Ocean Plastic Pollution: Sources, Effects, Challenges and Mitigation Measures

Plastic pollution can be attributed to the unsustainable use and disposal of plastic products in today’s civilisation and threatens the economy, the environment, and human health. Plastic in the oceans has emerged as a major cause of marine ecosystem pollution in recent years. However, we believe there are more pressing issues, such as climate change and overfishing. As plastic debris accumulates in the oceans at an unprecedented rate, the demand for efficient and long-term remediation strategies becomes more urgent. Current clean-up approaches attempt to mitigate the harmful effects of plastic pollution but must be sufficient to keep up with the everincreasing amounts of plastic entering the marine environment. This article reviews the sources of ocean plastic pollution, classification, and impacts of plastic pollution on the aquatic environment and discusses the Norwegian and South African scenarios of *Corresponding author email: anekwesmarte@gmail.com plastic pollution. The link between climate change and plastic pollution was established, and challenges and initiatives for effectively mitigating ocean plastic pollution were presented. Based on this study, reducing plastic input into the ecosystem must be pursued as part of a global holistic strategy. The results of this study show that appropriate policy frameworks and mechanisms are needed to address plastic pollution in the oceans effectively. Although a regulatory framework already exists, it needs to be regularly reviewed and improved to limit the amount of plastic in our environment. While immediate action should be taken, new scientific research in various fields will help identify the most effective approaches and develop innovative solutions.