Micro-plastics: The Smallest Biggest Problem In The Ocean

Micro-plastics: The Smallest Biggest Problem In The Ocean

By: Ryland L. Hopkins

 

Many chemicals and materials produced throughout the planet act as pollutants in the ocean. A vast majority of ocean-related issues portrayed by mass media are observable and easily tangible issues, such as: point-source discharge of wastewater, oil spills, pollution relating to the fishing industry, as well as large macro-plastic — or “garbage island”. One major pollutant that seemingly goes unnoticed is the microscopic infestation of micro-plastics. Macro-plastics refer to plastic bags, cans, and nets, which directly affect the survivability of larger aquatic animals; however, micro-plastics affect the health and bodily functions of nearly all aquatic animals. Micro-plastics have infiltrated the natural ecosystems of this planet so much that they may affect us on land. As an environmentalist, I am disappointed in myself for not recognizing the drastic effect micro-plastics have, until the Huxley Speaker Series on The Impacts of Chemicals in Our Lives. 

 

The sources of microplastic leakage in the ocean can be attributed to both a) the production of microplastics such as microbeads, nurdles, and microfibers that come from laundry machines and b) when macro-plastics such as plastic bags and cans break down physically into smaller and smaller plastics due to plastic’s inability to breakdown chemically. This why we have seen an international push to reduce the amount of litter in our waters, especially in places getting hit hard by the pollution like Indonesia and India, because not only is it bad for mainly birds and aquatic animals while they’re macro plastics, but also incredibly bad for micro organisms such as zooplankton, aka the base of life for most animals. Plastic, on any level, has no nutritional value, only chemicals. When an organism on any scopic level ingests plastic, or even something that ingested plastic before they ate it, they are merely eating the non-edible chemicals that the plastic is made out of.  

 

The search for solutions for this issue, along with the countless other environmental issues happening around the globe, must become priority. We all have the influence to change what is happening in our world, despite what laws and regulations are in place to prevent it, and I believe that through prioritization and responsibility, we can reclaim our oceans and make them a healthier ecosystem than they currently are. Some ways where I could see a simple difference being made are to buy a filter that catches all the microfibers for your washing machine, even just wash your clothes less, and try to pick up trash and plastic on your local beaches where wildlife is most affected. The future of this matter is uncertain, unfortunately due to our slow and at times disappointing  government processes and if we all stopped for a second and realized what we truly value, we as a world, would find that it is the little things that matter. And as a whole we could take a stand about this injustice being done to the oceans,  in even the most microscopic of ways.