We love animals! And World Animal Day is a perfect time to remember that plastic pollution impacts our four-legged, mammalian, reptilian, odd, and even-toed ungulate friends, too.
Biodiversity is the key to a healthy, thriving planet, and on October 4th, we get to reflect and consider ways to improve animal well being through the habits we humans can improve to make domestic and wild animal lives better. One of those ways is by refilling to reduce plastic waste.
Animal conservation is all about protecting animals and safeguarding the places where they live. Plastic pollution alters health, habitats, and reduces the capacity of ecosystems to adapt to climate change, damaging food sources for both domestic and wild animals. The persistence of plastic in soils and sediments means that today’s mismanaged waste could continue to harm animal health for centuries unless we do something about it.
Does plastic pollution harm animals?
We see it every day; plastics have become ubiquitous in modern society, but their persistence in the environment is causing a global crisis. The UN Environment Programme estimates that every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks of plastic are dumped into oceans, rivers, and lakes. Each year, 19‑23 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems, reducing the ability of habitats to adapt to climate change and threatening the well being of millions of people.
In marine environments, plastic fragments can accumulate at densities of up to 580,000 pieces per square kilometers, while microplastics have been recorded at one million particles per square mile in Lake Erie and even higher levels in Lake Ontario. When plastics break down into tiny particles, they move through food webs, affecting aquatic as well as birds, mammals, and even top terrestrial predators.
How is plastic impacting animals?
Reports are beginning to emerge on the health implications of plastics on humans, like how they affect organs, the brain, and can accumulate to create a buildup of toxins and endocrine disruption in the body. Animals can be impacted as well, to different degrees. Animals in areas where plastic pollution accumulates, like in estuaries or wetlands, some birds and aquatic species have been found with full bellies of plastic items, rather than real food. Here are some of the various ways plastic makes it into the environment and interacts with animals.
Widespread ingestion and entanglement
Plastic ingestion by wildlife was first documented in 1966, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). New studies now confirm that over 700 species of seabirds, fish, turtles, and marine mammals have eaten plastic.
But how does this happen? Well, marine animals mistake floating debris for food, and colorful fragments are easily swallowed or become attached to natural prey. When plastic is ingested, it can lead to malnutrition, internal injuries, blockages, and starvation. Plastics, such as plastic pieces, balloons, and lighters, are often mistaken for food by sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals, leading to internal injury and sometimes death, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior. Entanglement in fishing wires and nets is also a threat, as humans lose or release items at sea, which become giant hazards for many sea animals.
By 2050, 99% of Seabirds are expected to experience plastic ingestion
A meta‑analysis of plastic ingestion in seabirds found that 59% of the 135 species studied between 1962 and 2012 had ingested plastic, with 29% of individuals containing plastic fragments. When the data were standardized for time and species, the researchers estimated that about 90% of individual seabirds would be found with plastic in their guts if the studies were conducted today. Their model predicts that plastic ingestion will soon affect 99% of seabird species by 2050, unless there are major improvements in reuse systems and waste management.
14 plastic pieces ingested by Sea Turtles means a 50% probability of death
Sea turtles are among the most at-risk animals for ingesting plastic, and that’s because their food sources, mostly jellyfish, look a lot like plastic. A study analyzing deaths and stranding records of 952 turtles showed that 52% of all sea turtles have ingested plastic. In some regions, the problem is more concentrated, with 90% of juvenile green turtles off the coast of Brazil and 80% of juvenile loggerheads in the western Mediterranean containing plastic. The study also found that once a turtle ingests around 14 pieces of plastic, there is a 50% probability of death. These figures demonstrate that even a few pieces of debris can have fatal consequences for long‑lived species.
Blue Whales ingest 10 million pieces of microplastic per day
Foraging behavior of blue, fin, and humpback whales along California’s coast showed microplastic concentrations throughout the water column. Blue whales, which feed primarily on krill, ingest an estimated 10 million microplastic particles per day, while fin whales consume 3 to 10 million particles and humpback whales ingest 200,000 to 1 million pieces per day. Most of these plastics come from their prey, krill and small fish that have already ingested microplastics, and the microplastic-laden water column. Scientists warn that prey loaded with microplastics may provide fewer calories, potentially affecting whale health and reproduction.
Hawks and owls found to have microplastics in their interstitial tracts
Plastic contamination is increasingly being documented in terrestrial species. A study of carcasses from red‑tailed hawks, red‑shouldered hawks, great horned owls, and barn owls along California’s central coast found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of all 16 birds examined, with an average of 12.25 microplastic particles per bird. Microfibers were the most abundant type (58%), followed by microbeads (34%) and microfragments (8%).
Researchers note that microplastics have been shown in laboratory studies to impair immune function, cause inflammatory responses, and disrupt hormone systems in animals. The presence of plastic in top predators like raptors suggests that microplastics are moving through terrestrial food webs, highlighting a route of exposure that has received little attention.
Up to 1 million plastic particles found per square mile in some lakes
Plastic pollution also threatens freshwater systems and coastal wildlife. Up to one million plastic particles per square mile were recorded in Lake Erie, and higher concentrations in Lake Ontario. Microfibers, a form of microplastic, dominate these lakes and can even be found in seafood consumed by people. In remote marine refuges like the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, an estimated 52 metric tons of debris accumulates each year, much of it from neglectful fishing gear; since 1996, 848 metric tons (1.9 million pounds) have been removed. These hotspots show us that plastic pollution is reaching some of the world’s most pristine ecosystems and affecting species far from human settlements.
Solutions for protecting animals from plastic pollution
NOAA stresses that community clean‑ups help prevent trash from entering waterways, but they are insufficient on their own; prevention is the key. To “turn off the tap” of plastic pollution, governments, businesses, and individuals must reduce consumption and improve waste management.
The UN Environment Programme’s report, Turning off the Tap calls for systemic change, such as eliminating unnecessary plastics, redesigning products and packaging to minimize waste, promoting reuse models, and investing in recycling infrastructure.
Strengthen monitoring and research
Effective policy depends on good data. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and NOAA evaluated 352 marine species and identified 12 key bioindicator species, including oysters, green sea turtles, anchovies, and the northern fulmar, that can be monitored to track plastic pollution. Researchers emphasized the need for coordinated monitoring plans and recommended annual sampling to assess changes over time. Monitoring efforts can help policymakers identify pollution hotspots, evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, and prioritize conservation actions.
Investing in animal and habitat conservation
While about $143 billion is invested annually, experts estimate that at least $824 billion is needed each year. The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to mobilize $200 billion annually and calls for eliminating harmful subsidies by 2030. Innovative mechanisms, such as debt-for-nature swaps, wildlife conservation bonds, and payments for ecosystem services, can attract private investment and generate revenue for communities that protect wildlife. Financing waste management infrastructure and circular economy transitions will reduce plastic leakage while also creating jobs and improving public health.
#refillit for World Animal Day (and everyday)
On World Animal Day, it’s people who can make the greatest impact because we hold the power to drastically reduce single-use plastic. We can collectively make a huge impact. We can transform policy, document plastic debris on beaches and in nature, and raise awareness about refilling to reduce plastic pollution. More refilling stations, more public awareness, and more sharing a new PATH with loved ones can help us reduce plastic waste that is impacting animal health and longevity.
Resources
https://www.unep.org/plastic-pollution
https://wildlifeday.org/en/about
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26324886
https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/why-marine-debris-problem/ingestion
https://www.unep.org/resources/turning-off-tap-end-plastic-pollution-create-circular-economy
https://www.doi.gov/ocl/marine-debris-impacts