What are the main types of ocean pollutants?

Lily Pond Pollution Types (2020) (EPA)

Algae

Murky Water

Nuisance Plants and Animals

Cohasset Harbor Pollution Types (2020) (EPA)

healthy for swimming and boating

Good levels of aquatic life

Impaired Fish, and shellfish consumption

Bacteria and other microbes were found in the water

National Pollutants

Most Common (MP)

Soil

Nutrients

Bacteria

Can kill tiny animals and fish eggs

Covers the surface and blocks light from plants

Clogs gills of fish

Usually Fertilizers coming from farms, and flowing into bodies of water

Nitrogen, and phosphorus turn algae green/ turn water green

Usually from sewage spills

Microplastics (NOAA)

Minuscule parts of beauty products

Toothpaste

Cleansers

Pass through filters because of their size

Were put in beauty products around 50 years ago

On December 28, 2015 Barack Obama Signed the Micro bead Free Waters Act to end the use of micro beads in beauty products

Aquatic Life and birds can mistake microplastics for food

Plastic (NG)

Shopping Bags

Bottles/ bottle caps

Cigarette Butts

Food wrappers

Fishing gear

Has become known as one of the most harmful types of pollution

Can take hundreds of years to decompose

Can harm sea life from whales to plankton (NG)

Around 1 garbage truck full of plastic is emptied into the ocean per minute (Plastic Bank)

Sources

Microfibers (Space Daily)

About 13,000 tons are let into European water every year

When your washing machine is run thousands of microfibers are released into local bodies of water

Stormwater (Mr. Buckley)

Hail

Snow

Any water that flows over land, and covers a surface

Rain

As it runs into larger bodies of water it picks up chemicals, oil, dirt, and other pollutants. The river flows into the ocean, and brings the pollutants with it, which causes ocean pollution.

Animal and human waste (Mr. Buckley)

When the septic system leaks the waste goes into local bodies of water and contaminates the water

100's of gallons of waste water a day are put into Cohasset harbor, from toilets flushing (Contains Fecal Coli form)

Mainly sewer water

Medicine in waste can harm ocean life by putting the product into their system. Sometimes the effect of the medicine can be deadly to animals

When we eat meat the leftover waste from the animal is thrown away, and can contaminate the water if it gets to the ocean

(Mr Buckley)

Decomposing Times (TPP 23)

Styrofoam Cup (500 years-forever)

Aluminum Can (80-200 years)

Milk Carton (5 years)