Disadvantages Of Microplastics

1034 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Effects of plastic on the ocean

Microplastics are plastic particles less than five millimetres in size and account for 92% of plastic particles in the ocean (Detloff & Istel 2016; Shim & Thomposon 2015). There are two types of microplastics: primary and secondary (Shim & Thomposon 2015). Specifically engineered microplastics, such as cosmetic scrubbers, can be directly introduced into the marine environment by discharge after use (Shim & Thomposon 2015). Secondary microplastics are produced through the degradation of macroplastics through UV rays, high temperatures and physical abrasion (Avio, Gorbi & Regoli 2017). Microplastics have been observed on shores, sea surfaces and sea floors, including the Arctic and Antarctic oceans (Obbard et al 2014 as cited in Shim & Thomposon …show more content…

Although this issue appears to be out of control due to our consumerist and wasteful society, management and preventative options have been explored. Marine plastic pollution represents a “fundamental market failure” (Ocean Conservancy as cited in Tibbets 2016, p.93). Prevention needs to begin with a societal shift towards less consumerism and greater reusing and recycling. Continuing, producing companies need to have greater responsibility for plastic and plastic-adjacent waste they create. A fine example of this is Extended Producer Responsibility, a scheme implemented in some European nations (Tibbets 2015). This model shifts the financial responsibly for disposal to product manufacturers, giving them an incentive to improve product packaging, reuse and recycle (Tibbits 2015). Continuing, the solution for managing mismanaged waste is developing infrastructure to correctly dispose of produced waste is proposed, therefore reducing the amount of waste susceptible to ocean entry (Jambeck et al 2015, p. 770). Unfortunately, preventing further degradation from macroplastics into microplastics in the ocean is near impossible. However, eliminating the use of ‘microbeads’ and other primary microplastics should greatly reduce their numbers within the oceans. Iñiguez, Conesa & Fullana (2016) and Li, Tse and Fok (2016) …show more content…

The mass amounts of plastic discarded is the underlying issue within marine plastic pollution. The colossal amounts lead to large amounts of mismanaged waste, and degradation into the dreaded microplastics (Detloff & Istel 2016; Jambeck et al 2015). Once contaminating the sea, detrimental effects on sea creatures occur, while creating sickening ‘marine soup’, and damaging the fragile aquatic ecosystem (Avio, Gorbi & Regoli 2017; Weinstein 2009). Many recommend waste reduction as the most effective means of decreasing plastic pollution due to the sheer volume of plastic produced in the modern world and its global infiltration (ñiguez, Conesa & Fullana 2016). Therefore, education on this issue should be paramount (Avio, Gorbi & Regoli 2017). A common understanding of plastic pollution would lead to a sustainable shift in

Show More
Related

  • Ocean Trash A Floating Insect Nursery By Andrew Hitchings Analysis

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    The author gave a brief explanation about sea skaters including how they live and what they eat. Sea skaters can stand and literally walk on the surface of the ocean and that is why these insects were given this nickname. Sea skater are used to live by the water, but after they reproduce,, they have to find something solid where they can lay their eggs and this is where microplastic becomes an advantage for them. Also, the author described where exactly huge amounts of microplastic are located in the world. Hitchings mentioned that there is a specific place between Asia and North America where most of the microplastic has been accumulated in the past years, best know as the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch”. This amount of trash has been compared to the size of the United States because of its identical size. (Hitchings, 2012)

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Plastics

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    Which means their obviously bad for the aquatic marine life environment & are cause many different forms of damage for them & us as one. On p.g. 23 of The New York Times upfront magazine “Birds,fish, sea turtles, & others are getting tangled in plastic bags or mistake them for food & choke”. Someone else might argue that they could the plastic bags in landfills instead of oceans. But that counter- argument is flawed because you’re just polluting by burning plastic which is bad on our part we’re not doing our part to support & taking care of the earth. Plastic in the ocean isn't just bad for plants & animals but for humans too because of the food chain some of us eat animals as a meat source such as aqua marine life like fish. If the fishermen catch fish that have been eating plastic then it's in our food supply if we eat that fish it's gonna be bad for us so many will end up getting sick from the plastic inside of the fish then what will we do our aqua marine food supply will go down the drain we couldn’t eat the fish since it's basically contaminated with plastic that we’re dumping there instead of trying to fix it & getting rid of plastic bags for good for the good of the earth. We’re causing damage towards the earth by dumping all that plastic into the ocean which damages our water supply it’ll poison us although we clean the water it depends on how big the plastic particles are, it’ll make us sick & sense it’s been lying in the oceans could bring in new pathogens &

