The plastic pollution we can see isn’t the biggest problem we face. Here’s what you need to know about microplastics.
Imagine diving into the turquoise waters of a tropical coastline. Tall palm trees sway in the breeze behind you and the reflections of the sun create mesmerising geometric shapes on the calm water. The serenity is palpable.
Suddenly, something touches your leg! It latches on and refuses to let go. With every thrashing move you make it seems to hold you tighter and tighter in its grip. Is it a shark? A tangle of seaweed? Or perhaps some unknown undersea monster? No. It is a plastic bag.
This suffocating feeling is all too familiar to the 700 species of birds, mammals, fish, and turtles that regularly, through no fault of their own, get trapped in plastic litter. Even in an ostensibly untouched paradise, the plastic problem pervades.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS TINY
The Worldwide Fund for Nature reports that, on average, every Australian uses 130 kilograms of plastic every year. From the plastic that is thrown out in Australia alone, 130,000 tonnes travel into our waterways and oceans. Perhaps the scariest part is that much of the plastics choking our oceans are not large pieces we can see and capture. Rather, they are trillions and trillions of invisible pieces of microplastics.
Microplastics refer to plastic fragments that are less than five millimetres in size. They can originate from the breakdown of larger plastic debris or can otherwise be purposefully manufactured this way for use in various products. Microscopic fibres from synthetic fabrics are a huge part of the problem, with an estimated one trillion tonnes discharged into wastewater each year, and much of this making its way into the environment.
Since microplastics are too small to be captured by water filtration systems, they often end up in our oceans, rivers, and lakes. Once in water systems, they begin to accumulate algae and other bacterial growth. This transforms a hazardous, foreign object into a seemingly delicious treat for marine creatures. Fish, crustaceans, and mammals consume the microplastics and the concentration of this plastic accumulates up the food chain.
Frighteningly, microplastics have turned up just about everywhere scientists have looked for them, including 83 percent of tap water worldwide, according to a research conducted by Orb. And, don’t bother reaching for the bottled water; 93 percent of the bottled water tested showed microplastic contamination. While the effects of this on humans are not yet known, the devastation being wreaked by microplastics is most observable in marine creatures.
PLATEFULS OF PLASTIC
The Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection found microplastics inside the guts of over 114 aquatic species. These plastics release harmful chemicals in the stomachs of sea creatures and can have adverse effects on their health and lifespan. Plastic particles take up valuable room in the digestive system of animals as they cannot pass them, endangering the lives of migrating animals that depend on full stomachs to survive long voyages.
In another example, plastics that turtles ingest releases gases inside their stomachs, which gets trapped underneath their shells. This causes the turtles to lose control of their buoyancy and they frequently become stranded on the surface of the water. Without the ability to dive below the surface, they can starve to death or become vulnerable to predation and boat collisions. Turtle sanctuaries seek out these turtles and attempt to help them pass the plastics.
And it’s not just marine animals who are dining out on plastic. Microplastics have been recording in twelve out of the twenty-five most important species that make up marine fisheries, according to a study conducted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. This means that people consuming these fish may be unwittingly consuming plastic that has made its way up the food chain.
Scientists continue to seek answers about food safety and health impacts of ingesting microplastics. However, some plastic monomers are known to be carcinogenic or toxic if ingested, and the scientists who authored the research paper “Plastics, the environment and human health: current consensus and future trends” believe the size of the smallest plastic particles (1.4 µm) could penetrate the capillaries of organs.
Whether for the sake of our precious wildlife, our ocean ecosystem, or our own health, one thing is clear: the best thing we can do is prevent microplastics from entering water systems in the first place.
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MICRO MENACES TO AVOID
We can all play our part by cutting down our dependence on plastic, first by reducing the number of plastic products we purchase and second by being aware of what we do with the ones we can’t avoid. Here are five ways you can be a part of the solution.
1. Single-use plastics
This is one area most of us are pretty well versed in, but it still warrants a mention because any disposable plastics we use end up degrading in our oceans and rivers. The combination of water, salt and the mechanical movement of the waves works to accelerate the transformation into microplastics. We need to find reusable alternatives for items such as clingwrap, water bottles, plastic bags, straws, takeaway coffee cups, and takeaway containers. Once you have your replacements, it’s simply a matter of committing to use them all the time. Carry a reusable water bottle, take your own bags everywhere, ask your favourite takeaway places if they can use your containers from home, and say no to straws and plastic cutlery.
2. Activewear
Active wear has become our favourite go-to clothing for just about any activity. They can be a problem because they are often made with artificial fibres such as nylon and polyester. These petroleum-based materials make these fabrics sweat-wicking, breathable, lightweight, and durable – with the exception of the wash cycle, it seems. Newcastle University in the UK found that during every washing cycle, these synthetic fabrics release between 500,000 and 6,000,000 microfibres per wash. Ideally, we want to invest in natural fibres to avoid creating microplastics. Alternatively, you can get yourself a Guppy Bag for washing your activewear. You simply pop your synthetic clothes inside the bag and wash as usual; the bag collects the microfibres that are released in the wash, preventing them form going down the drain.
3. Personal care products
Microbeads are minuscule pieces of polyethylene plastic were once commonly added to exfoliants, cleansers, and toothpastes. Most countries have banned the use of microbeads in rinse-off products, but that’s not to say they won’t turn up in in products made before the environmental recommendations or from a country that still allows them. It’s worth checking the personal care products you have do not contain microbeads as these are items you don’t want to use up to avoid waste. Microplastics are incredibly hard to remove from the environment once washed down the drain. Read product ingredients and keep an eye out for polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polymethyl methacrylate (PPMA), and nylon (PA).
4. Tea and coffee bags
While we might assume teabags are made from paper that will safely decompose, most tea bags contain plastic. Pressed teabags with crimped edges, both with and without strings, contain polypropylene woven through the bag to add strength. Coffee bags are similar. One the other hand, those ‘silken’ tea bags are made from plastics such as nylon, PET or PLA. The best way to avoid introducing these plastics into the environment (and even your body!) is to opt for loose leaf tea. There are plenty of tea infusers to choose from that are just as convenient, and you can event buy reusable silicone teabags that you can prepare and pack for the day ahead!
5. Cigarettes
The filters in cigarettes are incredibly troublesome due to their plastic fibrous composition, but also because of the amount of nicotine, heavy metals, and other chemicals they dump into the environment. According to Clean Up Australia, cigarette butts represent 20 percent of all recorded items found on clean up campaigns. The ideal solution is to quit smoking, but alternatively you can commit to collecting all your cigarette buts in a portable metal container and then drop them off to a company that specifically focuses on recycling cigarette butts. In Australia, you can do this through Terracycle Australia.
