Microplastics: the invisible battle for ocean health

When we talk about marine debris, and in particular plastic, the first thing that comes to mind for many people, is plastic bags and bottles. We have, in our efforts to reduce plastic use, have focused a great deal on these larger, more visible items. But they are not the only, nor necessarily the biggest, threat to the marine environment when it comes to plastic. Microplastics, nearly invisible to the naked eye and estimated to number over 5 trillion pieces are now considered a major issue. Before we discuss microplastics however, let’s recap on some important facts about plastic.

• In 2014, the amount of plastic created reached a record 314 million tons, a whopping 38% increase on the figures for 2014 (Plastic Oceans, 2015)
• Estimations of plastic waste reaching the oceans is between 4.8 and 12.7 million metric tons annually (Shim and Thomposon 2015, Wang et al 2016)
• Significant increases in the quantities of plastic in the North Pacific gyre and waters near the British Isles have been recorded between 1972 and 2010 (Wang et al 2016)
• Plastic is resistant to biological degradation and instead fragments into smaller pieces, never truly disappearing (Shah et al 2008, Webb et al 2012)

Image courtesy of Flora and Fauna, 2013

Microplastics; what are they?

Any piece of plastic that measure below 5mm in size are considered a microplastic (Li et al 2015, Shim and Thomposon 2015, Wang et al 2016). They are the most common type of plastic found in the oceans (numerically), accounting for 92% of the total number of plastic particles (5.25 trillion) or 13% of the total weight (Shim and Thomposon 2015).

There are two types of microplastic; Primary and (you guessed it) Secondary. Primary microplastics (sometimes called microbeads) are those that were purposefully created by humans for a reason. Those reasons could be for your facial scrub or cleanser type things, sand-blasting equipment or shower-gel stuff. Secondary microplastics on the other hand, come into existence through the fragmentation of larger pieces of plastic (through human breakages and UV light deterioration) (Shim and Thomposon 2015, Wang et al 2016)

These tiny little pieces of plastic can make their way into our marine environment through many different ways. Secondary are commonly born in the ocean, as lost plastic waste endlessly floats in the ocean it fragments under the sun’s UV rays. Primary microplastics find their way into the ocean through long migratory journeys. Some will be a result of poorly managed waste disposal or clean ups, whilst others (the cleansers) are so small they can be washed down the plughole and slip through every type of water treatment, straight into the sea. You have undoubtedly heard the saying ‘all rivers flow to the sea’, and this is true (albeit with some rerouting), so any plastic that reaches the ocean, especially microplastics, are likely to find their way there one day.

The Big Blue

What is next for these baby microplastics as they set out to explore the massive expanse of the ocean? Will they float aimlessly for eternity, drifting wherever the currents take them? Or will they sink down to the depths and become one with the sediment? Or, maybe choose to join the food chain and find themselves eaten? There is a lot of research that discusses the behaviour of microplastics in the ocean, but simply put, they can be split into three categories; Physical, Chemical and Biological.

Physical behaviour relates to their movement in the water, this could be through migration with the currents, or accumulation in one of the massive mid-ocean gyres and even sinking and resting with the sediment at the bottom (Wang et al 2016). On its own, the physical behaviour of microplastics doesn’t really present any concerns or problems with regards to environmental or health issues. However when we couple it with chemical and biological behaviour, it is a different story.

Chemical behaviour relates, primarily, for plastic to undergo chemical changes or absorption of chemicals. As already mentioned, ‘natural’ fragmentation or degradation of plastic can happen, though slowly (even slower in the ocean). This processes, which takes place when plastic is exposed to the suns UV rays, are called ‘photo-oxidative’ and ‘thermos-oxidative’ reactions and result in the polymer (plastics) to change its properties (strength, colour and shape) (Wang et al 2016)

As plastics are broken down into smaller and smaller pieces, the available surface area for a process of absorption increases, which in turn increases the rate of absorption. Research has shown the plastics are veritable sponges when it comes to absorbing chemicals. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are contaminants that remain in the environment for prolonged periods and can remain a threat to humans and wildlife. Some examples of potential POPs that can be absorbed include Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Dichlorodiphenylytrichloethane (DDT) (Wang et al 2016, Webb et al 2012).

