How Plastic is Killing The Planet

Plastic debris, discarded in the oceans, and elsewhere, is the leading cause of death to Sea Turtles in Australia. Regardless of the size, marine debris causes a serious threat to not only turtles, but all ocean life. However, Sea Turtles are particularly susceptible to the effects of marine rubbish due to the internal structure of their throats and die a very slow and painful death, often over several months.

Sea turtles have downward facing spines in their throats which literally prevent them from regurgitating, The plastic gets trapped in the gut, preventing food from going down and their spines prevent it from coming back up. The trapped food decomposes, leaking gases into the body cavity and causing the turtle to float. The turtle then slowly starves to death or succumbs to other secondary life threatening conditions such as boat strike.

Please avoid using plastic wherever possible. So many lives depend on your choices.

Bag It Video ~ Official Trailer

Long, Slow Death of a Sea Turtle

317 pieces. That’s how much plastic clogged the digestive system of the giant sea turtle found dead on a beach in New South Wales. The animal had quietly and slowly starved. Food could no longer find its way past the bits of fishing line, plastic bags, small lids, plastic tape, and lollipop sticks the turtle had mistaken for food.

This was a young animal so the plastic was packed into a body that had grown to only 15 inches (40 centimeters). Australian Seabird Rescue volunteers who performed the necropsy called their findings the worst example of plastic ingestion they had seen in 15 years.

Plastic rubbish in 30% of dead turtles

A new study from Earthwatch in Queensland looked at the guts of over 120 dead turtles found in Moreton Bay. Dr. Kathy Townsend found plastic rubbish in over 30 per cent of them.

In an interview with ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Townsend describes the turtles’ lingering deaths. As bits of plastic get stuck in their digestive systems, the debris mixes with what organic material they can still take in. The toxic mix decomposes, creating gas. The now-buoyant turtles are unable to dive. They can’t feed or avoid boats. “So it also means that they basically become very dehydrated, and they starve to death, and this can last for months.”

In the ABC footage seen at this link, seabird rescue spokeswoman Rochelle Ferris calls on all levels of government to invest more money in “reducing the amount of marine debris that’s coming from our urban environments into the ocean. If we do control this marine debris issue, I’ll be out of work, but I’d like to be doing something that doesn’t break my heart every day.”