Top 10 Trash Found In The World’s Oceans

Top 10 Trash Found In The World’s Oceans. Graphic © herbshealthhappiness.com.

In one of its “International Coastal Cleanup (ICC)” reports, the Ocean Conservancy compiled a top 10 list of litter collected in waterways and beaches around the world. ^[1]

1. Cigarette Butts (2,117,931): As a lot of trash finds its way to the oceans through sewers and drainage, it is no surprise that cigarette butts make this list. Millions of people smoke multiple cigarettes a day which are then tossed away casually. Through drainage and gutters, these cigarettes end up in the oceans.

2. Food Wrappers/Containers (1,140,222): The worst part about most of these food wrappers is that they are not bio-degradable. A rise in the fast-food industry has largely contributed to this with single-use containers being disposed of in large numbers.

3. Plastic Beverage Bottles (1,065,171): Tying into plastic food wrappers, most (if not all) plastic soda and water bottles are not bio-degradable – and their sale is increasing.

4. Plastic Bags (1,019,902): Plastic bags that are used to package food end up in the ocean, entangling the wildlife and even choking them.

5. Caps/Lids (958,893): Plastic bottle caps may not seem like a big deal but they are dangerous in their numbers. Add that to the fact that they can be easily swallowed – and the danger levels multiply.

6. Cups/Plates/Cutlery (692,767): Thumbs down to manufacturing and packaging companies using non-bio-degradable plastics. These utensils may pose a physical threat to birds and marine life.

7. Straws/ Stirrers (611,048): While they are being phased out, the impact of plastic straws on our oceans is still noticeable.

8. Glass Beverage Bottles (521,730): As high as this number looks, it does not tell the whole story. Glass bottles sink to the bottom of the ocean – where they are hard to retrieve but still pose a risk to marine life. And did you know they can take 1 million years to break down?

9. Beverage Cans (339,875): Metal beverage cans are lined with sharp edges that may pose physical harm to animals – yet they line the ocean floor.

10. Paper Bags (298,332): An often overlooked pollutant, paper bags as detrimental to the environment as much as plastics bags.

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Graphic ©herbshealthhappiness.com.