Activity 3.3.3 – My Plastic Use

 I did not do a whole day but the first five minutes of waking up

From the highest mountain to the lowest point of the ocean plastics can be found everywhere. It is impossible to go a day without feeling the impact plastics have had on the planet. One issue that we are starting to realize is what happens when these plastics start to breakdown. We have been engrained that if we do not see it then it does not exist but now we are learning that is not true. As plastics start to break down microscopic particles are being released in the environment. And since plastics are everywhere this has become a major issue.

When talking about these microscopic pieces of plastic we call them microplastics. Microplastics, which are plastic particles or fibers smaller than 5 millimeters (mm) in size. (Haab) Microplastics are mostly derived from petroleum which is an additive used in a variety items. Because microplastics are derived from petroleum, they are not biodegradable, which means that they persist in the ecosystems in which they are introduced. (Haab)

Microplastics can be found everywhere on the planet. They are in the water that we drink the food that we eat to the air we breathe. When we use plastic utensils or plastic plates and cups we are ingesting microplastics with our food and drinks. Microplastics has been an ongoing issue towards aquatic life. Microplastics are ingested by plankton and other microscopic organisms. These organisms get eaten by larger organisms and as this continues the larger animals ingest more and more plastics. Microplastics also appears from the clothes we wear. As we wash our clothing fibers come off the clothing and get introduced into wastewater. With the help of adventure scientist we are starting to realize the degree of microplastic pollution.  According to Abby Barrows 75 percent of the samples collected are contaminated with microplastics. The samples were taken from a variety of places on the planet.

Microplastics does not occur naturally in the world. They are a biproduct of the utilization of plastics to make our lives easier. We did not know the issues that have arisen due to the manufacture, utilization, and the disposal of plastics. When plastics are disposed of inappropriately they often end up in the ocean. As they float around the ocean the plastics start to break down due to the movements of the waves. the sun and the wildlife. According to  Charting the Garbage Patches of the Seas there are patches of microplastics that are floating throughout the ocean. We are aware of these patches but cannot do anything to remove the plastics from the water. The plastic particles are too fine to be filtered according to Doctor Erik Van Sebille. So even if we clear up the ocean of all large plastics there is still the issue of how to clean the microplastics.

We have known that aquatic wildlife has had microplastics in their system but recently scientists are realizing that humans have microplastics in our bodies. Plastic particles were found in the blood of more than three-fourths (17 out of 22) of the Netherlands-based donors who participated in the study.() The amount of plastics in our body is not a lot but it is something that should not be in our body. There also needs to be more studies to see how plastics affect our bodies.

Plastics have made our lives easier but have contaminated all parts of the planet. Although we can remove larger pieces the real danger is microplastics. We cannot see these particles but we are exposed to them everyday and are inhaling and ingesting them. The three R’s we grew up on is not enough to help ease this issue.

References

 

Haab, S., & Haab, K. (n.d.). The environmental impacts of microplastics: An investigation of microplastic pollution in North Country waterbodies. Adventure Scientists. https://www.adventurescientists.org/uploads/7/3/9/8/7398741/haabhaab2016_environmental_impacts_of_microplastics.pdf

Simons Foundation Science Sandbox (Producer). (2019). World class explorers help scientists collect elusive data [Video].World Class Explorers Help Scientists Collect Elusive Data

Snider, M. (2022, March 24). Microplastics have been found in air, water, food and now...human blood. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/03/25/plastics-found-inside-human-blood/7153385001/

Van Sebille, E. (2013). Charting the garbage patches of the seas[video]. University of New South Wales.Charting the garbage patches of the sea