Pollution

Influenced by the idea that the ocean is boundless and invulnerable, humans have been using it for centuries to dispose of waste: Sewage, pollutants and radioactive substances end up in the sea, as do inconvenient contaminated sites such as war munitions, disused ships and drilling platforms. In addition, there are millions of tons of waste that are either deliberately dumped into the sea or carried into the sea by wind and rivers – including lots of plastic and synthetic waste. The ocean currents distribute this dirty and sometimes highly toxic cargo around the entire globe, carrying it into the deep sea and making any marine pollution a cross-border, international problem.

Most environmental problems do not come to light openly, but remain far from the coast and hidden beneath the surface of the sea. In addition to waste and pollutants, noise is a serious threat to marine life, and nutrient inputs from agriculture also place a considerable burden on marine ecosystems. Sustainable solutions are needed to preserve the seas and oceans as a basis for life. Well-developed material cycles and sustainable disposal systems in all parts of the world must ensure that all types of waste are recycled and disposed of on land – safely and permanently.

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Concentrated knowledge from marine research on the topic of “pollution” is available in the DAM information portal Meere Online:

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