Ocean pollution a serious threat

IT is significant that Nelson Mandela Bay, as a coastal and harbour city, is playing host to the inaugural African Maritime Waste Conference.

Over the next few days, marine and waste management specialists from around the world will be exploring the economic and environmental impact of marine pollution, historic and ongoing efforts to clean up the ocean, and the importance of education to prevent and manage maritime waste.

The ocean is so vast and deep that many no doubt still cling to the erroneous view, “so what if it gets polluted – the overall impact can’t be all that great”.

But, far from being bottomless receptacles for toxic spills, plastics and other man-made waste, our seas are becoming increasingly compromised, so much so that there are now several oceanic “dead zones” around the globe that are no longer able to support marine life.

In particular the enormous danger of plastic pollution is only now beginning to be properly understood.

According to the Sustainable Seas Trust, hosts of this week’s conference, estimates suggest there are now 150 million tons of plastic in the oceans. By 2050, this will rise to more than 700 million tons if current trends are anything to go by.

Unless action is taken, this is the tipping point at which the weight of accumulated plastics will actually outstrip the total weight of fish in the sea – a frightening prospect.

Plastic debris can absorb toxic chemicals from other ocean pollutants, poisoning everything that eats it.

And plastic never completely breaks down and disappears: the particles just become smaller and smaller, eventually threatening all sea creatures and indeed the entire marine ecosystem.

Ocean waste left unchecked has the power to affect tourism and jeopardise livelihoods.

Worse yet, it will degrade marine and human life.

The full extent of pollution along Africa’s coast is still not fully known and that is why a conference such as the one in the Bay is so timely.

We need to pool resources, and develop a strategy for our city, country and continent so that sustainable solutions can be identified before it is too late.