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Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (e.g. plastic bottles, bags and microbeads) in the Earth's environment that adversely affects humans, wildlife and their habitat. [1] [2] Plastics that act as pollutants are categorized by size into micro-, meso-, or macro debris. [3]
Humans are exposed to toxic chemicals and microplastics at all stages in the plastics life cycle. Microplastics' effects on human health are of growing concern and an area of research. The tiny particles known as microplastics (MPs), have been found in various environmental and biological matrices, including air, water, food, and human tissues.
These microplastics are frequently consumed by marine organisms at the base of the food chain, like plankton and fish larvae, which leads to a concentration of ingested plastic up the food chain. Plastics are produced with toxic chemicals which then enter the marine food chain, including the fish that some humans eat. [37]
A more recent concern in microplastic pollution is the use of plastic films in agriculture. 7.4 million tons of plastic film are used each year to increase food production. [22] Scientists have found that microbial biofilms can form within 7–14 days on plastic film surfaces, and have the ability to alter the chemical properties of the soil ...
Whats worse is that the size of the ingested material is ultimately limited by the size of the organism. [4] For example, microplastics consumed by planktons and fishes can consume cigarettes boxes. [4] [6] Plastic can also obstruct or perforate the gut, cause ulcerative lesions, or gastric rupture. [4] [6] This can ultimately lead to death.
It was found in 2016–2017 that more than 35% of south Pacific Lanternfish had consumed plastic particles. When ingested by the fish, the chemical compounds found in these plastics cannot be digested. This can affect humans, as the Lanternfish is a food source for both salmon and tuna. [200] Fish and whales may also mistake the plastic as a ...
“The answer to our plastic problem is not to create a new stream of need for more plastics, with potentially harmful effects, but it should be to limit single-use plastics, turning off the tap ...
The garbage patch is a large risk to wildlife (and to humans) through plastic consumption and entanglement. [ 7 ] There have only been a few awareness and clean-up efforts for the North Atlantic garbage patch, such as The Garbage Patch State at UNESCO and The Ocean Cleanup , as most of the research and cleanup efforts have been focused on the ...