The Facts

1.)Plastic is the most common element that is found in the ocean. 

2.)There are currently 315 billion pounds of plastic in the worlds oceans. 


3.)In many parts of the world, sewage water is discharged in the ocean – untreated or under-treated. 


4.)The biggest source of pollution in the ocean is directly from land based sources, such as oil, dirt, septic tanks, farms, ranches, motor vehicles, among larger sources. 


5.)Thousands of tons of waste and trash are dumped into the ocean on a daily basis.


6.)Over one million seabirds are killed by ocean pollution each year. Three hundred thousand dolphins and porpoises die each year as a result of becoming entangled in discarded fishing nets, among other items. One hundred thousand sea mammals are killed in the ocean by pollution each year.

7.)There are now close to 500 dead zones covering more than 245,000 km² globally, equivalent to the surface of the United Kingdom.

8.)The North Pacific Gyre, known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, occupies a relatively stationary area that is twice the size of Texas. Waste material from across the North Pacific Ocean, including coastal waters off North America and Japan, are drawn together.