How can you reduce Marine Pollution? Control measures

Oceans make up for the largest portion of the earth’s surface. They were considered to be all-encompassing,with endless reservoirs bearing the brunt of unmitigated anthropogenic activities with huge heaps of wastes being dumped into them. This outlook about the oceans has lead to the reduction of sanctity of the oceanic environment which has depleted fairly and is getting worse day by day. We need to find viable solutions to these aggravating problems for the ocean environment depletion. Unless we do so we will keep seeing the consequences and real time scenarios like contaminated wastes, devastated stretches coral reefs, ill or mutant marine organisms and reduced marine species.

We currently observe high levels of pollutants in the marine food chain which is a matter of great concern. It is worrisome not only from an environmental point of view but also it affects human health and well-being. Seafood is a food source for human beings which they consume directly. Humans also turn seafood into animal feed for animal consumption. These animals or their by products also are consumed by humans. As and when the seafood is contaminated to start with, the contamination is passed on to the human and animal consumers. This increases the risk of poisoning, behavioural problems, illness and even physical mutation in both animals and humans with the same drastic effects.

Being the Government, activities that can be conducted to reduce marine pollution :

• Government should take initiative to cut down the plastic usage and ban plastic bags completely. Plastic is something that never degenerates and stays for a long time. Plastic is swallowed by marine animals which lead to their inevitable death.
• A ban should be implemented on the dumping of industrial, residential and agricultural wastes and chemicals into water sources. All that flows to the water sources in then eventually taken to the ocean.
• There should be a ban on the dumping of sewage and waste materials directly into the oceans.
• The Government should take up steps to educate people about the causes, effects and the remedies to prevent the causes of marine pollution.
• Citizens should be encouraged to recycle what they use, reduce the use of toxic materials and maintain vehicles properly to reduce oil leakages and carbon dioxide.
• There should be more stringent controls set up for coastal chemical factories, mining sites and other water – front industries.
• Help to organize and assist agencies to go for a cleaning spree to reduce the already polluted water bodies and ocean environment which have been depleted.

Being a Citizen, activities that can be conducted to reduce marine pollution:

Firstly, using of plastic bags and other plastic substances should be lessened or cut down completely. Reuse plastic bags and recycle plastics. Don't throw them away.

Household cleaners create a lot of pollution as the chemicals in them prove to be harmful and even fatal when the sea life consumes it.

Keep a separate trash holder when going on a road trip or anywhere outdoors and not litter outside.

The oils and other spillage from vehicles and boats are also very harmful to the sea life and there should be a proper mechanism to control it.

Chemical fertilisers also have an adverse effect on soil and eventually trickle down into the water table which also gets polluted, finding its way into the ocean through streams and rivers.

It is important to have awareness drives and one must participate in them in order to motivate others as well as ensure that they are also following the best practices.

Awareness programs gives us a basic idea about how much we are actually harming or affecting the environment since almost every activity we do has a negative effect on our environment.

Remedies to reduce and Marine Pollution

Flotsam and Jetsam – Alarming quantity of detritus organic and inorganic are abandoned in shipping routes. This results in large scale marine pollution. Jetsam is a threat to marine environment. It spoils the aesthetics and the leaked toxins settle in the marine floor or floats in surface (Flotsam). To avoid this, ships shouldn’t dump rubbish in the water and large – scale cleaning operation must be undertaken worldwide.

Oil Spills – large scale investment is needed to implement State-of-the-art technology to stop the oil tankers from spilling their cargo, oil pipes from leaking their contents and undersea oil wells from belching crude oil into water. If prevention fails then oil should be removed through chemical or mechanical means or by bio remediation involving microbes.

Sewage – Investment in better infrastructure can reduce the amount of raw sewage being pumped into the sea and modern sewage treatment systems, with screening facilities will reduce levels of marine pollution. If the private sector/ undertakings are not willing to participate, there should be large scale implementation of laws by global authorities.

Plastics – there should be a massive reduction of plastic production and usage will lower marine pollution. Reusing and recycling will prevent any plastics in the marine environment too.

Read More:
Marine Pollution:What are the main sources of marine pollution?
Marine Pollution: What are the main causes of marine pollution ?
What are the effects of marine pollution?
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