Alba Hysaj
Department of English
Engl 21003: Writing for the sciences
Prof. Crystal Rodwell
Date: 11/25/2021

Ocean Pollution

Chen, J., Di, Z., Shi, J., Shu, Y., Wan, Z., Song, L., & Zhang, W. (2020). Marine oil spill pollution causes and governance: A case study of Sanchi tanker collision and explosion. Journal of Cleaner Production, 273, 122978.

 Oil spills are a source of ocean pollution. They come about when oil tankers are involved in accidents, and as much as these accidents have decreased over the recent years, the hazards of their pollution still remains. The article analyses the Sanchi collision and explosion accident. The source is very relevant to my topic as it takes on a real-life example in showcasing some of the factors that contribute to such accidents. It also helps me understand some of the governance strategies based on structural correlations amid the factors. Apart from that, the source will help me know how shipping companies can avoid such accidents. By avoiding accidents, oil spills will be minimized.

Gross, L., & Enck, J. (2021). Confronting plastic pollution to protect environmental and public health.

The source looks into plastic pollution and some of the confrontation strategies that are underway to protect both public and environmental health. Some of the impacts of plastic pollution on marine animals include invading the guts of seabirds and fish and choking marine mammals. Plastics also pose unknown risks to both the animals as well as those people who consume them. According to the source, government plans are underway to lessen the adverse impacts of microplastics. This source is useful to my topic because it highlights the background of ocean pollution, with the main polluter being plastics. I will use it to look into the different effects of microplastics on marine life and soil, etcetera. Besides, it will also give me the commentaries of various researchers that have tried to solve the issue.

Landrigan, P. J., Stegeman, J. J., Fleming, L. E., Allemand, D., Anderson, D. M., Backer, L. C., … & Rampal, P. (2020). Human health and ocean pollution. Annals of global

health, 86(1).

The article discusses pollution as one of the major environmental causes of illness in the current world, causing at least nine million premature deaths annually. Pollution also brings about economic losses, degradation of ecosystems, and erosion of human capital. One of the insufficiently acknowledged and inefficiently controlled components of global pollution is ocean pollution. According to the source, this type of pollution poses severe threats to both the health and well-being of human beings. The article is relevant to my topic because it helps me in understanding why ocean pollution is disregarded and some of its adverse impacts on our health. In addition, it helps me understand its impact on marine life as well as the strategies that can be employed in curbing the problem. The articles are comprehensive in that I will be able to understand a wide range of issues pertaining to ocean pollution.  

Lebreton, L. C., Van Der Zwet, J., Damsteeg, J. W., Slat, B., Andrady, A., & Reisser, J. (2017). River plastic emissions to the world’s oceans. Nature communications, 8(1), 1-10.

The source discusses the rising concern of plastics in the ocean. It also presents a global model of plastics inputs into oceans from the rivers. It is based on population density, waste management as well as hydrological information. Rivers are showcased to be the largest source of ocean pollution, with the top 20 most polluting rivers being situated in Asia. Through the article, I am able to understand why rivers pollute the oceans, and this roots back to human activities because they throw waste materials into these rivers. Besides, through the article, I am able to learn how plastic debris can get monitored in the future and the mitigation strategies to save our oceans from pollution.

Phelan, A., Ross, H., Setianto, N. A., Fielding, K., & Pradipta, L. (2020). Ocean plastic crisis—Mental models of plastic pollution from remote Indonesian coastal communities. PloS one, 15(7), e0236149.

According to the source, as much as ocean pollution has been well documented, there is little acquaintance on the viewpoints, options, and experiences of the coastal communities that face devastating amounts of plastics in their fishing waters and on their beaches. This paper places more focus on how plastic pollution in the ocean affects the people living near those areas. These people continue to suffer, thanks to plastic pollution. Waste management in these places is not efficient because of complex geography, and this leaves the people living here to shoulder the burden of the pollution. It is a rich source to my topic mainly because these people have been disregarded and more attention placed on the impacts of ocean pollution on marine life. Through the article, I will be able to know what needs to be done.

Rhodes, C. J. (2018). Plastic pollution and potential solutions. Science progress, 101(3), 207-260.

The source talks about the manufacture as well as usage of the different types of plastics. According to the source, the production of plastics is on the rise, with 407 million metric tons of plastics being produced in the year 2015. It has been presumed that almost 9 million metric tons of plastics go into the ocean in the year 2010. Apart from that, the article offers solutions to the problem, citing that there should be more extensive collection as well as reutilizing of plastic products at the end of their life, to be reused in novel production. This article is relevant to my topic because, through it, I will be able to ascertain the actual impact of plastics in the ocean as well as evaluate the provided solutions to eradicating or reducing this menace.