Plasti(c)Talks

Plastic Pollution: Our Planet is facing a Crisis

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we often overlook the profound impact of a seemingly harmless material: plastic. Plastic has become an integral part of modern living, but despite its advantages and its convenience comes at a heavy price for our environment: Plastic pollution is a global crisis that affects our oceans, lands and air, as well as wildlife, plants and ultimately, us. Let's take a closer look at this pressing issue and its far-reaching consequences.

 

Plastic, a synthetic polymer created from petrochemicals, and its chemical additives, was once celebrated for its durability and versatility. However, its persistence in the environment is now proving to be its greatest flaw. Unlike natural materials, plastic takes centuries to break down, and even then, it doesn't truly disappear. Instead, it fragments into tiny, often microscopic, particles known as microplastics (mp).

 

The Journey of Plastic Waste

Our reliance on single-use plastics exacerbates the problem. Items like plastic bags, bottles, food and beverage containers, are used for mere minutes, yet they persist in the environment for generations. Many of these items end up in our oceans, carried there by wind and water. Once in the marine environment, they wreak havoc on ecosystems.

 

The Impact on Marine Life

Marine life, from the tiniest plankton to apex predators like sharks, faces dire consequences due to plastic pollution. Up to now, in every marine trophic food level mp could be detected: for instance in mussels, oyster, fish, up to apex predators like sharks.

Furthermore, chemical additives in plastics can leach into the water, posing a toxic threat to aquatic ecosystems.

 

The global plastic cycle

Plastic pollution follows a complex and concerning cycle that spans oceans, the atmosphere, and land. Through a process known as aerosolization, tiny plastic particles are lifted from the water's surface into the air, due to natural processes like wind and wave action or human activities like boating and shipping. Once airborne, these microplastics can travel great distances, and enter a realm of mobility that knows no boundaries, potentially reaching remote regions far from the original source. Once mp land again on the ground, they continue polluting our soils.

Once on land, mp can affect plant growth and potentially entering the food chain through fruits and vegetables, or herding animals. 

Did you know that microplastic has been found in table salt and even in some countries, in tap water?

 

Affecting Human Health

It's clear that plastic pollution is not just an environmental concern but also a human health issue. While the long-term health effects are still being studied, it is certain that mp in our bodies cannot be beneficial.

Recent research has shown that microplastics can enter the humans via food (and drink) consumption,  through inhaling (airborne microplastic), or via skin absorption (e.g. skin cremes, clothes), giving these particles several options to harm our body. 

Did you know that mp has been found in human heart tissue, placenta and feces?

The Global Scale of the Problem

Every year, an estimated 8 million tons of plastic waste enter our oceans, around 50% consists of single-use plastic, and around 35% comes from human textile waste. If we continue down this path, some experts predict that by 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish by weight.

 

Call to Action

The gravity of the plastic pollution problem may seem overwhelming, but there is hope!

First, as always, it starts with us. We have to acknowledge the severity of this problem. But every crisis is also a chance - for a better future, we have to rethink our consumption and buying behavior. 

With the webinar series "Plasti(c)Talks", I wanted to raise awareness, provide easy-to-follow examples and start a dialogue. The webinars were provided monthly on the expat's platform InterNations, in the Global Changemakers Group. This project is currently on hold, but I will provide the presentations here on this blog:

Microplastic in fashion - Intro

 

References:

Avio, C. G., Gorbi, S., & Regoli, F. (2017). Plastics and microplastics in the oceans: From emerging pollutants to emerged threat. Marine Environmental Research, 128, 2–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.05.012

UNEP. (2016). MARINE PLASTIC DEBRIS & MICROPLASTICS. Global lessons and research to inspire action and guide policy chance. Unep, 23(2013), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.2173/bna.44

E, R. A. (2004). Lost at sea: Where is all the plastic. Science, 304(May), 838. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Steven_Rowland/publication/8575062_Lost_at_Sea_Where_Is_All_the_Plastic/links/0fcfd51001f3893f44000000/Lost-at-Sea-Where-Is-All-the-Plastic.pdf

Cozar, A., Echevarria, F., Gonzalez-Gordillo, J. I., Irigoien, X., Ubeda, B., Hernandez-Leon, S., Palma, A. T., Navarro, S., Garcia-de-Lomas, J., Ruiz, A., Fernandez-de-Puelles, M. L., & Duarte, C. M. (2014). Plastic debris in the open ocean. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(28), 10239–10244. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1314705111

Derraik, J. G. B. (2002). The pollution of the marine environment by plastic debris: A review. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 44(9), 842–852. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0025-326X(02)00220-5

Kershaw Peter J. (2016). MARINE PLASTIC DEBRIS Global lessons and research to inspire action. Unep, 1–192. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004

Pictures obtained from:

https://foto.wuestenigel.com/globe-with-plastic-utensils-in-black-trash-bag-planet-pollution-concept/

Adobe stock (https://stock.adobe.com/at/)

https://www.pinterest.at/pin/937100634936684270/