•  There are approximately 100 PAHs out there that are released from burning coal, gas, trash, tobacco, wood and other organic materials. Needless to say, some of these are anticipated to be carcinogens and have been linked to lung, liver and skin cancers (US National Library of Medicine 2015).
• PCBs are man-made organics. They were banned in 1979, but before that were used in products of wide variety (plastics, floor finish, oil, transformers and cable insulation to name a few). During their manufactor and from poor waste management, PCBs leached into the environment and once there, they don’t break down much (persistent!). They have been shown to cause cancer as well as issues with immune, reproductive and nervous systems. So these are bad (EPA, 2013)
• DDT is probably more commonly known and was used as a pesticide until it was banned in many countries. Whilst it hasn’t been shown to cause reproductive or birth defects in humans, tests on animals found some species were susceptible to harm. Whilst humans exposed to it have claimed nausea, confusion, headache, vomiting and fatigue all occur (National Pesticide Information Center, 1999)

The ability for plastic to absorb these harmful chemicals may at first seem like a good thing, a way to get them out of the environment. However, due to the size of the microplastics, and the ease marine species have in ingesting them (even down to plankton!) it is concerning for the health of our oceans and ourselves. Plastic has the ability to absorb and concentrate chemcials, but in our bodies they have the ability to release them and store them in our tissue and fats. If we consider bioaccumulation or biomagnification, we can understand that as we ascend the food chain, the amounts of chemicals increases (based on the number of little fish the bigger fish has to eat, it accumulates chemicals from each of them. This is one of the reasons science says to avoid eating a lot of fish (Tuna!) more than once a week. Mercury and other chemicals are found in higher and higher concentrations which can result in poor health, birth defects and cancers; both for ourselves and life in the oceans. Basically put, our use of plastic is poisoning ourselves and the oceans.

So, in conclusion, we know that macro and microplastics are commonplace in the ocean, increasing annually and migrating across huge expanses of ocean. We know that microplastics are really small and easily ingestible by even the smallest of marine life and that because of this, they are more and more commonly found within the food chain, up to the top predators. We know that microplastics can absorb harmful chemicals and metals, which they store and can then release into body tissues and fats. We know that these chemicals can accumulate within species, and magnify as they move up the trophic level (food web). We know that getting microplastics out of the ocean is a huge challenge that is almost impossible due to the size of nets we’d have to use to collect them catching literally everything.

We also know how we can change this. The choices we make on a daily basis can influence the levels of plastic reaching the oceans. Here is a small list of things you can do to make a difference:

• Don't buy needlesslypackaged items; there is never a need for a plastic wrapped banana
•  Always check your shower gels and facial scrubs for the ingredients; Polyethylene, Polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polymethlyl methacrylate or nylon. It is all plastic!
• Pick up plastic trash when you see it on the floor and dispose of properly
•  Stop using ‘single-use’ plastic and start carrying reusable bags and bottles
• Campaign to have microbeads banned in your local state (a la California)
• Volunteer with local NGOs working against waste

Help us help you. Change the World.

The Blue Temple Team

Bibliography

Li J, Yang D, Li L, Jabeen K and Shi H (2015) Microplastics in commercial bivalves from China. Environmental Pollution. Elsevier Ltd 207: 190–195. Available at: http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0269749115300658.

Shah AA, Hasan F, Hameed A and Ahmed S (2008) Biological degradation of plastics: A comprehensive review. Biotechnology Advances 26(3): 246–265.

Shim WJ and Thomposon RC (2015) Microplastics in the Ocean. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. Springer US 69(3): 265–268. Available at: "http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00244-015-0216-x.

Wang J, Tan Z, Peng J, Qiu Q and Li M (2016) The behaviors of microplastics in the marine environment. Marine Environmental Research. Elsevier Ltd 113: 7–17. Available at: http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0141113615300659.

Webb H, Arnott J, Crawford R and Ivanova E (2012) Plastic Degradation and Its Environmental Implications with Special Reference to Poly (ethylene terephthalate). Polymers 5(1): 1–18. Available at: http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.unal.edu.co/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=9bbfdbf9-ecd6-4a32-ba36-682939850b58@sessionmgr10&vid=13&hid=2\nhttp://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/5/1/1/\nhttp://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/5/1/1/pdf.

Our Story

There was a time in the not too distant past where we were different. When I say we, I mean we at Blue Temple. A time where we didn’t think twice about our food consumption, or our waste creation, and yes, that was a time of relative simplicity and free of difficult choices, temptations and general feelings of upset.

Now, our lives require a lot more effort, result in a lot of self-questioning and pressure to behave in accordance with a set of personal rules, or norms. How we got here is not an exciting story, nor is it overly exceptional or complicated, if it was, that’d make an excellent blog, but it’d also eliminate the point of it. I want people to know how easy, with a little effort, it is to make small life changes that can change the world.

I went into my education at the age of 14, knowing that Geography, and then Environmental Science were my topics of choice, where my enjoyment led and heartfelt desire to work lay. So it begs the question, why did it take me another 15 years after my initial exploration of the wonders our planet offers to come to the now very obvious conclusions we see in Blue Temple? The answer, realisation that what I do CAN make a difference, to me, to my loved ones and to my environment.

