United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
National Oceanic And
Atmospheric
Administration
EPA/IMSD/89-005
'. October 1989
Administration And Resources Management (PM-211D)
Bibliographic Series
Marine Debris
Printed on Recycled Paper
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MARINE DEBRIS
OCTOBER 1989
Headquarters Library
Information Management and Services Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Room 2904 PM-211A
401 M STREET, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
(202) 382-5922
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
I. GENERAL INFORMATION.
II. SOURCES OF DEBRIS 8
A. Land-Based Debris 8
B. Debris from Marine Vessels 10
III. EFFECTS ON WILDLIFE AND HUMANS 13
IV. GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS 19
A. International 19
B. Federal 22
C. State 24
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INTRODUCTION
Marine debris is a worldwide environmental issue. Debris on
beaches and in oceans may cause many problems, including
ecological, wildlife, economic, recreational and aesthetic concerns.
The proliferation of plastic packaging in recent years has aggravated
the problem. Many marine animals are dying as a result of becoming
entangled in debris or by ingesting it.
This bibliograpy is a joint effort by the library staffs at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters and the U.S. National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It provides a
source for identifying introductory materials on the marine debris
problem. Materials listed in the bibliography include books, reports,
and non-technical magazine articles.
Citations cover the period from January 1986 through March 1989
and are alphabetized by title within each section. Where available, a
descriptive abstract is included with each citation. Source of
citation and abstract is noted by an abbreviation in brackets at the
end of each item.
The following people are responsible for providing direction and
contributing to the development of this bibliography:
David K. Hoadley, EPA, Office of Information Resources
Management
David Bedford, EPA, Office of Marine and Estuarine Protection
Gregory W. Withee, Director, NOAA, National Oceanographic
Data Center
Carol Watts, Director, NOAA, Library and Information Services
Division
Athena Stone, Water Librarian, EPA Headquarters Library
Anne Twitchell, Head Reference Librarian, EPA Headquarters
Library
Helen Cummings, Head Reference Librarian, NOAA Central
Library
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Citations were obtained by searching the following databases:
[ABI] ABI/INFORM
Data Courier Inc.
620 South Fifth Street
Louisville, KY 40202
[ASFA] Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts
Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
5161 River Road
Bethesda, MD 20816
[BIP] Books in Print
R. R. Bowker
245 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011
[ENV] Enviroline
Environment Information Center, Inc.
292 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
[EB] Environmental Bibliography
Environmental Studies Institute
800 Garden Street, Suite D
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
[GPO] GPO Monthly Catalog/GPO Pubications Reference
File
Records Branch, STOP:SSMR
Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, DC 20401
[LRI] Legal Resources Index
Information Access Company
11 Davis Drive
Belmont, CA 94002
[Ml] Magazine Index
Information Access Company
11 Davis Drive
Belmont, CA 94002
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[PA] Pollution Abstracts
Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
5161 River Road
Bethesda, MD 20816
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I. GENERAL INFORMATION
A Citizen's Guide to Plastic in the Ocean: More Than a Litter
Problem
O'Hara, Kathryn J.; ludicello, Suzanne; Perry, Jill
Center for Environmental Education 1988 140p. [BIP]
A A A
Controlling and Reducing Pollution from Plastic Waste,
Sen Comm Env Public Works Hearings 100 Con 1 100-322, Jun 1,
Sep 17, 87 (397)
Hearings were conducted to discuss three bills proposed for the
control of plastic waste disposal. S. 559 would require EPA to
assess measures available to reduce the adverse effects on the
environment associated with dumping of plastics on land and in
waters. Annex V to the Intl Convention for the Prevention of
Pollution from Ships would be implemented under S. 560; the
disposal of any plastic items or wastes into US territorial
waters would be prohibited. S. 633 would also prohibit the
disposal of plastic products into waters under US jurisdiction
and would require a study to determine ways to eliminate plastic
pollution. Testimony was delivered by Jane Hopkins of EPA; George
McCann of the New Jersey Dept. of Env. Protection; and others.
Associated documents and memoranda are appended. [ENV]
Degradable Polymers?
Parr, Jan
Forbes, Oct 5, 87, V140, n7, p206(3)
Because it does not decompose, plastic debris discharged into
oceans inevitably ends up on beaches. The best solution, which
may be at hand, is to fabricate a plastic that actually rots. The
key turns out to be cornstarch: when mixed with plastic wastes,
the trash will disintegrate after perhaps five years. The long
chains of glucose molecules that make up cornstarch become
interspersed within polymers in the oil-based plastic. Once
exposed to the elements, the cornstarch polymers become food for
any fungi or bacteria in the surrounding environment. Large
plastics manufacturers are resisting adopting this new
technology, which will weaken the durability and strength of
plastics products. They are concentrating instead on developing
photodegradable plastic. (3 Photos) [ENV]
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The Dirty Seas
Time, Aug 1, 88, v!32, n5, p44(7)
The popular assumption that the oceans can heal themselves has
been shaken by this summer's closed beaches. The pollution of the
oceans and. estuaries goes far beyond the -dangers to swimmers from
visible medical waste. Chronic land-based pollution includes
agricultural runoff, waste water from sewage treatment and
industry, and raw sewage from overflowing sewers. Garbage and
plastics from boats and ships contribute to the problem, as does
acid rain and wind-borne pesticides. The negative effects are
seen in shellfish, dying dolphins along the atlantic coast, red
tides, and seabirds and sea lions entangled or choked by plastic
nets and rings. Although some communities are passing local laws
and the us recently ratified an amendment to the MARPOL Treaty
prohibiting the jettisoning of plastics in the oceans, cleanup
has had a low political priority and states and municipalities
are still not complying with the 1972 clean water act. (1
diagram, 1 map, 5 photos) [ENV] • '
Don't go near the water; after decades of abuse, our costal
waters are dying. Is it too late to save them?
