Marine pollution

摘要

The shocking pictures, which appeared on televised newscasts of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill showing the effects on the wildlife in the area, brought home very forcibly the fragility of the marine environment. There is ample evidence that in the oceans there are areas where unmanaged plastic waste has accumulated due to the action of the currents and is being broken down into small particles by the effects of the ocean. The plastic material is either at or near to the surface leading to the question what and where are the sources of this material? The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), which was adopted on 2 November 1973 at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), aimed to introduce measures to reduce pollution by oil, chemicals and harmful substances in packaged form, sewage and garbage. MARPOL's initial provisions were implemented in 1983. Annex V, which came into force in 1988 deals with different types of garbage and specifies the distances from land and the manner by which this material is to be properly handled. The most important feature of Annex V is the complete ban imposed on the dumping into the sea of all forms of plastic. Therefore, from 1988 plastic disposal at sea from ships was banned.