Microplastics are not new. Warnings over their adverse health effects for both our aquatic systems and the human body have been in the news cycle for quite some time.
We first discovered the presence of microplastics in our oceans as early as 2004, but recently, more people have started to take notice.
But what exactly are microplastics? How do they enter our waterways and why are they bad for our health?
What are microplastics?
Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic debris found in our oceans and aquatic systems. Any plastic below 5 millimetres long is regarded as microplastic, but a lot of the most harmful microplastic is particulate and therefore passes easily through water filtration systems.
Microplastics originate from lots of different sources. They can form from the breakdown of larger plastic, like plastic bottles, food containers, clothing or other litter items that end up in the oceans.
They can also come from microbeads, which are very tiny pieces of polyethene that are added to beauty products like some kinds of toothpaste and face washes.
Why are microplastics harmful?
Microplastics can now be found in every part of the environment, including every ocean and body of water in the world. This is a huge problem, because of how harmful they can be to aquatic organisms and human life.
Microplastics contain chemicals that have been found to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and hormone-disrupting. Once consumed, microplastics can build up in the body and over time these chemicals can cause a whole host of health issues.
How do we consume microplastics?
Microplastics can be consumed by organisms easily, especially those living in aquatic environments.
Plankton consume microplastics as they graze on the ocean floor, which are then passed up the food chain when plankton is eaten by fish and other larger organisms like whales.
Because plankton form the primary food source for the rest of the aquatic food chain, microplastics have been found in almost all studied aquatic life.
These same microplastics can be consumed by us if we eat fish that have consumed microplastics, or if we drink contaminated water sources.
What can be done about microplastics?
It might feel hard as an individual, but there are things we can do to help curb the microplastic crisis.
It starts with making smart, environmentally conscious consumer decisions. There are lots of ways you can reduce your plastic consumption by switching your buying habits to products that use zero plastic in their packaging or manufacture. This is a small step but collectively can have a big impact.
The second is taking part in beach or aquatic clean-ups. Check your local area, even if you don’t live by the seaside, there are lots of organisations that need volunteers to help clean rivers, lakes and even inner city ponds.
Thirdly, consider supporting charities or organisations that are lobbying governments, councils and corporations for policies that focus on reducing single-use plastic as well as funding clean-ups.