Marine Pollution

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews and discusses marine pollution. According to the paper, the ocean plays a critical role in sustaining life on this planet. The paper discusses how economic and social prosperity will be useless if the coastal and marine environments are sacrificed, abused or neglected in the process of development. The paper goes on to discuss the serious environmental issues pertaining to marine pollution facing us today.

From the Paper:

"The accidental wreck of a 20-tanker, 987-foot ship of Exxon Valdez in Bligh Reef led to the rupturing of eight of its 11 cargo tanks and the spilling of 10.8 million gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound in March 1989 (US Congress 1960). Although no lives were lost, the accident was an immense disaster to fisheries, subsistence livelihoods, tourism and wildlife. Most important was the awareness that the sanctity of the Alaskan waters was most outrageously ravaged. In response, US Congress passed the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which established measures in preparing for and preventing spills for the implementation and enforcement of the US Coast Guard. It requires transporters of oil and production facilities to develop and implement response plans, participate in preparedness drills and maintain safe shipping and handling practices (Earle 1995). MARPOL began to control the operations and passage of new oil tankers, the carrying of noxious liquids in bulk, the control of sewage and other "grey water" and garbage, including plastics, metal, glass, galley wastes and other materials (Earle, US Congress)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Boukhari, Sophie. 20,000 Worlds Under the Sea: Ocean Pollution. UNESCO Courier: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 1998
• Earle, Sylvia. Sea Change: a Message of the Oceans. Perspectives on Marine Environmental Quality Today, 1998 Year of the Ocean. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1995. http://www.yoto98.noaa.gov/yoto/meeting/mar_env_316.html
• Glausiusz, Josie. Dead Zones - Pollution Killing Off Ocean Life. Discover, 2000
• Mulvaney, Kieran. A Sea of Troubles: in the International Year of the Ocean, Are We Reaching the Limits? E: the Environmental Magazine: Earth Action Network, Inc., 1998
• Scheer, Roddy. Ocean Rescue: Can We Head Off a Marine Cataclysm? E: the Environment Magazine: Earth Action Network, Inc., 2005

More papers on Marine Pollution:

• Essay # 72200 : "Marine Pollution"
• Research Paper # 56325 : "Marine Pollution"
• Essay # 55301 : "Marine Pollution Act"

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