Marine Pollution

Marine pollution occurs when harmful effects result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural, and residential waste, or the spread of invasive organisms.

  • Legal Perspective: Often regulated under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and, in India, through the Merchant Shipping Act and the Water Act, 1974.

  • Key Pollutants:

    • Oil Spills: Accidental leaks from tankers or offshore drilling.

    • Plastic Pollution: Non-biodegradable waste that entangles marine life or breaks into microplastics.

    • Eutrophication: Runoff of chemical fertilizers causing "dead zones" (hypoxia) due to excessive algae growth.

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