Morganthau, Tom
Newsweek vl!2 p42(6) Aug 1, 1988 [MI]
Floating megalitter in the Eastern Mediterranean
McCoy, F.W.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 25-28 1988
Concentrations of floating megalitter-floating debris that is
large enough for sighting by eye or with binoculars-were measured
from a ship in a small area (8.3 km super(2)) of the eastern
Mediterranean Sea over a 22 day period. Suggested concentrations
are on the order of 0.012 g m super(-2), based upon a limited
data base, but are close to values determined elsewhere in the
Mediterranean. If these values are representative of regional
concentrations, then as many as 3.6 x 10 super(6) objects may be
afloat per day as megalitter in the Mediterranean Sea. Most of
the observed megalitter was plastic debris; all of the litter was
man-made. [PA]
A A A
Last summer at the Jersey shore, (includes related article on
water composition)
Stutz, Bruce
Oceans v21 p8(9) Aug, 1988 [MI]
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Leather-backs: poachers, tourists, and plastic bags are new
actors in an age-old play
Cherrington, Mark
Earthwatch, 1987 Vol. VI, No. 4 (July-August), p. 22 [EB]
A A A
Man-made killer of the seas, (plastic pollution in the ocean)
Berliant, Adam
U.S. News & World Report v!03 p72(l) July 6, 1987 [MI]
A A A
Marine Litter: More Than an Eyesore
Aquanotes, Jun 87, v!6, n2, pi(4)
Litter pollution of coastal areas in the U.S. has caused growing
alarm. The routine dumping of plastics into the oceans poses a
serious threat to marine wildlife causing death and serious
injury. Public and Congressional concern has prompted legislative
efforts for a comprehensive solution to marine plastics debris.
Although government action is necessary, the actions of
individuals such as merchant seamen, fishermen and recreational
boaters and beach visitors are needed to reduce plastic marine
debris. (4 photos) [ENV]
A A A
Occurrence of tar and other pollution on the Saudi Arabian shores
of the Gulf.
Price, A.R.G.; Wrathall, T.J.; Bernard, S.M.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 18, no. 12, pp. 650-651, 1987
A survey was undertaken during February-March 1986, when
virtually the entire Saudi Arabian Gulf coastline was inspected
between the northern (Saudi-Kuwait) border and southern (Saudi-
Qatar) border. Data collected on the occurrence and magnitude of
both beach tar and other forms of pollution are summarised
graphically. Beach tar balls were encountered at 77% of the
coastal sites visited, confirming earlier reports. The abundance
value recorded most frequently (mode) was 3, denoting moderate
amounts of tar at the majority of sites. Other forms of pollution
were recorded at 87% of the coastal sites, and included such
items as plastic containers, scrap metal, tire and other human
refuse. [ASFA]
Our befouled beaches; condoms, styrofoam and germs litter the
sea.
Adler, Jerry
Newsweek vllO p50(2) July 27, 1987 [MI]
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Patterns in the abundance of pelagic plastic and tar in the North
Pacific Ocean, 1976-1985
Day, R.H.; Shaw, D.G.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA,
21-23 April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp.311-316
The authors have determined the distribution and abundance of
pelagic plastic and tar in the subtropical and subarctic North
Pacific and the Bering Sea in June-August 1985 and compared them
with similar observations from the same areas in 1976 and 1984.
Large ( approximately equals 2.5 cm diameter or larger) plastic
objects were counted from the deck of a ship, and small plastic
objects and tarballs were caught with a neuston net. Densities
(number items/m super(-2)) of large plastic in subtropical waters
averaged two times those in subartic waters and eight times those
in the Bering Sea. Concentrations (cm/m super(-2)) of small
plastic in subropical waters averaged 26 times those in subarctic
waters and 400 times those in the Bering Sea. Concentrations of
tar in subropical waters averaged three times those in subarctic
waters; no tar was found in the Bering Sea. Densities of large
plastic along 155 degree W in the Subarctic North Pacific were
not significantly different between 1984 and 1985. Concentrations
of small plastic increased significantly between 1976 (along 158
degree W) and 1985 (along 155 degree W). [PA]
' . A A A
Plastic clogs the oceans
Keyser, Joe
Not Man Apart, 1986 Vol. 16, No. 5 (September-October), p. 4
[EB]
• ' A A A . ' •
Plastic debris problem growing, (in the nation's waters)
Oceans v!9 p66(2) May-June, 1986 [MI]
A A A
Plastic in the North Atlantic
Wilber, R. Jude
Oceanus, 1987 Vol. 30, No. 3 (Fall), p. 61 [EB]
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Plastic in the Ocean: What Are We Doing to Clean It Up
Augerot, X.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Rockville, MD.
Office of Sea Grant and Extramural Programs.
