What Are Microplastics?
If you’ve ever watched the National Geographic Channel, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a program or two on the dangers of plastic debris in our oceans. Unfortunately, these segments often include disturbing images of animals tangled up in soda can rings or struggling to swim with bags around their necks. But what are microplastics? Are they just as harmful to marine life?
Microplastic is any plastic debris measuring less than five millimeters in length — the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) equates the size to that of a sesame seed. Scroll down for more information about these fragments and their impact on our ecosystem.
Sources of Microplastics
Microplastics come from a variety of different sources. This includes debris from large plastic items that have been broken down over time into smaller fragments, as well as resin pellets that are used for plastic manufacturing.
Another form of microplastic is microbeads (made up of manufactured polyethylene plastic), which were commonly added to health and beauty products — like cleansers and toothpastes — as exfoliants. However, in December 2015, President Barack Obama signed the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, which prohibits the manufacture of “rinse-off cosmetics containing intentionally-added plastic microbeads.”
Though the study of microplastics is still in the early stages, the fact that microbeads are small enough to pass through water filtration systems is considered a potential threat to aquatic life, who might mistake the tiny pieces for food.
How Do Microplastics Affect the Environment?
According to the NOAA, not much is known about the impact of microplastics because it’s a relatively new area of study. However, fragments have been found in the stomachs of marine organisms, which yielded some interesting findings.
Previous studies suggest that chemical additives on the microplastics can dissolve out into the ocean or that contaminants in the water may stick to the tiny particles. Ongoing research by the NOAA and others will help determine whether these contaminants can be transferred between species.
Are Microplastics Harmful?
Microplastics pose a threat to marine life. Animals can easily mistake the pieces for food. Researchers are also trying to determine whether certain pollutants, such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), can leak from microplastics into the organisms that eat them. However, it is difficult to figure out exactly where those pollutants are coming from. The studies conducted so far appear to suggest that microplastics aren’t nearly as harmful to sea creatures as large plastic items.
Why Are Microplastics Bad?
Any sort of plastic deposited into a body of water can be detrimental to the organisms living there. Currently, tests are being run to pinpoint exactly how microplastics impact the environment, though the main concerns include animals consuming fragments and pollutants from the particles contaminating the creatures that eat them.
Microplastics’ Effect on Marine Life/Fish
As mentioned above, the impact of microplastics on both marine life and humans is still being researched, but previous studies have shown that fish and other sea creatures do eat plastic. This can lead to irritation or damage in their digestive systems.
In some instances, an animal may be tricked into thinking it’s full if the plastic stays in its gut, thus causing malnutrition or starvation.
Microplastics’ Effect on Humans
Given that microplastics are often invisible to the naked eye, it’s relatively easy for humans to consume them without realizing it. In fact, the average person is regularly exposed to various types of microplastics in his or her food.
One common way to ingest the particles is through the consumption of fish. If a fish ingests microplastics and is then eaten by a human, the fragments are inadvertently transferred into that individual’s digestive system.
More research is needed to determine whether the consumption of microplastics has any noticeable effect on human health, though previous studies suggest that it doesn’t have a significant impact.
Microplastics in Drinking Water
A study conducted by the State University of New York at Fredonia found that water from plastic bottles contains twice as many microplastics as tap water. The data collected suggests that at least part of that contamination comes from the packaging and/or bottling process itself. However, we still don’t know whether or not this contamination has an impact on human health as more research is needed.
Microplastics in the Ocean
The NOAA states that plastic is one of the most common types of marine debris. Because plastic products degrade into smaller pieces over time, microplastics are prevalent in any body of water that’s been polluted with this type of waste.
“Bio-based and truly biodegradable plastics break down in a compost pile or landfill, but are generally not designed to degrade as quickly in the ocean,” a NOAA PDF on plastic marine debris reads.
Though the improper disposal of waste continues to taint our oceans, lakes and rivers, there are things that you as an individual can do to help remedy the problem.
