Plastic Disaster: How Your Bags, Bottles, and Body Wash Pollute the Oceans: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos

Floating plastic bags and other rubbish pollute the surface of the ocean, with debris suspended in the water above the sea floor.

See All Images →

Topics

water pollution plastic pollution ocean Talking Ocean Trash: Ghost Gear Keeps on Fishing Just How Many Oceans Are There?What Are the Different Types of Pollution?Why Is the Ocean Salty?iceberg Today in History—October 21: Magellan Finds a Route to the Pacific Today in History—May 9: Mr. Trash Wheel Goes on Duty Who owns the oceans?ocean current ocean basin