Sabina is a very different story, she was raised in an environment where little care or attention was (or still is) paid to nature or conservation. She completed school studying computers, before relocating to the UK to learn English and eventually end up as a scuba diver with a BA degree. However, throughout it all, there was no focus on the environment, no teaching or education focused towards it. Sabina came to her conclusions through a growing love and care for everything around her. It was at this point, that she started (and continues) to learn about the risks and threats.

Two very different paths, one through education, the other through love and care, the same outcome. Working to protect our planet from ourselves. We are by no means perfect, far from it, but we try, we put in the effort to reduce our waste and our impacts. “One person doesn’t make a difference” I can you hear you all thinking, and maybe, you are right. But why should that stop you?

If you, like me, had the education to understand the damage we are doing to the planet. As individuals it is our duty to change the way we approach every day. With knowledge comes a responsibility. If, like Sabina, you love something, surely you should do everything in your power to try and protect it? Whether it is the trees in your back garden, or the beach you go for evening strolls. Litter, pollution and human action threatens everything.

You might still be wondering what we do that makes a difference, and you might say what we do is pointless, too much effort or even not enough, but we each do what we can and what we hope will result in change.

• Meat Free Mondays and Fridays

We have spoken about it before, but the production of meat puts our planet under huge pressure. Land can be used more efficiently, water more effective and waste more suitably. Reducing meat consumption helps to reduce our impact as individuals and as a nation on our agricultural land

• No Seafood

This one arose for multiple reasons. The first, as avid scuba divers, it seemed a bit irrational and backwards to contribute to the overfishing and destruction of the environment from which we get so much enjoyment. Second, we watched the 2009 documentary ‘End of the Line’, a short film about unsustainable fishing and the impacts it is having on our oceans, as well as emphasising the methods behinds the capture of such a massive magnitude of fish globally. Finally, we are what we eat. Fish eat plastic and mercury. We want to protect ourselves from that. (Recently, fresh water fish caught in the Thames were found to have plastic in them. Is no one safe?)

• No Use for One Use

Plastic is well known to be a problem, if you don’t know, I’d be interested to know under which rock you are currently living. Plastic doesn’t biodegrade, it slowly (I mean, real slow) breaks up into tiny little pieces and ends up in the bellies of fish, mammals and animals worldwide. www.midwayfilm.com is an excellent short of an island 2,000 miles from human settlement that has been affected by our plastic waste. We have banned ourselves from using one use plastic, that includes plastic bottles, plastic cups, polystyrene and plastic bags.

These three, amongst others, including composting, not buying unnecessarily and reducing energy use have totally shaped our lives over the last year. With thanks to Dave for pushing us through. Our routine have slowly changed and refusing plastic bags, straws and cups has become habit. We have slowly, and with much difficulty, altered our personal norms so that we work our hardest to avoid these things. Obviously, when you are handed something in a plastic bag, and it is offensive to say no, then we take it, with the sole intention of reusing and ensuring it is properly disposed of.

It has been a difficult transition, and has resulted in long walks through the village to get our bags after arriving at the shop having forgotten them, that, or carefully balancing and cramming everything bought into one bag and waddling back to the house attempting to avoid dropping things. Not to mention forgetting what day it is and hastily avoiding meat dishes!

We could have just carried on, forgot our bag? Never mind, we will just get one this time. But then any impact our efforts have on local perspective would be damaged. To the locals, a plastic bag is the norm, we are the odd ones. But they accept it and now don’t offer us plastic bags, straws or other such stuff to us. If we were to continue with bad habits, what hope could we ever have to make a difference to them? We have to be role models to those who don’t understand, and leaders to those who need it.

We tell you all this not because we want praise, we want people to know that even the smallest effort can result in a huge change. Whether you reduce your car use or meat consumption, or start buying fresh, unpackaged produce, or stop one use plastic, we can all make a difference.

The joy you feel when you look at the sky on a sunny day, or when you feel the grass beneath your bare feet in summer or the smells the ocean brings. These are what make a life worth living, and your planet worth protecting.

This is your planet. Help us protect it.

Earth Day 2015; It's our turn to lead

Author; David Richards, Images; Neil Hinds

The world’s first official Earth Day was held on the 22^nd April 1970, a day widely credited as the launch of the modern environmental movement. Fast-forward forty-five years, and you begin to realise just how significant this day was. This year, it is expected that over a billion people will participate in Earth Day activities, which makes Earth Day 2015 one of the largest civic observances in the world.

