Globally, an estimated 8 million metric tons of plastics enter the ocean every year. This is roughly equivalent to dumping a garbage truck full of plastic into the oceans every minute. Estimations on how much plastic reaches the oceans in the European Union generally vary. A rough estimation says around 8 million metric tons globally, meaning somewhere in the rage of 150.000 tons per year.

While plastic litter swimming on the surface, for example in the so called “great garbage patches”, is the most noticeable proof for plastic pollution of the oceans, about 94% of plastics already in the oceans are found on the seafloor.

Plastic can enter the oceans from land-based or from sea-based sources. 80% come from land-based sources, either from coastal regions or from polluted rivers. The plastics getting in the oceans or rivers from land are either coming through the sewage system, often from storm water drains that are discharging into nearby waterways or it is blown by the wind from landfills, close to the coast or rivers. Agriculture plastic waste from films or fertilizer coatings also plays a role. Another important factor is littering along the coasts and beaches, specifically in summer in areas with high tourism.

The plastic items found most often on beaches, in Europe and globally, are plastic bottles, plastic bags, packaging and food containers, including straws and cutlery, as well as wet wipes.

It is believed that 20% of plastics in the ocean comes from sea-based sources, mostly lost and discarded fishing nets and other plastic waste from fishing and agriculture. But plastic can also come from shipping, marine transport or oil platforms for example.

Microplastics, tiny pieces that are too small to be filtered by the sewage system enter the waterways through the sewage system or directly, including plastic wear from tyres, fibres from polyester clothes or painting, or microbeads from cosmetics.