Skip navigation
Go to home page > News > Our blog > GCT and Galapagos National Park Directorate release landmark report on plastic pollution
Lava lizard and plastic pollution in Galapagos
20/09/2024 Plastic pollution

GCT and Galapagos National Park Directorate release landmark report on plastic pollution

The report, ‘Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos: 5 Years of Science to Solutions’, presents the most detailed picture to date of the threat that coastal plastic pollution poses to the Galapagos Islands.

Tom O'Hara

Communications Manager

We launched the Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos (PPFG) programme in May 2018 to support local efforts to tackle plastic pollution in Galapagos. Research carried out by GCT and our partners has focused on three key areas:

  • the sources of plastic pollution in Galapagos
  • the effects of plastic pollution (both on local ecosystems and on related economic activity)
  • the potential solutions to tackling plastic pollution

The impact of the programme has been enhanced by the creation of the Pacific Plastics: Science to Solutions (PPSS) network, co-led by GCT and the University of Exeter, which brings together researchers, NGOs, governments and businesses across the Eastern Tropical Pacific region.

This report covers our current knowledge on the international plastic footprint affecting Galapagos, highlighting oceanic inputs and the impacts on wildlife and communities. Our findings underline the urgent need for world leaders to agree an ambitious, legally-binding Global Plastics Treaty that bans single-use plastics, accelerates the transition to a circular economy, strengthens international laws on waste management at sea and enforces the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

The cost of cleaning up the world’s trash

Oceanic island communities such as those in Galapagos are increasingly bearing the brunt of international plastic litter arriving from external sources and accumulating along coastlines. This influx of pollution is constant, and communities are compelled to fund costly clean-ups that add increasing pressure to their over-burdened waste management systems.

In the last six years, Galapagos National Park rangers have removed 80 tonnes of plastic waste from the Archipelago’s beaches, and our research shows that more than 95% of this plastic is likely to originate outside the Galapagos Marine Reserve. These clean-ups come at a considerable economic cost, diverting funds away from local communities that desperately need them.

The problem is continuing to grow – since the launch of the PPFG programme in 2018, global plastic production has increased by about 7%, with an estimated 44% produced for single-use packaging. Plastic pollution entering the ocean and rivers is predicted to triple in the next 20 years if substantial solutions are not implemented quickly, with global ocean plastic pollution predicted to reach 23 – 37 million tons per year by 2040.

Beach clean-up in Galapagos
Beach clean-up in Galapagos © Conservation International / GNPD

80

tonnes of plastic removed from Galapagos beaches in the last six years

Ghost gear: Entangling wildlife and threatening livelihoods

Our research shows that at least 40% of the plastic pollution washing up in Galapagos is from maritime sources, double the global average. Oceanographic modelling reveals that most of this plastic waste originates from fishing fleets operating near the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR), and then accumulates on east-facing beaches.

Lost or abandoned fishing gear presents a major entanglement risk for marine wildlife, and there is also concern that drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) are being deliberately released by tuna fishing vessels on the eastern boundary of the GMR, luring fish and other marine life outside of the Reserve. This is a form of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, with non-target species such as sharks and turtles becoming entangled and killed. FADs also create hazards for local artisanal fishers in Galapagos, who often work at night, and abandoned FADs contribute to the plastic pollution problem.

To find out the impact that plastic waste has on the artisanal fishing sector in Galapagos, 123 surveys were carried out on fishermen, and a quarter of the interviewees had experienced at least one incident with marine plastic waste during fishing trips in the last five years (since 2017). In the case of collisions with FADs, the most prominent case was that of a fisherman who suffered the complete loss of one engine and damage to the other engine, causing an economic loss of around US$24,000.

Green turtle entangled in plastic
Galapagos green turtle entangled in plastic © Jonathan Green

40 %

of the plastic pollution up in Galapagos is from maritime sources

Galapagos giant tortoises are eating plastic waste

At least 52 different species in Galapagos, both on land and in the sea, have been found to be entangled in plastic, living in affected habitats or having ingested plastic after mistaking it for food. This includes iconic endemic species such as the Galapagos giant tortoise, the marine iguana and the waved albatross.

A study published in the journal Environmental Pollution, based on research supported by GCT, found that giant tortoises on Santa Cruz island are ingesting items including medical face masks, glass and plastic bags. The researchers analysed tortoise faeces in two different zones: a restricted area of the Galapagos National Park, where only scientists and National Park rangers are permitted, and an area to the northwest of Puerto Ayora, the largest town in Galapagos and the main hub for the Islands’ tourist industry. Only two fragments of debris were found in tortoise faeces from the National Park, compared to 590 items found in the samples taken from the area where the tortoises are coming into contact with humans. Of the items that were found, either whole or fragments, 86.3% were made of plastic, including bags, balloons, bottles, ropes, bracelets, tape and disposable face masks.