    Read More

  • Pigovian Tax Case Study

    804 Words  | 2 Pages

    Plastic bags have never been free. Instead, their private cost is incorporated into the price of the purchased products, but this is not the only cost of plastic bags for the consumer (Allan 2002). There is additionally a social cost, a price paid for the impact of the pollution upon the aquatic environment and, ultimately, upon the consumers own health. Of the 3.92 billion plastic bags that Australia consumes annually(Commonwealth of Australia 2016), 80 million enter the litter stream, with 1-3% entering Australian waterways (Allan 2002; Dunn, Caplan & Bosworth 2014). About 35% of aquatic life has ingested plastic, resulting in the human consumption of plastic from seafood and eventually leading to increasing cost of healthcare for the consumer

    Read More

  • Plastic Pollution: A Threat to Oceans and Humanity

    952 Words  | 2 Pages

    Every year, an estimated 8 million tons of plastic waste enters our environment, severely polluting oceans, beaches, forests, and even the towns and cities we live in. In the ocean alone, it is believed that 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic pollutes the waters (“Plastic Statistics”, Ocean Crusaders).The majority of plastic pollution can be traced back to single-use items, such as grocery bags, bottles, and plastic packaging. According to United Nations Environment, “At the rate we are dumping items such as plastic bottles, bags and cups after a single use, by 2050 oceans will carry more plastic than fish…” (“UN Declares War on Ocean Plastic”, UN Environment). This pollution is a major problem and endangers not only the environment, but human

    Read More

  • Littering Persuasive Speech

    304 Words  | 1 Pages

    This pollution problem is so ubiquitous plastic can be found throughout the marine environment from coastlines to near shore lagoons to remote ocean hotspots where plastics caught up in marine currents. And gathered up into huge garbage patches that swirl

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Microbeads

    638 Words  | 2 Pages

    If we stop using products that contain microbeads, we cut off a large source of microbeads spreading to our environment. However, the microbead problem is not known by the majority of the people. Informing our public is the first step to apply in this solution. It can be achieved by running informational ads through media (Television, Radio, Internet, Newspaper, etc.). Furthermore, several multinational companies have agreed to stop use or sale of microbead products. Their effort is applauded but it is not enough, awareness needs to be raised. Funding from the multinational companies allocated to an effort to raise awareness is part of the solution, which it has

    Read More

  • Marine Debris

    738 Words  | 2 Pages

    Marine debris can be defined as “any manufactured or processed solid waste material that enters the marine environment from any source” (Ten Things). Usually, we just call it litter. But, where does this litter come from? All marine debris comes from man-made waste. Most of this makes its way into our waterways from land, while 20% comes from ocean-based sources, such as fishing vessels and cargo ships (Problem). Once this waste enters the ocean it moves from currents and wind. It does not stay put, and it is usually carried far from its origin, which makes it difficult to determine where this waste comes from. Not only is it difficult to locate because of relocation, but this debris comes in many different forms, ranging from small plastic cigarette buds to 4,000-pound fishing nets (Ten Things). Plastic, rubber, Styrofoam, glass, metal, rope; the list is innumerable. The most known of all these, is plastic. “Plastic marine debris affects at least 267 species worldwide; 86 percent of all sea turtles, 44 percent of all sea bird species, and 43 percent of marine mammal species” (Problem). Other than plastic, these are just a few things that marine animals might mistake as food and ingest. On top of that, we can accidentally eat marine animals that have ingested this waste, causing us to get sick. Marine animals might even become entangled and can lead to suffocation, starvation, drowning, increased vulnerability to predators, or other injuries (Impacts).

