A Fact Sheet: Microplastics in the Environment
WHAT
According to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), plastics form the largest form
of marine debris, especially in large water bodies like oceans and seas (Silva et al. 2018). These
plastics come in diverse shapes and sizes, the smallest being “microplastics”. The following are
important points to note about microplastics:
- Microplastics are plastic pieces that are less than 5 millimeters in size. They are used for
different purposes in diverse industries including the manufacturing sector and 3D
printing.
Fig1: Illustration of Microplastics
- They are found in different items that we use on a daily basis including toothpaste, fabric
clothes, and cosmetic products (Duis & Coors, 2016). In most cases, they are used as
containers for packaging these consumer products.
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- They are also created when different forms of large plastics break down into small pieces,
hence the name “microplastics”.
- They are a major concern because they cannot be addressed through conventional waste
management treatment. They remain intact without decaying and are washed away into
water bodies thereby causing severe environmental damage.
- Some of the common sources of these microplastics include urban runoff, agricultural
deposits, ocean dumping, cruise ships, and the fishing companies, among others.
- Microplastics are found in every water body from rivers, oceans to sea beds across the
world.
Fig 2: Sources of Microplastics
WHY
Microplastics should be a concern to communities because of different reasons. Efforts to
conserve the natural environment and make it healthy becomes futile if we fail to manage
plastics and ignore the best waste management practices (Silva et al. 2018). First, it is important
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to note that there is a scientific ambiguity concerning the challenges or risks presented by
microplastics. Microplastic is a concern because:
- The present serious health risks if ingested. Studies have shown that they can block the
gastrointestinal of an animal leading to a serious complication or even death (Dris et al.
2016).
- An increase in microplastics in the environment, especially in the water that we drink or
through the food chain can cause unimaginable damage.
- Some microplastic chemicals are also toxic to our environment. They cause significant
damage to the health of the natural environment, a serious issue that has prompted many
scholars to mount a campaign on how to prevent or address them.
- Various pollutants have been associated with the increase of microplastics in the
environments.
- They include Dioxin, POPs, PBDEs, PCBs, and PAHs among others (Dris et al. 2016).
These are harmful toxins that bring adverse impacts not only to human health but also to
the environment.
WHO
Various groups of people within the community are at risk of the negative effects of
microplastics. The list of populations at high risks are captured below:
- People who work in facilities that manufacture plastics or products that are
packed in plastics. The tiny particles of plastics may find their way into the water
or foods that they take jeopardizing their health (Dris et al. 2016).
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- In addition, people who work in waste management facilities or in areas where
wastes are disposed of are also at high risk of absorbing the toxins (Dris et al.
2016).
- On a cruise ship
- Individuals involved in the fishing and fish farming industries
Other groups that are likely to be exposed include:
- Consumers who take products that have microbeads such as kinds of toothpaste
- People who tour seashores and coastlines where large amounts of microplastics are
deposited
- Divers and fishermen who go into the water bodies like oceans
Recommendations for Personal Care
The threat of microplastics can be done if different personal initiatives are made. These include:
- Reducing the consumption of products that contain microplastics (Silva et al. 2018). This
includes skincare and toothpaste products that are rich in microplastics.
- Going for other forms of bags other than the plastics ones, especially when shopping. It is
also advisable to consider glasses over plastics
- Recycling the plastics that have been used so that more of them cannot be manufactured
and brought into the already saturated environment
- Avoid disposing of plastics into water bodies like lakes and oceans
Policy Recommendations
Microplastics can also be managed by creating different effective policies including:
- Policy and legislation on plastic litter should be enforced more seriously. The policy
should be able to match the scale of the problem. At the same time, it is necessary to have
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penalties that match the violation. Importantly, the policy should be informed by science
and not political response.
- An effective legal program for managing marine debris should be instituted. It will ensure
that our lakes and oceans are protected and aquatic life be safeguarded
- Assign more resources to waste management and environmental oversight authority to
enforce the available policies
- Mount an educational campaign meant to sensitize the public about proper environmental
practices
Additional information can be retrieved from the following sources:
- Great Pacific Garbage/ National Geographic Society
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
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References
Dris, R., Gasperi, J., Saad, M., Mirande, C., & Tassin, B. (2016). Synthetic fibers in atmospheric
fallout: a source of microplastics in the environment?. Marine pollution bulletin, 104(1-
2), 290-293.
Duis, K., & Coors, A. (2016). Microplastics in the aquatic and terrestrial environment: sources
(with a specific focus on personal care products), fate and effects. Environmental
Sciences Europe, 28(1), 2.
Silva, A. B., Bastos, A. S., Justino, C. I., da Costa, J. P., Duarte, A. C., & Rocha-Santos, T. A.
(2018). Microplastics in the environment: Challenges in analytical chemistry-A
review. Analytica chimica acta, 1017, 1-19.