What happens when the warnings about the abuse of plastic actually come true? What happens when these plastics are the main reason why our environment is so polluted?
In today’s age that places too much importance on convenience, plastics are preferable alternatives to paper bags and other paper containers because of their unmatched affordability, durability and accessibility. In hindsight, however, because of their durability, this material cannot be decomposed as easily as biodegradable materials. Rather, plastics break down into small pieces of debris called microplastics. It is true that plastics provide convenience, but it is important to recognize that convenience is not always sustainable for the environment. Microplastics, from the name itself, are tiny bits of plastics that are about the size of a sesame seed and are categorized by scientists into two types: primary and secondary. Small particles and microfibers that are shed from commercial items, like cosmetics, clothes, and other textiles, as well as fishing nets, are considered to be primary microplastics. Particles known as secondary microplastics, which are discovered to be the most abundant classification of microplastics, are produced when bigger plastic objects, such as water bottles, break down due to exposure to environmental elements like the sun’s rays and ocean waves (Lai, 2022).
Plastics are created from petroleum-derived materials, specifically artificial organic polymers obtained from natural gas or oil, that are difficult to degrade. This entails that used plastic items gather and remain in landfills, seas, and other habitats rather than decomposing naturally. When plastics enter marine environments, such as seas and oceans, they are exposed to UV radiation, winds, and physical abrasion from wave currents and break down into smaller plastics, also known as Microplastics (Arbor, n.d.).
Contrary to their size, microplastics can and are already damaging the world in large ways. Recently, with about eight million metric tonnes of microplastics entering the waters each year, the ocean has become the world’s largest depot for plastic (Igini, 2022). According to the United Nations, there are more than 51 trillion microplastic particles in the oceans around the world, which is 500 times more than the stars found in our galaxy (2017). These microplastics have been proven to be harmful, if not fatal, to the marine animals in the ocean and have already been ingested by many marine animals such as mussels, oysters, prawns, and shrimps, and can even be found in sea salt.
Microplastics in the ocean are also the cause of the entanglement effect(Igini, 2022). The entanglement effect, which causes 55% of marine creature incidents, is well known for endangering aquatic life by causing it to drown, suffocate, or get strangled. Sea turtles, seabirds, and crustaceans are among the most endangered animal species of this effect .
And of course, through the food chain, these microplastics go from the stomachs of seafood to the stomachs of humans. According to current studies, microplastics have been discovered in human blood, lungs, colon, stool, and placenta: a clear indication that the body’s organs may also be exposed to these particles from widespread plastic pollution (Dutta, 2022). However, it is not only our ingestion of seafood that is the primary cause of microplastics in humans. Microplastics can enter the human body through eating food, drinking water, or breathing air that has been already polluted with microplastics. According to research estimates, each person consumes up to 52,000 microplastic pieces annually as a result of eating (Arbor, n.d.).
Fortunately for us, microplastics seem to have little effect on our health. Jennifer de France, a technical expert on water, sanitation, and hygiene at the Department of Public Health and Environment at the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that, “Based on the conclusions of our report, while we think that the risks to human health are low, this is based on a limited evidence base and we recognize that there is need for more research,” (2019).
Because of this worldwide crisis, many institutions and governments have started taking action. One of these projects is UNEP’s “Clean Seas Campaign” launched in 2017, which aims to remove humankind’s dependence on harmful and unneeded plastic and to reduce the amount of marine litter and plastic debris that enters lakes, streams, and seas. Another
project established for this cause is the “Joint Declaration of the Global Plastics Associations” launched in 2011, which attempts to minimize trash and lay forth a commitment to support several evaluations of littering. Recently, scientists have also been developing a tool designed to latch onto any floating microplastic in the ocean called “robo-fish” (Lai, 2022).
Besides these international movements, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines is also working against plastic pollution. According to DENR, the NSWMC Resolution No. 1363, Series of 2020, which was recently signed by DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu, directs the DENR to “prepare and implement,” the restriction on the use of “unnecessary” single-use plastic items by the national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and all other government-controlled offices (2020). The restriction applies to the use of cups with a thickness of less than 0.2 millimeters, drinking straws, coffee stirrers, spoons, forks, knives, “labo” or thin and translucent plastic bags, and thin-filmed sando bags with a thickness of less than 15 microns.
However, aside from these government and organization projects, individuals also play a key role in reducing the usage of plastics and preventing the increase of microplastics in each community. For example, members of the community that are aware of the danger of microplastics could help raise awareness.
Another action that can be taken is to personally lessen the usage of plastics and microplastics and instead utilize products that are bio-based and biodegradable. As previously mentioned, aside from the breakdown of bigger plastics, microplastics are also intentionally produced for many cosmetics and clothing purposes. This means that buying alternatives to cosmetics, textiles, and other products that require plastic as an ingredient is another way to discourage the production of primary microplastics. It is essential to remember that, although plastics are more preferred compared to these bio-based products, the overdependence of our community on the use of plastics and microplastics in our everyday lives are causing much harm to the community we live in.
If everyone takes an active role, recycling and reusing plastic items will be just as successful as the many international and national treatments being done for this cause.
The number of microplastics that pollute the environment is increasing day by day. These tiny and almost invisible particles are the main reason why oceans are polluted and why the number of marine creatures living in these waters is continuously decreasing. Though the harmful effects of microplastics are not immediate on humans, these effects continue to harm our whole planet by being one of the major reasons for pollution . And so, it is the duty of all humans to think and act, if not for their own personal gain, but for the future home of the generations to come. Truly, microplastics are dangerous, but more danger lies in the inaction and apathy of every community and individual to make a change.
Written by Joelia Ng
Graphics by Jessica Ng
The Crest Online 