Concentration Of Microplastics Increasing Continuously In Atlantic Ocean

Concern over plastic pollution of the marine environment is severe. A new study published in Nature Communications has estimated the amount of microplastic pollution in the Atlantic Ocean and estimated it at 11.6-21.1 million tonnes, indicating that the inputs and stocks of ocean plastics are much higher than determined previously. Based on plastic waste generation trends from 1950-2015 and considering that the Atlantic Ocean has received 0.3-0.8% of the global plastic waste for 65 years, the Atlantic waters could hold 17-47 million tonnes of plastic waste.

What are microplastics?

Microplastics are plastic debris smaller than 5mm in length, or about the size of a sesame seed. While they come from a variety of sources, one of them is when larger pieces of plastic degrade into smaller pieces, which are difficult to detect.

So what does this study mean?

Scientists studied pollution of the Atlantic Ocean caused by three types of plastics – polyethene, polypropylene, and polystyrene – which were suspended in the top 200 metres of the ocean. These three types of plastic are most commonly used for packaging. They also estimate that based on plastic waste generation trends from 1950-2015 and considering that the Atlantic Ocean has received 0.3-0.8 per cent of the global plastic waste for 65 years, the Atlantic waters could hold 17-47 million tonnes of plastic waste.

How does plastic pollution affect?

Plastic can take hundreds to thousands of years to decompose depending on the type of plastic and where it has been dumped. Various news reports over the years have shown that marine animals such as whales, seabirds and turtles have caused their deaths by inadvertently swallowing plastic. Floating plastics also contribute to the spread of invasive marine organisms and bacteria, which disrupt ecosystems. Plastic waste damages the aesthetic value of tourist destinations, leading to decreased tourism-related incomes and major economic costs related to the cleaning and maintenance of the sites. The transfer of contaminants between marine species and humans through consumption of seafood has been identified as a health hazard, but has not yet been adequately researched.

How does plastic reach the oceans?

Wastewater, wind, rain and floods also carry plastic from the land into the oceans, especially single, use plastics, bags, straws, cotton buds or wrappers, which, being lightweight, are easily carried on the wind to the coast or find their way to the river network before reaching the sea. According to IUCN, over 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year, half of which is used to design single-use items such as shopping bags, cups and straws. At least 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year.