Report No.: WSG-AS-88-6
Jul 88 lOp
NTIS order no.: PB88-244348/XAB
Plastic trash in the ocean is a hazard to wildlife and human
safety. Six-pack rings, fishing line and plastic bags can trap,
choke and strangle fish, birds and marine mammals. Larger pieces
of plastic such as scraps of fishing net and rope foul propellers
and cooling water intakes, causing a navigation and safety hazard
for boaters and fishermen. Last year, Congress passed the Marine
Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act (MPPRCA), which bans
disposal of plastic trash in the ocean. The Washington Sea Grant
marine advisory publication details the components of the new law
and its potential effects on the boater, port manager and
fisherman. [NTIS]
Plastic ocean pollution: "stow it"
Sea Technology, 1987 Vol. 28, No. 10 (October), p. 81 [EB]
Plastic: Progress and Peril
Schneidman, Diane
Marketing News v21n26 pp: 1,6-8 Dec 18, 1987
Plastic is a shatterproof, versatile, lightweight, and cost-
effective packaging material, but it is becoming a nightmare for
ocean life and may be causing problems for land animals and
humans as well. Many ocean animals mistake pieces of plastic for
food, the items lodge in their throats, and they suffocate. Seals
frequently become entangled in plastic sixpack container holders.
Overall, plastic pollution poses a greater threat to marine birds
and mammals than spilled oil, pesticides, or contaminated runoff.
Certain forms of plastic-based foam packaging, such as that used ;
by McDonald's Corp., threaten life on earth because they are
harmful to the earth's ozone layer. Plastic packaging and the
resultant waste continue to grow nearly unchecked. In response to
the ecological problems, there have been bills introduced in
Congress, some states have passed laws regarding 6-pack plastic ,
containers, and private corporations have begun offering
alternative, degradable products. Recycling of plastic waste also
is being studied. Charts. Graphs. [ABI]
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Plastic pellets and tar on Spain's Mediterranean beaches
Shiber, J.G.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 84-86, 1987
Eighteen beaches on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, from
Barcelona to Algeciras, were surveyed for the presence of plastic
pellets. Spherules in great variety of shape and colour, often
covered with tar, were found to be abundant on most beaches,
particularly at Sitges, Calafell, and Salou on the Costa Dorada
and Gandia on the Costa del Azahar. Tar lumps were also very
common. Over 100 of Spain's approximately 190 plastics
manufacturers are situated on or near the Mediterranean coast.
Wastes from these factories and spillage during cargo loading
and sea transport of raw materials are thought to be the most
likely major sources of the pellets. [PA]
Plastics adrift
Bulloch, David K.
Underwater Naturalist, 1987 Vol. 16, No. 4, p. 24 [EB]
A A A
Plastics in the sea. Selected papers from the Sixth International
Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-25 April, 1986.
Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987 (spec, issue)
Twelve relevant papers are cited from this conference. Areas of
discussion include the peristence and abundance of plastics
debris and pelagic tar in the marine envirnment and the effects
of plastic debris on the marine organisms. [PA]
A A A
Preliminary studies of man-made litter in the Firth of Forth,
Scotland
Caulton, E.; Mocogni, M.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 8, pp. 446-450, 1987
Short-term studies on man-made litter deposited on the
beaches of the Edinburgh coastline of the Firth of Forth,
Scotland, have demonstrated that containers of all kinds, plastic
bags, plastic sheeting and clothing, comprise the main and
dominant components of the nineteen categories of litter
analysed. Most of the litter is of local origin either deposited
in situ or washed ashore from neighbouring water's-edge tips.
Very little evidence was found of litter washed ashore being of
foreign origin or having been tipped overboard from ships at sea.
Much of the smaller items of litter are discarded by visitors to
the beach. [PA]
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Rating water quality at the beaches. (New Jersey)
Mallowe, Mike
Philadelphia Magazine v78 p!44(6) Aug, 1987 [MI]
••A A A
Sources, quantities and distribution of persistent plastics in
the marine environment
Pruter, A.T.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
25 April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987 pp. 305-310
Persistent plastics are widely distributed at the surface and
coastal margins of the global oceans, but many uncertainties
remain about their specific sources, quantities and distribution.
Awareness of the problem of plastic pollution has grown only
recently. Thus, systematic observations have not been either
extensive enough or long enough to document the situation
adequately. Major sources of these materials are from land,
vessels and beachgoers. This paper reviews recent literature on
the sources, amounts and distribution of various types of
plastics in the marine environment. [PA]
A A A
Threatened oceans; a plague of plastic is poisoning our sea.
Rybovich, John
Boating v61 p25(3) Nov, 1988 [MI]
A A
Warnings from the seas, (waste washing up on beaches )
Finlayson, Ann
Maclean's vlOl p48(2) Sept 5, 1988 [MI]
A A A
Wretched refuse off our shores, (ocean dumping)
Milleman, Beth
Sierra v74 p26(3) Jan-Feb, 1989 [MI]
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II. SOURCES OF DEBRIS
A. Land-Based Debris
Beachless summer, (trash from ocean dumping)
Reynolds, Clarence V.
Discover vlO p38(l) Jan, 1989 [MI]
A A A
Blood in water: a tide of hospital waste, (vials of blood & B47
syringes found on New York's Long Island beachfront)
Baker, James N.
Newsweek vl!2 p35(l) July 18, 1988 [MI]
A A A
Garbage out, garbage in. (polluted beaches in New Jersey and New
York)
U.S. News & World Report v!05 p9(l) July 18, 1988 [MI]
A A A
Hospital Waste: You Can Run, You Can't Hide
Aschkenasy, Janet
National Underwriter (Property/Casualty/Employee Benefits)
V92n39 pp.: 105-106 Sep 26, 1988
Insurance buyers for hospitals and municipalities seem oblivious
to a potential crisis concerning the repeated sightings of
hospital waste along the Northeast US coast this summer.
