Persistent marine debris

Persistent Marine Debris A Global Environmental Concern of the 1980s, a Global Environmental Problem of the 90 s ... 

Mediterranean Sea (75). At the risk of complacency, it can be concluded that this component of the persistent marine debris is reasonably well... 

B. Heneman in Persistent Marine Debris in the North Sea, Northwest Atlantic Ocean, Wider Caribbean Area and the West Coast of Baja California, US Department of Commerce, Washington, DC, USA, 1988. 

Marine debris is generally defined as any manufactured or processed solid waste material (typically inert) that enters the marine environment from any source. Marine litter and floatables are considered equivalent terms [1], Marine pollution is defined as the introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances into the marine environment (including estuaries) resulting in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources, hindrance to marine activities including fishing, impairment of quality for use of sea water and reduction of amenities [2], Marine debris is dominated by persistent synthetic materials, most of which are plastics. 

The persistence of marine debris in the United States is similar to the persistence of worldwide debris. The United States has a lot of beaches that are used for recreational activities, as do countries in the Caribbean, South America, and South East Asia. Increased trash collection on beaches and restricted smoking areas can reduce the amount of debris that ends up in the oceans. 

POPs have been observed to persist in the environment and spread out over long distances. POPs can accumulate in human and animal tissue and become part of the human food chain. POPs have potential significant impacts on human health and the environment. Persistent organic pollutants in the marine environment attach to plastic debris, which then are consumed by marine animals, many of which are in the human food chain. The plastic pellets and fragments can transport toxic substances in the marine environment to animals and ultimately to humans (Rios et al. 2(X)7). 

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