Microplastic Solutions
Though the issues caused by plastics won’t go away overnight, there are ways you can help keep the problem from getting worse. Join cleanup efforts by visiting the NOAA Marine Debris Program page to find projects in your area.
You can also make a difference by reducing the amount of waste you produce, reusing items when possible, like water bottles, and recycling in your home, workplace, and school.
Microplastics Facts
In summary, here are some important facts you should remember about microplastics:
- A microplastic is any plastic debris measuring less than five millimeters in length.
- Microplastics are typically manufactured as microbeads, capsules, fibers or pellets. They also come from large plastic items that have been broken down over time into smaller fragments.
- Microplastics have been found in the stomachs of marine organisms and previous studies suggest that chemical additives from the particles could leach out into those organisms.
- The study of microplastics’ impact on both aquatic life and humans is still in the early stages. A lot more research needs to be conducted before definitive conclusions can be drawn.
- You can help by participating in local cleanups, reducing waste, reusing items when possible and recycling.
Latest What Are Microplastics? News and Updates
This Swimming Robot Fish Can Absorb Microplastics From the Ocean
A team of researchers have invented a robotic fish that can “eat” microplastics in the ocean, thereby removing these tiny pieces of plastic pollution from our water.For the First Time, Scientists Have Detected Microplastics in Human Blood
Microplastics were found in human blood in a recent scientific study.If You're Not Sure How Much Trash You Produce Each Month, Prepare to Be Shocked
The average person produces an incredible amount of garbage in a month, and the problem is only getting worse.The Ocean Cleanup Is Now Cleaning Up Rivers With the "Interceptor"
The "Interceptor" is The Ocean Cleanup's latest innovation, with a goal of cleaning plastic out of rivers before it gets to the ocean.The Most Effective Solutions to the Microplastic Crisis
Microplastics are set to become one of the most insurmountable pollution problems in the near future, but solutions might already exist.Is Any Type of Plastic Considered Eco-Friendly?
Plastic is both a pollutant and a necessary component of our daily lives, but can plastic ever be eco-friendly?How to Recycle Silicone
Silicone is a remarkable material that’s far more eco-friendly than plastic, but is silicone recyclable?Scientists Successfully Use Bacteria to Extract Microplastics From Water
Scientists have just discovered a new way to remove microplastics from the environment using bacteria.Which Grocery Stores Use the Most Plastic, According to Greenpeace
Looking for an eco-friendly grocery store? Well-respected environmental organization, Greenpeace, ranked grocery stores on their plastic usage.What Is Downcycling?
Many folks have heard about the benefits of upcycling recyclable materials, but the concept of downcycling might be even more important to understand.How Does Ocean Pollution Impact Human Beings?
The oceans aren’t always treated as an essential piece of our ecosystem, but the unchecked pollution of these vast biomes is beginning to show its impact on humanity.Can You Recycle Bubble Wrap?
Is bubble wrap recyclable or is it destined to become as much of a problem as plastic grocery bags?A Running List of Cities, Restaurants, and Hotels That Have Banned Plastic Straws
Where are plastic straws banned? You'll only find paper straws throughout certain cities, and offered at certain restaurant and hotel chains.What Is the Deepest Part of the Ocean? So Much Is Still Unexplored
Scientists may have gazed into the deep abyss of space, but some of the least illuminated and unexplored environments in the universe still lurks in the deepest parts of our plant’s own oceans.Study Finds Microplastics in Human Placentas for the First Time
Microplastics were found in the placentas of unborn babies in a new study.Why Is PVC Bad for the Environment?
You know PVC is bad for the environment — here’s why.Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Nestlé Are World's Top Corporate Plastic Polluters for Third Year
Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Nestlé have been named the world's biggest corporate plastic polluters for the third year in a row by Break Free From Plastic's latest annual audit.How and Where Do You Recycle No. 4 Plastic?
Not all plastics are alike, especially when it comes to recycling. So what does it mean when a plastic is labeled as #4 and for that matter, how do we go about recycling it?What Is Fleece Actually Made Out of, Anyway?
