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OAS datatype Detail for Ocean pollution and marine debris
| datatypes_id: | 751 |
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| Term: | Ocean pollution and marine debris |
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| Definition: | Each year, billions of pounds of trash and other pollutants enter the ocean. Where does this pollution come from? Where does it go? Some of the debris ends up on our beaches, washed in with the waves and tides. Some debris sinks, some is eaten by marine animals that mistake it for food, and some accumulates in ocean gyres. Other forms of pollution that impact the health of the ocean come from sources like oil spills or from accumulation of many dispersed sources, such as fertilizer from our yards. The majority of pollutants that make their way into the ocean come from human activities along the coastlines and far inland. One of the biggest sources of pollution is nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff. Nonpoint source pollution can come from many sources, like septic tanks, vehicles, farms, livestock ranches, and timber harvest areas. Pollution that comes from a single source, like an oil or chemical spill, is known as point source pollution. Point source pollution events often have large impacts, but fortunately, they occur less often. Discharge from faulty or damaged factories or water treatment systems is also considered point source pollution. |
| Citation: | https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-pollution |
| Deprecated: | false |
| Metadata version: | 0 |
| Keydate: | 2024-05-23 17:23:13+00 |
| Editdate: | 2024-05-23 17:23:13+00 |