Plastics are a huge contributor to oceanic pollution. They break down under UV radiation, or photodegrade, into tiny particles, some to nanoparticles. This process releases toxic chemicals such as Bisphenol A into surrounding waters, and nanoparticles may also attract other persistent toxic chemicals, such as PCBs, to their surfaces. When these particles are ingested by marine organisms, they could bioaccumulate all the way up the food chain to the human level.
While banning all plastics is unfeasible, a good starting point is to reduce plastic bag use. In order to incentivize this, a small, but nationwide, per-bag tax should be added to all plastic bags used in stores. Most proceeds of the tax would go towards subsidizing eco-friendly plastic research and production by plastic companies.