What is Coastal Pollution?
Coastal pollution is a broad category that includes any form of pollution along the coastline. The topic of coastal pollution is vast and covers multiple forms of pollution. This webpage will provide examples of the most common types of pollution.
Point Source vs Non-Point Source
Point Source
Point source pollution is pollution that can be traced back to a single source. It is easier to point source pollution as it can be traced back to the source. However, point source pollution does not account for as much pollution as non-point source pollution does.
Non-Point Source
Non-point source pollution is any pollution whose origin cannot be traced. Non-point source pollution is the most common type of pollution encountered. It is also the hardest to prevent as you cannot readily find the source of the problem.
Types of Coastal Pollution
Plastic Pollution
Nutrient Pollution
Nutrient Pollution
Plastic pollution has become one of the largest sources of pollution in coastal areas. With many products containing plastic, plastic pollution has become a central focus of many coastal management objectives.
Nutrient Pollution
Nutrient Pollution
Nutrient Pollution
Nutrient pollution refers to excess nitrogen and phosphorus in coastal waters. When these nutrients are in excess, large algal blooms may occur. The result is an impaired ecosystem that is unusable for recreation or commercial purposes.
Oil Spills
Nutrient Pollution
Heavy Metals
Oil spills are infamously associated with major spill events. However, oil pollution occurs in large amounts due to runoff from residential areas. Oil in the environment can damage ecosystems harming wildlife and covering beaches.
Heavy Metals
Heavy Metals
Heavy Metals
Heavy metals is a category of metals. These metals are harmful to people and can cause a mix of health risks. Furthermore, these metals can bioaccumulate in the environment and are present in foods such as fish and shellfish.
Bacteria
Heavy Metals
Bacteria
Bacteria such a E. coli poses a significant health risk to swimmers. High concentrations of bacteria result in beach closures. Bacteria pollution in coastal areas can be the result of fecal waste being washed into waterways or aging infrastructure leaking waste into waterways.
Plastic Pollution
Plastic Pollution in Coastal Areas
Plastic pollution is one of the most common types of pollution found in coastal areas. Plastic pollution comes from many different products including fishing nets, plastic consumables, and industrial processes. Once in the environment plastic pollution poses a risk to wildlife through entanglement and ingestion. Plastic pollution also disrupts local economies by damaging fisheries, impairing tourism, and the added costs of clean up.
Microplastics
Does plastic ever go away?
While plastic pollution may breakdown in the environment, it does not go away. Since plastic is not biodegradable, plastic only gets smaller but remains present. As plastic breaks down in the environment, microplastics are formed. These smaller plastic pieces pose a significant environmental risk. Microplastics can be found in animals, soil, and water making human consumption of microplastics very high. While the full extent of microplastic effects on human health is unknown, plastic can leach dangerous chemicals that cause adverse health effects in people. As such, efforts have been centered on better understanding how microplastics effect health and how to remove them from the environment.
Microplastics Cont.
Common types of microplastics
There is a wide variety of microplastics. Primary microplastics are designed to be small on purpose so they can be melted and used for industrial processes. Secondary microplastics are when larger plastic items breakdown into smaller pieces. Microplastics come in different shapes from pellets to fibers. While small pellets are most often associated with microplastic pollution, microfibers from fishing lines are the most common type of microplastic pollution.
Nutrient Pollution
What is Nutrient Pollution
Nutrient pollution is when there is excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the environment. The extra nutrients cause algae blooms in waterbodies. Excess nutrients come from both the commercial and residential application of fertilizers. After fertilizer is applied it is washed into waterbodies as runoff. Nutrient pollution is not unique to coastal areas and can occur in any water body.
Eutrophication
What is it?
How does it happen?
How does it happen?
Eutrophication is a byproduct of nutrient pollution in which excess nutrients lead to an algae bloom. Eventually the ecosystem collapses as bacteria decomposing the algae use up available oxygen.
How does it happen?
How does it happen?
How does it happen?
The extra nutrients in water support plant growth. As algae take advantage of the extra nutrients, they block sunlight killing aquatic plants. Eventually, the algae will die and be decomposed by bacteria. The bacteria uses up available oxygen causing die offs of other marine life that cannot leave the area.
The result
How does it happen?
The result
Eutrophication leads to the collapse of an ecosystem. As ecosystems are damaged by eutrophication, money is needed to restore areas. The costs associated with eutrophication are in the millions.
Oil Pollution
What is oil pollution?
Oil pollution in coastal environments refers to the spilling of oil into waterways. Oil can enter coastal waterways from runoff, ship refueling, or large scale disasters. Oil in the environment can harm wildlife, block transportation, and impair recreational value of coastal areas.
Where does oil pollution come from?
Oil Spills
Oil spills refer to any amount of oil spilling into the environment. Oil pollution is often associated with large spills however, most oil pollution comes from land runoff. Land runoff typically includes automotive oil.
Heavy Metal Pollution
What are Heavy Metals
There are multiple definitions for what heavy metals are. Most commonly, heavy metals are metals with a high density. Heavy metals include many elements such as mercury, lead, and arsenic. Heavy metals all cause unique health effects and react in the environment in different ways. Sources of heavy metals include mining and pollution from coal burning power plants. Click the button below for an overview of heavy metals. Note that this webpage discusses the effect of mercury pollution in the coastal zone.
Bioaccumulation
Mercury in the environment
When mercury enters the environment it can be converted into methylmercury. Methylmercury can accumulate in fish and shellfish. Methylmercury can be passed from fish to people when eating seafood. Methylmercury causes issues with neuro-development, learning ability, and effects the kidneys. Note that you cannot remove methylmercury from cooking food, instead the best way to avoid exposure is to avoid contaminated food sources.
Bacteria Pollution
Bacteria Pollution
Bacteria pollution in coastal areas refers to fecal coliforms and E coli. Bacteria pollution is responsible for beach closures and can cause illness in swimmers. Bacteria pollution most often comes from animal waste being washed into the waterway as runoff or from damaged infrastructure leaking human waste into waterways.
Sources of Bacteria Pollution
Animal Waste
Damaged Infrastructure
Damaged Infrastructure
Animal waste contributes to bacteria pollution from runoff. The fecal waste is washed into local waterbodies during rain events. Once washed into the waterbody, the fecal coliforms pollute the area posing a health risk.
Damaged Infrastructure
Damaged Infrastructure
Damaged Infrastructure
Aging infrastructure can also contribute to bacteria pollution. Sewage leaks are a major contributor to both bacteria and nutrient pollution in coastal areas. Older infrastructure releases sewage waste greatly increasing bacteria pollution in the area.