    Read More

  • Plastic Bags Dbq

    667 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to a study conducted by the University of British Columbia, approximately “93 percent of beach fulmars (migratory seabirds related to the albatross) had bellies full of plastic, with one even having upwards of “454 pieces of plastic in its stomach” alone. (Source B) Similarly, in a 2011 International Coastal Clean-up, there were 964244 plastic bags found in the ocean, each having the potential to kill wildlife (Source C). A major reason as to why plastic bags are so hazardous to animal health is the fact that they have no biodegradable capabilities, meaning that instead breaking down into organic materials, plastic takes 500 to 1000 years to simply photodegrade, fragmenting into smaller pieces but not presenting any less danger (Source F). As these pieces become smaller, making it easier for any animal life, marine or not, to ingest it and suffocate as a result of the blockage. This is when the implementation of a tax on plastic bags could become extremely useful as a method of regulation and

    Read More

  • Water Pollution: Plastic in the Ocean

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Solutions to Plastic Pollution in our ocean” Natural Resources Defense Council. 3 March 2014. web 20 April 2014http://nrdc.org/oceans/plastic-ocean/default.asp

    Read More

  • Microplastics Essay

    1320 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the main challenges that face the environment today is the threat of plastic materials in the environment. All forms and sizes of plastic are harmful to the environment; this paper looks at the effects of microplastics which are small forms of plastic that are at least 5mm in size. Due to their small size, the microplastics end up being ingested into the bodies of aquatic animals causing health consequences that are uncertain to the organisms. This review focuses on the susceptibility of marine organisms to the physical, chemical and biological uptake of microplastics.

    Read More

  • Plastic Bags Dbq

    536 Words  | 2 Pages

    A chart produced from the Wall Street Journal found that plastic bags were among the top ten, but more specifically the top 5, most common type of debris found in the ocean (Source C). There is already enough debris and litter found in the ocean that harm and effect the marine animals living in it, so the community must take action and help prevent this from continuing to happen. In order to prevent this issue, the community must properly dispose their trash and recycle or eliminate their use of plastic

    Read More

  • A Plastic Ocean Film Analysis

    778 Words  | 2 Pages

    We are living on a plastic planet. Starting from the air that we breathe, the food that we eat, and the soil that we live on, plastic is everywhere. It may be hard to believe that a substance that was made for convenience would turn into a product that could ultimately destroy our planet. Plastic is a non-biodegradable material that has been mass produced for our convenience since the 1950’s. Today, over 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into the ocean each year and is estimated to increase to 800 million tons by the year 2025. The film “A Plastic Ocean” uncovers the plastic issue that is ever so prevalent in today’s world and shines a light on the reality of what we as humans are doing to our oceans.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Plastic Bags

    1499 Words  | 3 Pages

    Plastic or paper, is a choice that people face when going to the grocery stores. Plastic bags are often the choice that is made. A controversial issue in the world today is the use of plastic bags. Plastic bags are used because of the convenience they give, by being able to carry several items at once. However, in the article, “Banning Bans, Not Bags”, Jennifer Schultz claims, “Plastic bags clog up local waterways, litter roadways, and get swallowed up by unsuspecting fish” (6). Plastic bags are used once, then are discarded or, littered all over the place. When they are littered all over they become problems for more than just humans. These plastic bags pose a big hazard for animals on land and in especially the ocean. Humans eat land and

    Read More

  • Final Essay

    1475 Words  | 3 Pages

    Research from the University of California San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography said that species in the ocean consume a projected 12,000 to 24,000 tons of plastic every year in the Pacific Ocean (Nall, 2014). Pollution of recyclable materials in the oceans is one of the leading causes of why some marine species are nearing extinction. Many authors of articles and books analyzing this topic tend to agree that pollution of our oceans is a problem. The future of this problem is where their ideas tend to differ. The following four literature reviews attempt to demonstrate and support my belief that pollution is getting worse in the ocean and more marine life ecosystems are being affected, but there are things that we as humans can do to change this. Imagine a world where we didn’t have to constantly worry about the vicious cycle of humans affecting animals and then animals in turn affecting us through consumption.

    Read More

  • Save the Rainforest!

    995 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is sad to say but humans have played their part in deteriorating the earth. We have polluted and killed the very thing that takes care of us. If you ride by any lake or river you find trash and debris around it. In the “The Call of the Wild” the author says that we have committed war against the earth by the dumping of poisons and explosives upon it (337). Unfortunately, plastics are the things that are doing the most harm to our environment. Plastics are convenient and we use them everyday and these are the things that we find in the oceans, rivers and lakes. They are harmful to the earth as well as human health by directly intoxicating us with lead, cadmium and mercury. Plastic debris laced with harmful chemicals are often found inside of our marine life and can poison them. Plastic can survive for thousands of years and many invasive species are found in them which can disrupt our habitats. We need to limit our consumption of plastics and make sure that they are disposed of in their proper places.

    Read More

More about Disadvantages Of Microplastics

Open Document