Brokerage houses appear to be unaware of the enormous opportunity
on the consulting side. Brokers, who are supposed to be risk
experts, could generate awareness among risk managers and urge
them to identify and minimize their potential liabilities and to
recognize potential penalties as lawmakers respond to growing
public concern over ocean contamination. Few brokerages have
anticipated an increased demand for environmental impairment
liability coverage or for coaching preventive hospital waste
disposal techniques. However, their efforts have met with
indifference. Hospitals cannot remain idle about the issue of
waste disposal, and they need to be proactive in their management
of waste. Hospitals could benefit from a product that would cover
their contingent liabilities for pollution caused by waste
haulers, but that kind of insurance seems to be nonexistent.
[ABI] ••-.....
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Medical waste just one threat to beaches.
National Parks v63 p9(2) Jan-Feb, 1989 [MI]
Needle Scare Provokes Push for Federal Law Governing Disposal of
Medical Waste
Tokarski, Cathy
Modern Healthcare v!8n30 PP: 32 Jul 22, 1988
Medical waste disposal, like the acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (AIDS)-contaminated needles that washed up on East Coast
US beaches in 1988, has led to a demand for federal oversight.
While some experts believe that moire uniform practices would be
ensured by a federal law, the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) states that present accrediting agencies and state laws are
effectively monitoring infectious waste disposal. Denise Zabinski
of the EPA further stated that negligent practices seem to be
isolated. In July 1988, Frank Lautenberg was among 4 senators to
introduce a bill requiring the EPA to set up a program for
tracking practices in New York and New Jersey. However, the lack
of consensus concerning hospital waste disposal is reflected in
state laws, which vary. Environmental standards also are
changing, making it difficult for hospitals to comply. For
example, a hospital incinerator in Madison, Wisconsin, has been
given a temporary permit while new regulations are being
developed. It appears that federal laws would be more predictable
than state laws. [ABI]
A A A
Opportunity knocks, (profit made from infectious waste washing up
on East Coast)
Crudele, John
New York v21 p39(l) Sept 12, 1988 [MI]
A A A
Sally sells syringes by the seashore, (medical waste on the east
coast)
Ciesla, Frank R.; Robins, Andrew B.
New Jersey Law Journal v!22 n!2 col 1 p7 Sept 22, 1988 [LRI]
A A A
Screening sewage protects beaches.
Besselievre, Edmund B.
American City & County v!03 p46(l) Oct, 1988 [MI]
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Why a flood of filth laps the beaches.
U.S. News & World Report v!05 p7(2) Aug 22, 1988 [MI]
B. Debris From Marine Vessels
Litter pollution from ships in the German Bight
Vauk, G.J.M.; Schrey, E.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
25 Apr 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp. 316-319
A 60-m length of beach at Helgoland was sampled approximately
every third day for a year to determine the composition of litter
deposited there. A total of 8,473 items with a total weight of
1,320 kg were identified as shipping wastes in the 106 samples.
Plastics of all types composed 75% of the items, whereas wood
represented 65% of the total weight. Ships' waste from along the
main shipping routes in the southern German Bight many be a
dominant source of the litter. The objects found were originally
manufactured in 26 different nations. The study provides an
estimation of the dimensions of litter pollution in the area of
the inner German Bight. [PA]
A A A
Persistent plastics and debris in the ocean: An international
problem of ocean disposal
Wolfe, D.A.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
25 April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp. 303-305
The Sixth International Ocean Disposal Symposium (IODS6), brought
together about 160 participants from 10 nations to discuss
various aspects of waste disposal and its effects in the oceans.
The objective of the symposium series is to provide a forum for
the exchange of ideas and information among investigators
involved in oceanic disposal research, to enhance the scientific
considerations of waste disposal in the marine environment, and
to generate recommendations and guidelines for future studies on
oceanic disposal practices. A major theme at IODS6 was the at-
sea disposal of plastics and other persistent synthetic materials
(including fishing nets). Papers have been selected from those
presented at the meeting to provide a comprehensive overview of
problems related to persistent plastics and debris in the sea,
10
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and a representative selection of current research topics in this
field. [PA]
A A A .
Plastic Pollution in the Marine Environment: Boaters Can Help
Control a Growing Problem
Farrell, J. G.
Geological Survey, Reston, VA. Water Resources Division
Jul 1988 4p.
NTIS order no.: PB88-229075
Plastic pollution is a growing problem in the oceans; a problem
with dire consequences. A six-pack ring can become a deadly noose
for a bird or fish. A plastic bag looks like a tasty jellyfish to
.an indiscriminate feeder like the sea turtle, but plastic is
indigestible. It can choke, block the intestines, or cause
infection in those animals that consume it. A plastic bag also
can clog an outboard engine's cooling system. Lost or discarded
monofilament fishing line can foul propellers, destroying oil
seals and lower units on engines, or it can become an entangling
web for fish, sea birds, and marine mammals. The publication
provides helpful tips for boaters interested in preventing the
improper disposal of plastic into the marine environment. [NTIS]
A A A
Reducing Navy Marine Plastic Pollution
Keystone Center, CO.
28 Jun 88 54p
NTIS order no: AD-A201 794/5
Over the last two decades, the United States and other nations
have become increasingly aware of the impacts of human activity
on the marine environment. In recent years, no environmental
issue involving the oceans has engendered as much public
attention and concern as marine plastics pollution. Plastic
debris from ships is littering beaches, and killing and
debilitating fish and wildlife because they are ingesting
plastic, or because they are becoming entangled in plastic
debris. While no one is purposefully causing these impacts, the
effects are becoming more pronounced. In the United States and
throughout much of the world, the use of plastics has grown
exponentially. Plastic products are often more economical than
non-plastic substitutes and present many attractive
characteristics. Plastics enhance the shelf life and storage of
products, provide ease in handling and use of plastic products
for food storage and packaging, and as a component of many
everyday products, has increased significantly, The result is
readily apparent in the increase in plastic use at home, in
commercial use, and on board commercial and military ships.
