MORE ABOUT OCEAN PLASTIC POLLUTION
Plastic pollution in our oceans is more than just the visible flotsam and jetsam easily spotted bobbing up and down in the waves or caught in the whirlpools called gyres that have been named “garbage patches” in our oceans (five of them--one the size of Texas). There are pieces of plastic made smaller and smaller by the wave action and sunlight into a soupy mess called microplastics.
This soupy mess can be found at all depths-- from the surface to the ocean floor in some areas. Where did they come from? What can we do to keep them out of the oceans?
Some microplastics were manufactured to be tiny--there are at least three in this category--pellets to be melted down in the manufacturing process of all manner of containers, small bits of plastic used as an abrasive in “sand-blasting” and microbeads used in personal care products and toothpaste. In the case of microbeads, the manufacturing of these plastic bits was halted by President Obama in 2015 (It took until 2018 to come to a complete stop--and some other countries still use them. No stats were available as to the amount of virgin or “blasting” pellets in the soupy mess.
The rest of the microplastics are the degraded bits of endless manufactured plastics we continue to use for containers, toys, nick-nacks, packaging, plastic straws, plastic bags, utensils, medical waste that has not been recycled, fishing gear dumped or lost, nylon rope pieces, foam bait boxes, flakes from non-stick pans, bits of plastics from tennis shoe soles, cigarette butt remains (full of toxins besides the plastic), etc.
We must also add microfibers coming off in the wash- water from clothing made from woven plastic threads (polyester, nylon, acrylic and the popular extra soft fabric used in sweaters). These microfibers are not captured as they go through the waste treatment plant. Some end up as part of the sludge left over after treatment and used by farmers to fertilize fields or continue toward the ocean.
The surfaces of all these bits of microplastic also collect other ocean pollutants and gas-off toxins used to make them. All told, the damage to the Marine wildlife and the heath of the ocean is enormous and is threatening the whole ecosystem. Little studied is the human health risk for eating fish that eat plastic.
What can we do? First on the list is REDUCE. Buy less, buy better, use longer, repair more often and, at the end of use for you, repurpose or gift it. Educate others and refuse to use plastics as much as you can. Refuse to buy plastics, say no to one use plastics (like grocery shopping), Consider washing machine filters or Guppy Bags for reducing microfiber escapes, and advocate with donations, letters and votes for those who will end plastic pollution.
EARTH STEWARD ACTION: Work on getting fruits and veggies home from the grocery store minus the small plastic bags we are tempted to use. Share ideas.
SOURCES: Https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html , https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/discover-issues/trash/talk (a video), www.septicsolutions.com/septic-parts/washings-machine-lint-filter/fitral-160-washing-machine-filter (after- market filter kit--about $200) https://en.guppyfriend.com (washing bags for use inside washing machine to catch microfibers)