 Consuming the fish that contain these toxins can cause an increase in cancer, immune disorders, and birth defects.The majority of the litter near and in the ocean is made up of plastics and is a persistent pervasive source of marine pollution.According to Dr. Marcus Eriksen of The 5 Gyres Institute, there are 5.25 trillion particles of plastic pollution that weigh as much as 270,000 tonnes (2016).