For example, healthy mangroves provide coastal protection services, whereas wetlands are important for freshwater provision. The most visible impacts of plastic debris are the ingestion, suffocation, and entanglement of species.

Environmental Impacts Plastic pollution poses a threat to the marine environment. It puts marine species at higher risk of ingesting plastic, suffocating, or becoming entangled in plastic pollution. Research indicates that more than 1,500 species in marine and terrestrial environments are known to ingest plastics.

Plastics can degrade into micro to nano sizes, and those fine particles are more spreadable in air, water, and soil. Therefore, both terrestrial and aquatic animals go through various negative impacts such as ingestion, entangling, ulcers, low reproduction, and oxidative stress.

10 Diseases Caused by Plastic It's also linked to respiratory disease, asthma, and cardiovascular disease. And that's just to name the physical effects. Impact plastic has on wildlife. Plastic and its resulting degradation to landscapes may cause severe mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.