Marine plastic and animals
Marine plastic pollution is one of the fastest-growing welfare problems for sea turtles, marine mammals, seabirds and reef fish. Indonesia is one of the world's largest contributors of marine plastic;
Marine plastic kills marine animals through entanglement, ingestion, ghost-net bycatch and habitat degradation; UNEP estimates that 11-19 million tonnes of plastic enter the world's oceans each year, with around 80% from land-based sources.
Key Facts
- UNEP estimates 11-19 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans each year.
- Around 80% comes from land-based sources — riverine input, coastal mismanaged waste, and stormwater runoff.
- Indonesia is consistently in the top three marine-plastic-contributing countries globally.
- Sea turtles, marine mammals and seabirds are the worst-affected groups.
- Ghost nets — abandoned fishing gear — continue catching marine life for decades after loss.
How plastic kills marine animals
Three main pathways: ingestion (plastic mistaken for food causes blockage and starvation), entanglement (six-pack rings, fishing gear, packaging tape) and ghost-net bycatch (abandoned commercial fishing gear that continues catching animals for decades). Microplastic ingestion adds a chronic-toxicity dimension that is not fully understood.
Where the problem is concentrated
Riverine input from a small number of major rivers — primarily in Asia — accounts for a disproportionate share of ocean plastic. Indonesia in particular has been the subject of intensive UNEP-supported source-reduction projects.
What rescue work looks like
Beach-stranded sea-turtle rehabilitation, ghost-net removal, seabird and marine-mammal triage. The work is welfare-intensive and the prognosis for entangled or plastic-ingesting animals is often poor. Prevention — through waste-management investment in source countries — is far more cost-effective than rescue alone.