Let’s start this post with an exercise.
When I mention the term ‘plastic pollution’, what image comes to mind? It is likely that you have conjured up something similar to this picture below.
(Source: https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/blog/the-cosmetics-industrys-plastic-packaging-problem)
However, what if I told you that other than these displeasing sights of plastic clogging our beaches and oceans, there are forms of plastic pollution that are much more insidious and unnoticeable? That is the case with our topic of today — microplastics!
As the name suggests, microplastics are tiny fragments of plastics that are invisible to the eye, making them the beauty industry’s little secret. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, microplastics are ‘small plastic pieces less than 5 millimeters long which can be harmful to our oceans and aquatic life”. With sizes as small as 1 μm, it is technically impossible for consumers to gauge how much of these microplastics are within the products we use.
Microbeads and other plastic components are present in many cosmetic products at varying percentages, ranging from less than 1% to more than 90%. For example, we commonly find microbeads in the formula of body scrubs, exfoliants, and even in the packaging that they come in. According to the report by the United Nations Programme, about 4360 tonnes of microplastic beads were used in 2012 just across the European Union.
As we use these personal care products, microplastics are washed into our drain systems. Unlike plastic packaging, it is also impossible to collect such forms of plastics for recycling. As these plastic ingredients do not decompose in waste-water treatment plants, they are emitted via raw sewage and often end up in biosolid fertilizers for agricultural land or dumped at sea (ibid.).
Microplastics such as polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene often seep into our aquatic systems and are inevitably consumed by marine life. This can have toxic effects on their health such as reducing their food intake, causing delay in growth and oxidative damage to their organs (Gola et al., 2021). Then, Goswami et al. (2020) also educate us that these microplastics often result in bioaccumulation of these toxic ingredients in the tissues of marine animals. Then, when consumed as seafood, these particles are passed on to humans. Overtime, microplastics can build up and result in detrimental health effects such as possibly hindering our kinetic movements (Smith, 2018).
This image below shows a good example of how microplastics can end up in seafood and transferred to humans upon consumption.
(Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/An-example-of-how-microplastics-could-end-up-on-a-consumers-plate-Reproduced-with_fig1_327055943_)
While the exact effects of microplastics on human health is not set in stone, it is evident that high levels of their presence have substantial damage to ecological habitats. In fact, as the impacts of microplastics are adverse, the US and UK have officially banned their production since 2015 and 2018 respectively.
It is easy for us consumers to dismiss these particles, afterall, how can we be blamed for something we can’t see? However, let us exercise good consumption habits and ensure that the products we buy do not contain microplastics!
Coming Up
I hope you enjoyed this post on plastic pollution. In my next post, I will be sharing the effects of water pollution from our sunscreens!
Stay tuned and stay concerned,
Hui Jie
References
Gola, D., Tyagi, P. K., Arya, A., Chauhan, N., Agarwal, M., Singh, S. K., & Gola, S. (2021). The impact of microplastics on marine environment: A review. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management, 16, 100552.
Goswami, P., Vinithkumar, N. V., & Dharani, G. (2020). First evidence of microplastics bioaccumulation by marine organisms in the Port Blair Bay, Andaman Islands. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 155, 111163.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2021, February 26). What are microplastics?. Retrieved from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html#:~:text=Microplastics%20are%20small%20plastic%20pieces,our%20ocean%20and%20aquatic%20life.&text=Plastic%20is%20the%20most%20prevalent,our%20ocean%20and%20Great%20Lakes.
Smith, M., Love, D. C., Rochman, C. M., & Neff, R. A. (2018). Microplastics in seafood and the implications for human health. Current environmental health reports, 5(3), 375-386.
United Nations Environment Programme. (2015). Plastic in Cosmetics: Are We Polluting the Environment through our Personal Care?. Retrieved from https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/21754/PlasticinCosmetics2015Factsheet.pdf?sequence=1&%3BisAllowed=
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