[NTIS]
11
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The tightening net of marine plastics pollution.
Conner, Daniel Keith; O'Dell, Robert
Environment v30 p!6(9) Jan-Feb, 1988 [MI]
A A A
The Trashy Sea Around Us
Mackenzie William H.
Defenders, May-Jun 87, v62, n3, p30(8)
Plastic debris in the world's oceans poses hazards to marine
mammals, fish, and birds. The world's merchant fleets alone dump
an estimated 450,000 plastic containers into the sea daily;
recreational boaters add their share. The qualities that made
plastic attractive to manufacturers and consumers, particularly
its durability, have made it a menace at sea. Seabirds and marine
mammals readily become entangled in debris, such as abandoned
fishing nets; whales, turtles, and other animals ingest the
plastic and slowly die. At the international level, efforts are
underway to gain U.S. ratification of Annex V to the 1973 Marine
Po.llution Convention, which would ban at-sea dumping of all
persistent plastics and synthetics. Volunteer efforts are growing
at the state level, as witnessed by the spread of Oregon's
citizen beach cleanup. (8 Photos) [ENV]
12
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III. EFFECTS ON WILDLIFE AND HUMANS
Caught in a plastic trap
Bowker, Michael
International Wildlife, 1986 V.16, N.3 (May-June), p.22 [EB]
A- A A .'''.. ;. • •
Death by plastic, or what the tide brought in.
Spurr, Dan
Cruising World v!4 p20(2) Sept, 1988 [MI]
A A A
Effects of ingested plastic on seabird feeding: Evidence from
chickens
Ryan, P.G.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 125-128, 1988
Domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus) were fed polyethylene
pellets to test whether ingested plastic impairs feeding
activity. When food was temporally limited, plastic-loaded birds
ate less than control birds, apparently as a result of reduced
gizzard volume. When given food ad libitum, plastic-loaded birds
also ate less and grew slower than did control birds. It is
concluded that ingested plastic reduces meal size and thus food
consumption when plastic reduces the storage volume of the
stomach. This reduced food consumption may limit the ability of
seabirds with large plastic loads to lay down fat deposits, and
thus reduce fitness. [PA]
A A A •
Entanglement of pinnipeds in synthetic debris and fishing net and
line fragments at San Nicolas and San Miguel islands, California,
1978-1986
Stewart, B.S.; Yochem, P.K.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
25 April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp.336-339
Trends in abundance of pinnipeds in Southern California have
apparently not been significantly influenced by entanglement of
individuals in marine debris. Juveniles may be the most
susceptible to entanglement in debris and the effect of any
recent declines in survival of younger age classes on trends in
annual numbers of births may not be detectable for several years.
Further studies are needed to document trends in debris-related
entanglement and the effects of this entanglement on juvenile
survival and subseguent recruitment. [PA]
13 'V • • . . . . . ••
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Impact of nondegradable marine debris on the ecology and survival
outlook of sea turtles
Carr, A.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
25 April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp.352-356
Sea turtles of all kinds are peculiarly prone to eat plastic
scraps and other buoyant debris and to tangle themselves in lines
and netting discarded by fishermen, and records of such mishaps
have increased markedly in recent years. Advances in our
understanding of the developmental ecology of sea turtles shed
new light on the impact of buoyant wastes on the juvenile stages.
The initial developmental stages of all species are passed in the
open sea. In the case of the loggerhead Caretta this period of
pelagic life is likely to include 3-5 years of planktonic open-
ocean travel, which may involve multiple transatlantic crossings.
During this time both the young turtles and their buoyant food
are drawn by advection into fronts (convergences, rips,
driftlines) and the same process also brings in and aligns
persistent plastics and lost fishing gear. [PA]
A A A
Ingestion of plastic debris by Laysan albatrosses and wedge-
tailed shearwaters in the Hawaiian Islands
Fry, D.M.; Fefer, S.I.; Sileofe, L.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
25 April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp.339-343
Surveys of Laysan albatross (Diomedea immutabilis) and wedge-
tailed shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) on Midway and Oahu
Island, Hawaii, identified a high proportion of birds with
plastic in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Fifty Laysan
albatross chicks were examined for plastic items lodged within
the upper digestive tract. Forty-five (90%) contained plastic,
including 3 chicks having proventricular impactions or ulcerative
lesions. Plastic items in 21 live albatross chicks weighed a
mean of 35.7 g/ chick super(-l) (range 1-175 g). Two of four
adult albatross examined contained plastic in the gut. Twelve
=of 20 adult Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (60%) contained plastic
particles 2-4 mm in diameter. Chemical toxicity of plastic
polymers, plasticizers and antioxidant additives is low, although
many pigments are toxic and plastics may serve as vehicles for
the adsorption of organochlorine pollutants from sea water, and
the toxicity of plastics is unlikely to pose a significant
hazard. [PA]
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Involvement of loggerhead turtle with the plastic, metal, and
hydrocarbon pollution in the Central Mediterranean
Gramentz, D.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 11-13, 1988
Over 20% of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta ) examined at
Malta were contaminated with plastic or metal litter and
hydrocarbons. The nature of the contamination suggests that the
number of sea turtles suffering from pollution is certainly
higher. [PA]
A A A
The lifespan of ingested plastic particles in seabirds and their
effect on digestive efficiency
Ryan, P.G.; Jackson, S.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 217-219, 1987
The assimilation efficiencies.of fledgling Whitechinned Petrels
Procellaria aequinoctialis artifically fed large quantities of
plastic particles were assessed. No significant differences were
detected in either assimilation efficiency or the rate of mass
loss between experimental and control birds. Polyethylene pellets
lost 1% of their mass after 12 days in the experimental birds'
stomachs, suggesting a half-life of at least one year. No
instances of plastic causing intestinal obstruction, and few
cases of physical damage to te stomach lining, were found in over
400 individuals of 25 species of seabirds containing ingested
plastic. These results suggest ingested plastic seldom impairs
digestive efficiency in seabirds. [PA]
A A A
Marine birds and plastic pollution.