Fleece is a miracle material that can keep you warm and cozy on even the coldest days, but where did this remarkable fabric come from and what is it actually made of?Cigarette Butts Are No Longer the No. 1 Littered Item on Beaches
The most littered item collected during the annual ICC has been cigarette butts for the past 34 years — but the most recent coastal cleanup found that plastic food wrappers has taken the top spot.Microplastics Detected in 100 Percent of Human Organs Sampled
Microplastics were detected in every single organ tested as part of a new study.BeyondPlastic Presents Awards to 13 Companies for Genius Plastic Alternative Innovations
BeyondPlastic just presented 13 awards to companies and organizations fighting plastic pollution through innovation and initiatives.Is Microfiber Plastic? Here Are the Facts on Microfiber's Sustainability
Microfiber fabrics are made from plastic, and they shed microplastics — here's everything you need to know about microfiber.An Ocean Cleanup Crew Just Collected a Record Amount of Ocean Plastic From the GPGP
Ocean Voyages Institute's crew just collected 103 tons of ocean plastic on a 48-day mission at sea.Tons of Microplastics Are Raining Down Heavily — Especially on National Parks
According to a recent study, 1,000 tons of microplastic rain down from the sky every year, on national parks and in wilderness areas worldwide.Gloves and Masks Are Already Polluting the Mediterranean Sea — Watch a Diver Clean Up COVID-19's Mess
COVID-19 era PPE has already made its way into the ocean — specifically, the Mediterranean Sea.Australian Teenager Makes Biodegradable "Plastic" Out of Discarded Prawn Shells
Angelina Arora used discarded prawn shells and silk protein to create a biodegradable plastic.China Is Rolling Out Single-Use Plastic Bans
China is banning several kinds of single-use plastic gradually over the next five years.7 Caribbean Countries Are Banning Single-Use Plastic Starting Jan. 1
Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago are banning single-use plastic.The Ocean Cleanup Reveals Successful Catch in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Ocean Cleanup confirms that they’ve been successful in retrieving trash from the Great Pacific Ocean Patch.Ocean Pollution by Country: See the Worst Offenders
See which countries are the worst offenders when it comes to ocean pollution.It's Raining Plastic, Study Finds — And Here's Why
A study found that it's raining plastic along Colorado's mountain range — specifically, microplastics and microfibers.How Plastic Straws Affect the Ocean and Sea Turtles
Plastic straws are the plastic villain of the moment — here's how they actually affect the ocean.18-Year-Old's Solution to the Microplastic Crisis Wins the Google Science Fair
The Google Science Fair awarded the Grand Prize to Fionn Ferreira, who has a solution to remove microplastic from the ocean.Single-Use Grocery Bags Are Becoming Obsolete in the U.K.
The U.K.'s 5p fee on single-use plastic grocery bags has helped bag rates go down by 90 percent over the past year.The Average Human Swallows 2,000 Microplastics a Week, Study Finds
Microplastics are in our food and our drinking water — here's what you can do about it.12-Year-Old Girl Creates Robot That Detects Plastic In Our Oceans
This new robot could be a solution for our ocean plastic crisis — and it was invented by a 12-year-old girl!This Plastic-Eating Mushroom Cleans Up Non-Biodegradable Waste
More than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans every year, polluting the water, killing ocean life, and eventually ending up in on our table in the form of shellfish and even salt.What Are Microfibers? Here's What You Can Do to Avoid Them
Here's everything you need to know about microfibers and how they affect the environment.Biodegradable Microbeads Could Change The Way Our Cosmetics Impact The Planet
Microbeads are dangerous to watersupplies but these new biodegradable ones might be a solution.Four New Countries Join 'Clean Seas' Campaign At United Nations
The UN launched the Clean Seas campaign in 2017 and Chile, Oman, Sri Lanka, and South Africa, have joined with plans to ban plastic bags, create marine reserves, and increase recycling.Microplastics Found in All Dead Dolphins, Whales, and Seals Tested in British Waters
When scientists tested 50 dead marine animals, all the animals they tested had traces of microplastics.
