate of decomposition of plastic. Plastic pollution in oceans and waterways disrupts ecosystems, affecting their ability to sequester carbon and regulate climate. Decomposed plastic deteriorates into microplastics in the ocean, which makes bacteria cannot absorb carbon dioxide, affecting global warming repeatedly.