Azzarello, M.Y.; Van Vleet, E.S.
Marine Ecology (Progress Series), vol. 37, no. 2-3, pp.
295-303, (1987)
The intrinsic properties and widespread presence of plastic
particles in the marine environment have profound effects on
birds inhabiting the world's oceans. The dispersal and
accumulation of plastics, in average densities of 1,000 to 4,000
pieces/km super(2), are controlled by surface currents, wind
patterns, and different geographic inputs. Seabirds in the order
Procellariiformes are most vulnerable to the effects of plastic
ingestion due to their smaller gizzard and their inability to
regurgitate ingested plastics. Planktivores have a higher .
incidence of ingested plastics than do piscivores as the former
are more likely to confuse plastic pellets with copepods, ,
euphausiids, and cephalopods. Hence, diet may be a major factor
determining the quantity of plastic ingested. Physiological
15
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effects related to the ingestion of plastics include obstruction
of the gastrointestines and of subsequent passage of food into
the intestines, blockage of gastric enzyme secretion, diminished
feeding stimulus, lowered steroid hormone levels, delayed
ovulation and reproductive failure. [ASFA]
A A A
Marine debris and northern fur seals: A case study
Fowler, C.W.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
25 April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp. 326-335
Since the early 1930s small numbers of northern fur seals
(Callorhinus ursinus) have been observed with various objects
caught around their necks, shoulders and less frequently, their
flippers. The incidence of such entanglement increased following
the mid-1960s when fishing effort in the North Pacific and Bering
Sea increased and when plastic materials began to be used
extensively in making trawl netting and packing bands. The
current incidence of entanglement observed among subadult males
on St. Paul Island (of the Pribilof Islands) is approximately
equals 0.4%, a level at least two orders of magnitude greater
than observed in the 1940s. Mortality of fur seals due to
entanglement in marine debris contributes significantly to
declining trends of the population on the Pribilof Islands. [PA]
A A A
Overview of the biological effects of lost and discarded plastic
debris in the marine environment
Laist, D.W.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
24 April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp. 319-326
In the past 30 years, the use of plastics and other synthetic
materials has expanded at a rapid pace. The accumulating debris
poses increasingly significant threats to marine mammals,
seabirds, turtles, fish, and crustaceans. The threats are
straightforward and primarily mechanical. Individual animals may
become entangled in loops or openings of floating or submerged
debris or they may ingest plastic materials. Animals that become
entangled may drown, have their ability to catch food or avoid
predators impaired, or incur wounds from abrasive or cutting
action of attached debris. Ingested plastics may block digestive
tracts, damage stomach linings, or lessen feeding drives.
Developing information suggests that the mechanical effects of
these materials affect many marine species in many ocean areas,
. ' 16 • ' .-'••'.' '.•...'.•
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and that these effects justify recognition of persistent plastic
debris as a major form of ocean pollution. [PA]
A A' A
The perils of plastic pollution; cups, sandwich bags and other
debris threaten marine life.
Murphy, Jamie .
Time v!27 p70(l) June 2, 1986 [MI]
A A A
Plastics in coastal waters
Dorfmann, Donald
Underwater Naturalist, 1987 Vol. 16, No. 3, p. 23 [EB]
A A A
Records of entangled gannets (Sula bassana ) at Helgoland, German
Bight
Schrey, E.; Vauk, G.J.M.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
25 April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp. 350-352
The gannet (Sula bassana) is a visitor to the area of the isle of
Helgoland. As a "plunge-diver" it is endangered by drifting
plastic-debris and "ghost-nets". Of 23 Gannets found dead on
Helgoland beaches between. 1976 and 1985, 3 (= 13%) were
entangled in net fragments. Over the same period 5 other
specimens entangled in fishing gear were found alive and set
free. Without human assistance these animals would have died
within a few days. If these birds are added to the dead victims,
then 29% of the observed mortality was caused by plastic-debris
and fishing gear. In 1984 and 1985 313 observations of Gannets
were registered in the area of Helgoland, including 8 records (=
2.6%) of flying birds entangled in fragments of fishing gear.
Multiple countings of the same individuals in the total of 313
observations makes the percentage of living Gannets entangled in
fragments of fishing gear definitely higher than 2.6%. [PA]
A- A A
A sea of calamites; monofilament gill nets don't just catch fish;
they damage marine life in an alarming way.
Gammon, Clive
Sports Illustrated v68 p46(4) May 16, 1988 [MI]
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Seals in the human environment.
Bonner, W.N.
Ambio, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 173-176, (1986).
Seals have a long association with man. They provide subsistence
products for primitive communities and commercial harvest for
industrialized societies. Seals have generally been perceived as
damaging to fisheries fisheries also have adverse effects on
seals by possible competition with them for food and through by-
catch. Entanglement with "ghost-nets" and other debris is a
significant but unquantifiable cause of seal mortality.