Plastic waste found in Galapagos giant tortoise faeces
Plastic waste found in Galapagos giant tortoise faeces © GTMEP / CDF

86.3 %

of litter items found in giant tortoise faeces were made of plastic

Holding countries and companies to account

Our research shows that 69% of the plastic items found on Galapagos coastlines are single-use items. Drinks bottles are the most common item consistently recorded in plastic pollution surveys, accounting for at least a third of all items found, and 28% of these are water bottles. Oceanographic modelling shows that northern Peru, southern Ecuador and Panama are the main continental sources of plastic pollution reaching Galapagos, transported to the sea by rivers, but we also have evidence of domestic plastic waste such as drinks bottles being dumped at sea.

Analysis of over 14,000 bottles collected by the Galapagos National Park Directorate and Conservation International on coastal clean-ups in 2020 found that 25% of the bottles had Asian lettering on them and originated in China. It is highly unlikely that plastic could float from Asia to Galapagos on ocean currents, and the Chinese labels were clearly legible, lacked biofouling and had recent expiration dates, suggesting they had been in the environment for a relatively brief period of time. This supports the theory that the drinks are being consumed on board international fishing vessels then disposed of at sea near the Galapagos Marine Reserve.

In a separate analysis of over 450 macroplastics collected on Galapagos beaches, 98 different manufacturers were identified, although just four companies accounted for over half (53.22%) of the branded plastic items found. These were AjeGroup (20%), Coca-Cola (18.2%), Tingyi Holding Corp. (8.8%) and Pepsico (6.2%).

Plastic bottle next to sea lion in Galapagos
Galapagos sea lion and plastic bottle © Dan Wright

Conclusion: Time to act

The Galapagos Archipelago is one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world. These famous islands constitute a globally important sanctuary for biodiversity, with 97% of the Archipelago’s land area protected as a National Park, surrounded by two marine reserves that protect 198,000 km² of ocean. But even here, the devastating effects of plastic pollution are plain to see. Nowhere is more emblematic of what we stand to lose if we don’t act to stem the tide of plastic pollution.

25 %

of plastic bottles found on Galapagos coastlines originate from China

Example of microplastics washed up on a beach in Galapagos

Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos: 5 Years of Science to Solutions

Our findings underline the urgent need for world leaders to agree an ambitious, legally-binding Global Plastics Treaty that bans single-use plastics, accelerates the transition to a circular economy, strengthens international laws on waste management at sea and enforces the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

The report is available now to read, download and share in both English and Spanish.

View report

Galapagos Day 2024

Join us in London on Thursday 10 October for Galapagos Day, where guest speakers including the Director of the Galapagos National Park, Dr Arturo Izurieta Valery, will be sharing the latest insights from the Islands.

Related articles

GCT's Tom O'Hara, Hannah Rickets and Dr Jen Jones with Stephen Fry for the BBC Radio 4 Appeal recording
10th Nov 2024
News Plastic pollution

GCT Ambasador Stephen Fry presents BBC Radio 4 Appeal

Actor, broadcaster, writer and bona fide national treasure Stephen Fry raises the plight of Galapagos giant tortoises and the threat of plastic pollution in this week's BBC Radio 4 Appeal.
Read more
Microplastic pollution on Rapa Nui
31st Oct 2024
Plastic pollution

Pacific islands pay the price for the world's plastic addiction

Pacific islands such as Galapagos face a rising tide of plastic pollution brought to their shores by ocean currents, posing a threat to endemic wildlife, human health and local livelihoods.
Read more
Single-use plastic bags at a food market in Galapagos
29th Oct 2024
Plastic pollution Tourism

Single-use plastics in Galapagos: A persistent problem

GCT is working with the local community in Galapagos to develop alternatives to single-use plastics, which continue to pose a serious threat despite legislation limiting their use on the Islands.
Read more
Plastic pollution in Galapagos
28th Oct 2024
Plastic pollution

The Galapagos Treaty: Our chance to end the scourge of plastic pollution

Ahead of the fifth round of Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in Busan in November, we are calling on UN member states to support the signing of the treaty in the Galapagos Islands.
Read more

Get the latest news from Galapagos

Join our mailing list to receive our monthly email newsletter, bringing you the latest news on Galapagos and our work to protect the Islands.

This field is hidden when viewing the form
Share This Page