The real numbers behind ocean plastics

Ocean plastic is often misunderstood - and misrepresented. Media images of massive garbage patches floating in the Pacific suggest the ocean is blanketed in rubbish. The reality is more complicated - and arguably more concerning. 

Of the 460 million tonnes of plastic produced annually around the globe  (OECD 2022), 353 million tonnes go to waste and only about 9% is recycled in any meaningful way. Approximately 82 millions tonnes of this waste (of the 9%) is mismanaged - either littered, burned in open air or dumped in poorly controlled landfills. Around 19 million tonnes of this chunk leak into the environment each year, including rivers, fjords and lakes, coastal areas and the ocean.

An estimated 1.7 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean yearly - which may seem a small proportion compared to the scale of global waste, but is still catastrophic in ecological terms. Once there, plastic breaks down into micro and nano particles that are invisible to the human eye and virtually impossible to remove. 

Most ocean plastic sticks around - lurking in shallow coastal waters. According to Our World in Data, 88% stays close to coastlines. Less than 0.1 million tonnes actually reaches the open ocean surface when over 90% lands in the ocean sediments. The highly visible garbage patches that grab headlines are notorious - but the real problem is what’s being dumped just off the coast, in estuaries, reefs and coastal ecosystems. These areas are also where marine biodiversity is richest.

Over 80% of ocean plastic comes from land, is transported by rivers and wind and often comes from areas with inadequate waste infrastructure. Fishing gear - including nets, ropes and lines - makes up a smaller percentage globally (around 270%) but dominates in high seas and offshore patches.

Understanding these numbers is a key first step. It helps us shift from spectacle and horror to strategic action. If most plastic stays near the land, then coastal waste management - not open-ocean cleanups - should be our main focus.

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For more information contact: info@scarabtrust.org.uk

Image: floating plastic waste and clothing - Image by Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash (ST ref: 1223)