Pollutants in the marine environment are also damaging to seals
and habitat destruction and disturbance can be locally
significant. However, in general prospects for seals are good.
Research is adding to the information base needed for scientific
management of seal populations. [ASFA]
A A A
Throwing it all away, (wildlife-plastic waste problem)
Williamson, Lonnie
Outdoor Life v!82p32(3) Aug, 1988 [MI]
A A A
A tide of plastic, (plastic pollution kills marine wildlife)
Norris, Ruth
Audubon v88 p!8(5) Sept, 1986 [MI]
A A A
With the gales in their sails
Stuller, Jay
Audubon, 1988 Vol. 90, No. 2 (March), p. 84 [EB]
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IV. GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS
A. International
Acceptance of remaining MARPOL annexes is approaching.
Anon.
Motor Ship, vol. 68, no. 810, p. 35, (1988).
The introduction of international controls on the discharge into
the sea from ships of garbage and harmful substances in packaged
forms is getting closer. The measures are contained in annexes to
the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from
Ships, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto
(MARPOL 73/78). This Convention, which was adopted under the
auspices of the International Maritime Organisation, entered into
force in 1983, when the annexes dealing with pollution by oil arid
chemicals in bulk became mandatory. The implementation of Annex
II became effective from April 6, 1987. [ASFA.]
A A A
Control of marine pollution in international law. (book review)
Woloniecki, J.W.
International and Comparative Law Quarterly 35 n4 1009-1010
Oct, 1986 [LRI]
A A A
The ghosts of fishing nets past: a proposal for regulating
derelict synthetic fishing nets.
Ejelstad, Eric J.
Washington Law Review 63 n3 677-699 July, 1988 [LRI]
A A A
International law development on marine pollution from land-
based sources. (book review)
McGill Law Journal 32 n4 952-953 Sept, 1987 [LRI]
A A A
Land-Based Marine Pollution: International Law Development, (book
review)
Kwiatkowska, Barbara
International Journal of Estuarine and Coastal Law 3 n3
277-280 Aug, 1988 [LRI]
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Legal strategies for reducing persistent plastics in the marine
environment.
Bean, M.J.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
25 April, 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 18, no. 6B, 1987, pp. 357-360
A variety of legal strategies could be employed to address
aspects of the problem of persistent plastics in the marine
environment. These include strategies based on international
agreements, federal legislation, and state law. At the
international level, plastic pollution from vessels is addressed
by the International Convention Relating to Pollution from Ships
(MARPOL), though its operative provisions are not yet in force.
Various state measures focus primarily on reducing or preventing
the problem of generation of plastic pollution from land-based
sources. These include several laws that impose degradability
standards for certain plastic products or attempt to encourage
recycling of plastic waste. [ASFA]
Marine Pollution and the Law of the Sea, 4 vols. (book review)
Joyner, Christopher C.
Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law 21 n4 843-854 Oct,
1988 [LRI]
MARPOL Convention, Annex V : report (to accompany Treaty Doc.
100-3)
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign
Relations. Executive Report 100-8.
Washington, D.C. : U.S. G.P.O., 1987 58p.
GPO Item No.: 1008-C, 1008-D (microfiche) [GPO]
Plastic Reaps a Grim Harvest in the Oceans of the World
Weisskopf Michael
Smithsonian, Mar 88, v!8, n!2, p.58(10)
Of millions of tons of garbage dumped in the oceans every
year, plastics are considered by some scientists to be the most
dangerous to marine species. The problem is worldwide. Seals and
whales entangled in plastic netting can't feed or swim normally
and starve, drown, or die of infection from wounds. Birds die
from the impairment caused by six-pack rings around their necks.
Other plastic rings and gaskets kill by constricting fish.
Plastics eaten by sea turtles, baby whales, and sea birds cause
20
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infection, intestinal blockage, and death. At the end of 1987,
the U.S. Finally ratified Annex V of the 1973 Intl Convention for
the Prevention of Pollution from Ships. But enforcement will be
difficult because U.S. military vessels are exempt for five more
years, and Annex V does not apply to waste from sewage treatment
plants or plastics factories. Compacting, recycling, and
degradable plastics are some other promising approaches to the
problem. (15 photos) [ENV]
' A A A
Plastics in the marine environment: Legal approaches for
international action
Lentz, S.A.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, 21-25
April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp.361-365
Serious problems caused by the presence of plastic and other
synthetic materials in the marine environment are well
demonstrated. Legal regimes exist to address those problems
internationally and regionally through the Law of the Sea
Convention, The London Dumping Convention, an international
agreement on vessel-source pollution, and regional conventions.
This paper describes and compares those legal regimes. All
provide appropriate forums for implementing specific mitigation
measures and all should be fully utilized to regulate plastic
pollution of the ocean. [PA]
A A A
Regulations for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships
(Annex V of MARPOL 73/78): message from the President of the
United States transmitting Annex V, Regulations for the
prevention of pollution by garbage from ships, an optional annex
to the 1978 protocol relating to the International Convention for
the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (MARPOL 73/78)
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign
Relations.
Washington: U.S. G.P.O., 1987. 4p.
GPO Item No.: 996-A, 996-B (microfiche) [GPO]
The ship pollution problem.
Oceans v!9 p62(l) Jan-Feb, 1986 [MI]
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Transboundary pollution from Mexico: is judicial relief provided
by international principles of tort law?
Sullivan, Margaret M.
Houston Journal of International Law 10 nl 105-131 Aut, 1987
[LRI]
B. Federal
Congress tackles ocean plastic pollution.
