Date: 11/09/2021

To: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

From: Jacob Ridge
Subject: Dumping of Garbage in the Ocean
Action Required: Funding Towards Garbage Disposal
Distribution List: NOAA Financial Committee

This memo is addressing the state of our oceans and what can be done to prevent more garbage
from making its way into the ocean. The ocean is a huge resource that many people rely on for
both food and economic purposes. Allowing trash into the ocean can have a negative impact on
humans and the ocean life. This memo will include recommendations that can be implemented
by national governments to protect their citizens that rely on the ocean as a water and food
source.

Summary
Humans have been dumping trash into the oceans as it is the easiest and only way to get rid of
trash in some parts of the world. Every year eight million metric tons of plastic are dumped into
the ocean, that is about fifty million pounds per day. It is estimated that at this rate, by 2050, the
mass of plastic in the ocean will outweigh fish. Plastics can take hundreds of years to fully
decompose and even then they still have lasting harmful effects.

Problems with Dumping Trash in the Ocean

In the journey of decomposition, the plastics will break down into smaller bits known as
microplastics. These microplastics contaminate the water with harmful chemicals. The marine
life will mistake these microplastics as food and will pass it down the food chain where it may
eventually end up with humans eating them. Sea turtles have been found whose diet consists of
74% plastic. Eating these plastics can also lacerate the internal organs of the creature, killing
them. Plastics are also harmful towards the sea life in that there is a chance they can find
themselves obstructed by it. Fishing nets account for almost 50% of the trash in the ocean. The
air breathing animals can get caught in these nets and can have trouble resurfacing for air and
end up drowning.
Conclusion
The current intake of trash in our oceans is damaging and needs to be fixed. This problem effects
not only the sea creatures but humans as well. Plastics are harming the sea life and it will only
get worse every day, as more and more plastic makes its way into our oceans. Unfortunately,
more garbage is dumped into the ocean and on beaches than is removed. A change needs to be
implemented for the betterment of the ocean’s future.

Recommendations
Solutions to preventing more trash from entering the ocean include investing in recycling, proper
garbage disposal, biodegradable products, and education on the topic. Only certain plastics can
be recycled and at a limited number of times but getting the most use out of them before they
finally succumb is worth it. Some governments even give cash rewards for recycling products
like bottles and cans. Responsible garbage disposal will prevent trash from making its way into
the ocean. Landfills are the most common, and most responsible, way of disposing trash on land
and can also be used as a renewable energy source. Although residential garbage pickup is not a
thing in most of the world, citizens can still transport their garbage to a more responsible location
than the ocean. Biodegradable products will be safer towards the ocean if they happen to make
their way to it. Depending on the material in which the biodegradable object is made from, it can
only degrade under certain conditions, some of which unfortunately do not apply to being in the
ocean. Careful consideration to biodegradable materials will need to be made. Citizens could
start by not using single use plastics when given the opportunity. The less demand for these
plastics to be created will lower the production rate of them. Educating the population of the
countries with the highest ocean garbage problem could solve the problem even the tiniest bit. As
most of these countries are the ones who rely more on fishing as a source of food, having them
know their primary food source is at risk could prevent them from disposing their wastes into the
oceans.