What are microplastics?
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that are generally recognized as smaller than what can be seen by the naked eye. Officially, microplastics are defined as plastics that are less than five millimeters in diameter. There are two types of microplastics: Primary microplastics and secondary microplastics. Primary microplastics are plastics that are engineered to be extremally small particles typically designed for commercial use (cosmetics and textiles). Secondary microplastics are a result of the breakdown of larger plastic items such as plastic water bottles, plastic bags, and plastic straws.
Single-use plastic is the leading source of secondary plastics in the environment. It is estimated that 4.4 – 12.8 million metric tons of microplastics enter the ocean from coastal regions around the world annually. Microplastics take hundreds to thousands of years to decompose while wreaking havoc on the environment as well as wildlife and human health.
Harmful effects
Plastic waste, in any form, is insoluble and inevitably ends up in our waterways, soils, and oceans, leaching toxins that absorb in the environment and wildlife. Microplastics have been detected in marine organisms ranging from plankton to whales. Marine animals often mistakenly feed on plastics and microplastics. This subjects them to the ingestion of many toxic pollutants and physical internal obstruction.
Many other pollutants (for example, pesticides) are present in the ocean at low concentrations. The hydrophobic nature of these pollutants causes them to congregate on the surface of plastic particles. When animals mistakenly feed on the microplastics, they ingest toxic pollutants at the same time. These chemicals accumulate in the animal’s tissues and increases in concentration as the pollutants are transferred up the food chain.
It may be easy for some to dismiss the detrimental effects of plastic as just an environmental problem or just a wildlife problem – something that does not affect us as humans. However, if we refer back to the concept of One Health, we are reminded that it is never just an environmental health problem, a wildlife health problem, or a human health problem. It is a problem for all of the above. As marine animals helplessly absorb toxins leached into their habitat or mistakenly consume plastic, this gets carried through the food chain.
Plastic intake bioaccumulates up the food chain and eventually reaches humans as we consume marine animals. Just as plastic and other chemicals build up in the environment and our wildlife, the same toxins can build up in human bodies as well through the food chain. Microplastics have also been detected in our drinking water as standard water treatment facilities cannot remove all traces of microplastics.
Microplastics also serve as vessels for the spread of invasive species. As they are so numerous, microplastics provide abundant surfaces for small organisms to attach to. This results in a dramatic increase in colonization opportunities as plastics serve as an opportunity for organisms to travel further than they usually would, making them vectors for spreading invasive marine species.
How to reduce your microplastic impact:
1. Check the clothing you buy
Microfibers in the form of plastic strings from clothing serve as the most common type of microplastic pollution. Up to 60% of our clothing items have some sort of microplastic in them due to synthetic materials including polyester, nylon, acrylic, and polyamide. The issue mainly arises when we wash our clothes and thousands of plastic particles are released each time we wash them. Also, when we take these clothes into a lake or hiking, abrasion occurs and these particles get left behind in the environment.
Simple solutions to this include avoiding synthetic clothing fabric such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, and polyamide. Instead, buy more wool or organic cotton options. Avoiding over-washing is also a great way to reduce the microplastic pollution from your home while saving water! Thrift shopping is another solution to curbing fast fashion, rejecting the production of more clothing with microplastic pollution potential, and is more affordable!
2. Avoid laundry detergent pods and dishwasher pods
The convenience of using pods for laundry detergent and dishwasher soap has been prioritized over the concern for plastic pollution. The plastic wrap covering the detergent pod dissolves in our washers and breaks down into toxic monomers. These toxins and microplastics then get washed out of our homes and infiltrate our waterways and water systems. The solution to this starts with consumer awareness. Many eco-friendly and biodegradable alternatives can be found at the local grocery store than one would think!
3. Avoid products that contain plastic microbeads
Plastic microbeads are engineered additives to many personal care products. These plastic particles never biodegrade or dissolve, as they were not meant to, so their accumulation in the environment is only to increase. Most often used in toothpaste and skincare products, these plastic microbeads get washed down drains, pass through water treatment plants, and end up in freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Of the microplastics present in Lake Erie and Ontario, 14% are microbeads. There are now many regulations on the use of microbeads, but the simple solution here is to avoid the purchase of products that contain these plastic microbeads. Reading labels and avoiding ingredients such as polyethylene or polypropylene is something to regularly implement.
4. Avoid single-use plastics
Single-use plastics are plastic products that are meant to be used once and then discarded. A great number of secondary microplastics are unleashed due to the use of single-use plastics. Not only are single-use plastics wasteful and unsustainable, but they contribute to plastic pollution in the form of macro-plastics and microplastics once breakdown and abrasion occur.
Plastic water bottles contain plastic particles that float around in the bottle and are then consumed. There are no regulations for the volume of microplastics that are in plastic water bottles – meaning there is no regulation on the sum of microplastics that make their way throughout the human GI tract and are then transmitted throughout the human body. Reusable containers and bottles are a quick and easy solution to single-use plastics. This reduces waste, plastic pollution, and makes weekly and repetitive purchases of plastic sandwich bags or plastic straws obsolete, saving money in the long run.
5. Other items in the house to consider
Glitter: I have never been the biggest fan of glitter because it always seems to make a mess and get everywhere. However, avid crafters and younger children usually look forward to the use of glitter. Most glitter is made from polyethylene terephthalate or polyvinyl chloride film which are both very hard to dispose of and end up in the environment as microplastic pollution. Biodegradable glitter alternatives made out of cellulose film glitter do exist and serve as a great alternative option.
Wet wipes: Baby wipes, hand wipes, and makeup wipes are typically made up of various “poly” products or a mixture of these plastics and other fibers. Not only may these products clog pipes and sewers but the plastic in these wipes do not break down after it is disposed of, serving as another source of plastic microfibers and single-use plastic. Instead, try implementing a no-waste lifestyle by switching out disposable wet wipes with washable all-cotton cloths or reusable makeup wipe rounds.
Teabags: This was hard for me to digest because I love to make hot tea and homemade iced tea. It may be deceiving, but teabags are not entirely biodegradable. Most tea bags are made from paper, but a small amount of plastic is still used to seal them shut in the mesh. This plastic skeleton breaks down into tiny pieces when the paper breaks down in compost or soil. As a solution, I have been researching the teabags I buy to make sure that the manufacturer can confirm that the brew is plastic-free and have also been experimenting with loose-leaf tea!
It is no secret that humans have developed an overwhelming and increasing reliance on plastic. However, it is important to recognize how each individual can change their ways to lessen the environmental burden of the plastic we produce, use, and dispose of. Considering this dependence, it will be much easier to lessen your plastic footprint by starting small.
For example, maybe invest reusable grocery bags to use when grocery shopping. Then, keep adding on different lifestyle changes that stray from plastics until your lifestyle is as reasonably free from plastic pollution as possible. Ultimately, the less plastic we let ourselves depend on in our homes and lifestyles equates to less plastic pollution in the environment.