Blockstein, David E.
BioScience v38 pl9(l) Jan, 1988 [MI]
A A A
Degradable six-pack ring carriers : report (to accompany H.R.
5117 which...was referred jointly to the committees on Energy and
Commerce and Merchant Marine and Fisheries) (including cost
estimate of the Congressional Budget Office)
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Merchant Marine
and Fisheries.
Washington, D.C. : U.S. G.P.O., 1988 [GPO]
A A A
Marine Plastic Pollution Prevention Act of 1987
Senate Comm Commerce Science Transport 100 Con 1 Report 266,
Dec 19, 87 (16)
H.R. 940, a bill to implement the provisions of Annex V to
the Intl Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships,
has been approved for passage. The legislation provides a
strategy for combatting the disposal and accumulation of plastic
wastes from ships in marine waters. Annex V prohibits the
discharge by vessels of plastic garbage anywhere in the ocean.
They also restrict disposal at sea of other types of garbage at
specified distances from the nearest land and mandate that ports
and terminals have reception facilities capable of holding wastes
from ships. The major provisions'of the bill are outlined. [ENV]
A A A
Medical Waste Sanctions Act of 1988 : report (to accompany H.R.
5231) (including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget
Office)
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Merchant Marine
and Fisheries.
Washington, D.C. : U.S. G.P.O., 1988. 15p. [GPO]
22
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Ocean Dumping Ban Act : conference report (to accompany S. 2030)
United States. Congress.
Washington, D.C. : U.S. G.P.O., 1988. 47 p.
GPO Item No.: 1008-C, 1008-D (microfiche) [GPO]
A A A - . . •
Ocean Dumping Reform Act of 1988 : report (to accompany S. 2030)
together with additional views
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
Washington, D.C. : U.S. G.P.O., 1988. 17 p.
GPO Item No.: 1008-C, 1008-D (microfiche) [GPO]
A A A
Plastic Pollution Control Act of 1987 : report (to accompany S.
1986)
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
Washington, D.C. : U.S. G.P.O., 1987. 16 p.
GPO Item No.: 1008-C, 1008-D (microfiche) [GPO]
• A A A
Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act : report (to accompany
H.R. 940) (including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget
Office)
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Merchant Marine
and Fisheries.
Washington, D.C. : U.S. G.P.O., 1987.
GPO Item No.: 1008-C, 1008-D (microfiche) [GPO]
A A A •
Shore Protection Act of 1988 : report (to accompany S. 1751)
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
Washington, D.C. : U.S. G.P.O., 1988. 8p.
GPO Item No.: 1008-C, 1008-D (microfiche) [GPO]:
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State
Legal strategies for reducing persistent plastics in the marine
environment
Bean, M.J.
Plastics in the Sea. Selected Papers from the Sixth
International Ocean Disposal Symposium, Pacific Grove, CA, 21-
25 April 1986. Wolfe, D.A. (ed.)
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 6B, 1987, pp. 357-360
A variety of legal strategies could be employed to address
aspects of the problem of persistent plastics in the marine
environment. These include strategies based on international
agreements, federal legislation, and state law. At the
international level, plastic pollution from vessels is addressed
by the International Convention Relating to Pollution from Ships
(MARPOL), though its operative provisions are not yet in force.
Various state measures focus primarily on reducing or preventing
the problem of generation of plastic pollution from land-based
sources. These include several laws that impose degradability
standards for certain plastic products or attempt to encourage
recycling of plastic waste. [PA]
• • A A A
Environmental litigation. (Product Liability) (New York)
Julien, Alfred S.
New York Law Journal v200 n81 col 1 p3 Oct 26, 1988 [LRI]
A A A
Ocean protection legislation enacted. (New Jersey)
Goldshore, Lewis; Wolf, Marsha
New Jersey Law Journal v!22 n5 col 1 p7 Aug 4, 1988 [LRI]
A A A
States Seek Tighter Rules on Infectious Waste
Holthaus, David
Hospitals v62n!7 pp. 70 Sep 5, 1988
When infectious medical waste washed ashore on beaches in several
eastern seaboard states, regulators and legislators were able to
boost campaigns to tighten rules governing the disposal of such
waste. Prior to the incidents, several states were already
considering the implementation of strict regulations, which
promised to be costly to the hospital industry. Also, the
Environmental Protection Agency currently is examining state
regulations. If they are found to be inadeguate, federal
regulations could result. Proposed regulations in Wisconsin call
. ' ' '24 ' •••• . .
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for incineration of infectious waste using state-of-the-art
technology. New York is developing regulations that would require
a strict manifest system and the labeling of waste to identify
the hospital from which it came. A 1987 New York law calls for
high-temperature incineration or steam sterilization of
infectious wastes, color-coding of infectious materials, and use
of licensed infectious waste haulers. [ABI]
A A •• A
A Strategy for Public Participation in the Management of New
York-New Jersey Harbor
EPA Report, May 88 (79). Envirofiche no. 89-00819.
An EPA-sponsored workshop was designed to promote an
understanding of the roles and positions of New York, New Jersey,
and EPA in managing the New York-New Jersey harbor as part of the
EPA estuary management program. State and local representatives,
as well as members of the public and scientific institutions were
asked to identify and rank priority environmental problems in the
harbor. Most felt that since floating debris was a manageable,
short-term problem, it should be considered early in the program.
Toxic contamination and pathogen pollution were ranked as high
priority problems. Recommendations were also made concerning
agency coordination, scientific and technical support, and public
participation. (3 maps) [ENV]
25
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