Notes/Citation by Mirei Okita https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution en-us 2024-02-20 04:12:55 UTC 2024-02-27 00:58:12 UTC hello@padlet.com What is Microplastic? mireio28 https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2888879023 Microplastic are extremely small plastic particles. They are defined as particles less than 5 millimeters  in diameter, causing them to be hard to clean up with machines because of their size.

Plastics turn into microplastics when they have a breakdown caused mainly by the sun’s radiation and waves. ]]> 2024-02-20 04:39:40 UTC https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2888879023 leiam28 https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895199644 1. Oil spills aren’t the biggest problem. Only 12% of the oil is caused by oil spills/ It mostly comes from our roads,rivers and drainpipes.

2. There is more plastic than fish. Up to 12 million metric tons of plastic is dumped into the ocean each year. By 2050, ocean plastic will outweigh all the ocean’s fish.

3. Garbage patches. There is too much garbage in the ocean so the ocean has created garbage patches. The biggest one is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and has over 1.8 trillion pieces of trash. 

4. Microplastic. Ocean plastic can break into smaller pieces called micro plastic. It can take hundreds of years for that plastic to degrade. And releases chemicals into the water. 

5. Indonesia and India. Most of the plastic from our planet comes from 2 countries. Indonesia and India. They produce more plastic than anywhere else and together they produce more plastic than the world’s coastal environments seven countries combined. ]]> 2024-02-26 00:59:56 UTC https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895199644 Where do the chemicals come from? mireio28 https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895209101 Chemicals are everywhere-in anything we eat, the air we breathe and the things we use. Most chemicals are made by humans and they can fulfill a variety of functions. During manufacture, storage, and transport, chemicals can leak into the surrounding environment, which can lead to ocean pollution.


]]> 2024-02-26 01:10:35 UTC https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895209101 How big is the problem of chemical pollution? mireio28 https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895210165 There are an estimated 100,000 chemicals on the EU market today and new chemicals are entering the market all the time. People are unable to keep up with the increasing flow of chemicals and currently in the EU they have information and understanding of on just 500 of those 100,000 chemicals.

To understand the impact of a chemical, it’s important to find out how it’s used and where it’s found. But today, the chemical composition of materials and products as well as the emissions into the environment remain largely unknown.

What we do know is that these chemicals have been found even in the countryside. Recent research suggests the level of chemical pollution has crossed a “planetary boundary” and we need urgent action to ensure a stable ecosystem.


]]> 2024-02-26 01:11:37 UTC https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895210165 How does chemical pollution affect our health? mireio28 https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895212326 Harmful chemicals can get into our bodies if we breathe them in, eat them, drink them or are absorbed through our skin. Some of the most harmful chemicals are “forever chemicals”, that get into our bodies and environment and do not break down, and “hormone disrupting chemicals’, that block, mimic or disrupt our natural hormones with dire consequences.

For example, Bisphenol A (BPA) is an extremely harmful chemical that has been used in the manufacture of plastic products such as water bottles and food containers. It has been shown to cause cancer and heart disease as well as impact fertility.
]]> 2024-02-26 01:13:35 UTC https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895212326 How does chemical pollution affect our environment? mireio28 https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895213689 Chemical pollution can affect the delicate balance of the Earth’s ecosystems.

Mining, agriculture and waste disposal have caused substantial soil pollution. The presence of heavy metals like cadmium, mercury and lead can affect soil quality and reduce the number of micro-organisms that support soil fertility. The health of soil impacts biodiversity and the ability of populations to produce food.

The ocean suffers from a high level of plastic and other chemical pollution which has led to ‘dead zones’ – where the oxygen level in the water cannot support life. High or prolonged exposure to harmful chemicals has also impacted marine biodiversity
]]> 2024-02-26 01:15:05 UTC https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895213689 leiam28 https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895215975 Ocean pollution is pollution of chemicals and trash in the ocean. Ocean pollution is caused by Nonpoint source pollution, Intentional discharge, oil spills and Littering and Ocean mining. Why is ocean pollution a problem? It can be harmful to ocean life, We need the ocean and a threat to human health. A recent studies have shown that rough 171 trillion plastics particles are in the ocean. The world all together would have about 2.3 tons of trash. ]]> 2024-02-26 01:17:21 UTC https://padlet.com/mireio28/ocean_pollution/wish/2895215975