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New Findings in Microplastic Pollution Research
February 19, 2025 – Microplastic pollution in coastal marine environments is a major problem, and sampling only the ocean surface underestimates microplastic concentrations, according to research by Samiksha Singh’s team. The study found higher concentrations of microplastics in the nearshore environment of San Pedro Bay than in the offshore environment, possibly because human activities on…
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Red Tide Event in Florida, USA
February 17, 2011 – The Sunshine Coast of Florida, USA, has once again experienced a “red tide” phenomenon. At Lido Key Beach, the Mote Marine Laboratory assessed the airborne respiratory irritants on the beach as “strong”, with visitors experiencing coughing and other discomfort, and lifeguards needing to wear masks to protect themselves during their duties.…
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South Africa strengthens fight against ship pollution
South African President Ramaphosa has signed the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Ships Amendment Act. Ships traveling between Asia and Europe have opted to bypass Africa due to the Red Sea shipping crisis, leading to a surge in marine traffic off the South African coastline. Rescuers spent much of last week cleaning up an oil…
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Trump wants to reverse plastic governance measures
On February 8, local time, Trump said he would sign an executive order to abandon the practice of promoting paper straws during the Biden administration, sparking controversy in the US community. And a paper published in the journal Frontiers in Toxicology showed that a team of researchers from Oregon State University found that 99 percent…
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Fuel spill from India-managed crude oil tanker in bunkering accident near Istanbul
On February 11, 2025, an Indian-managed crude oil tanker transporting Russian oil was involved in a bunkering accident in the Ashir Kapi anchorage near Istanbul, which the Turkish General Directorate of Coastal Security (GDGS) dispatched a vessel to clean up but did not report on the exact amount of oil spilled.
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Oil Pollution off South Africa’s Coast Threatens Penguin Habitat
According to a February 2025 news release, oil pollution in the waters off Cape Town, South Africa, could pose a threat to the local habitat of the African penguin. Local environmental groups are keeping a close eye on the situation, fearing that the oil could affect the penguins’ habitat, making it difficult for them to…
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Risk of Oil Spill Increases in U.S. Waters Off Hawaii
January 2025 – An old oil pipeline in the waters off Hawaii, USA, is at risk of leaking and is being closely monitored by the relevant authorities. In the event of a leak, it will deal a major blow to the marine ecosystem, fishery resources and tourism around Hawaii, which may lead to the death…
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Large amounts of marine debris in Fiji’s waters
According to local media reports in January 2025, a large amount of marine garbage such as plastic trash and discarded fishing nets has recently accumulated in some of Fiji’s waters, posing a serious threat to local coral reefs and marine life, with many coral reefs covered in garbage, and some marine creatures injured or even…
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IMO convenes Sub-Committee on Preventing and Responding to Pollution
The twelfth meeting of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) was held from 27 January to 31 January 2025 in London. Three working groups on marine biosafety, prevention of air pollution from ships and plastic waste from ships, as well as two drafting groups on the revision of MARPOL…
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Japan Fukushima water storage tank disintegration
On February 3, Kyodo News reported that Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company announced that the dismantling of storage tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which have been emptied of contaminated water, will begin as early as this month. 7 discharges of contaminated water will be carried out in fiscal year 2025, totaling about…