As part of this year’s celebration, the Earth Day Network are spreading the message, ‘It’s our turn to lead’. With this message in mind, Blue Temple Conservation decided to explore our impact on the planet and assess whether we could implement any changes to our lifestyle here in Pulau Perhentian. The first step in this exploration was to calculate our ecological footprint. Each of the ecological footprint calculators we used assessed aspects of our lifestyle including our diet (namely how much food we consumed and where it was produced), travel patterns (primary means of transport and overseas travel), home (the number of people in our household and our use of energy efficient lighting and appliances) and consumption (our demand for new items, such as clothing, furniture and 'stuff' in general). It's important to note that many of the questions featured in the ecological footprint calculators available online were not particularly relevant to us. For example, the primary means of transport that we use here in the islands (boats) was rarely listed or assessed.

Travel is our biggest source of Carbon, followed
by food and secondary living items!

Though the results varied depending on the particular calculator used and the methodology adopted, one thing remained clear. If everyone in the world were to adopt our current lifestyle, we would require a lot more than one planet to provide the resources that we use and to absorb the waste that we produce. To be completely honest, this came as no real surprise to us as long-distance air travel is an unavoidable aspect of our lives. We are located halfway across the world and a single return flight from London's Heathrow Airport to Kuala Lumpur contributes approximately 1.69 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per person. To put this in perspective, based on 2010 World Bank data, the average global citizen emits 4.9 metric tonnes of CO₂ annually.

We may be unable to commit to changing our location, but we are very willing to commit to other changes that may help mitigate our impact on the planet. The first change that we are willing to commit to, and our first 'act of green' as part of Earth Day 2015, is to eliminate meat (including seafood) from our diets on both Mondays and Fridays. Did you know that one calorie of meat requires more than twenty times the amount of energy as one plant calorie? By reducing our consumption of meat, we can contribute to a reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions, a reduction in our dependence on fossil fuels and a reduction in water usage. This relatively minor change to our lifestyles may also have a positive impact on our health with the benefits of reducing meat consumption becoming more evident and scientifically-proven.

Our second commitment as part of Earth Day 2015 (which was inspired by our recent visitors from Reefcheck Malaysia, Sue and Alvin) is to discontinue using plastic bags. Estimates suggest that each year between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed, amounting to approximately one million plastic bags per minute. Further, on average, a person will use a plastic bag for only 12 minutes. In our opinion, plastic bags are a perfect example of the 'single-use' mentality, which provides the foundations for the problematic consumption patterns plaguing societies in both the developed and developing world. Together with the image of all the plastic we collect on our regular beach cleanups, these statistics should provide all the encouragement we need to make this commitment. The only reason we currently accept plastic bags from the stores throughout the village is convenience. By instigating a relatively minor behavioural change in our lives (namely taking a reusable bag or back pack with us whenever we go shopping), we will be able to set a positive example within the community here in Pulau Perhentian and also, reduce our contribution to the amount of plastic waste currently crippling the world's natural environment.

Our third and final commitment as part of Earth Day 2015 is to reduce the amount of waste we produce. Essentially, this is an extension and expansion of our second commitment and, in our opinion, presents our biggest challenge. This being said, we have already taken one big step in the right direction by installing an aerobic compost system for our organic waste matter, which consists primarily of fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells and tea bags. In addition to this, we will also be making a conscious effort to reduce the amount of water, cleaning products, plastic bottles and non-recyclable packaging we use in our day-to-day lives. To achieve significant reductions, we will need to be thinking about this commitment each and every day, which is why we will be creating and introducing signs throughout our house to remind us of our commitment and provide the encouragement necessary to achieve change.

Our pledges for Earth Day 2015

Do you remember the message attached to Earth Day 2015...? 'It's our turn to lead'. As the state of the environment deteriorates, it becomes easier and easier to accept defeat and adopt a pessimistic attitude, specifically the 'what difference can one person make' mentality. However, Blue Temple Conservation refuses to lose sight of the impact (however small that may be) that individual acts can have on reducing carbon dioxide emissions and supporting the future sustainability of contemporary society. Since the introduction of Earth Day, more than one billion 'Acts of Green' have been pledged by individuals and businesses making it the world's largest environmental service campaign and providing ample evidence that we aren't the only ones willing to make a change to our lives. Collectively, our acts of green, our commitments, can make a difference.

Further Information:

Ecological FootprintCalculator powered by Global Footprint Calculator

Ecological FootprintCalculator powered by WWF

Beth Terry's plastic free lifestyle

Meat Free Mondays

The largest environmental service campaign in the world – inspires and rewards simple individual acts and larger organizational initiatives that further the goal of measurably reducing carbon emissions and supporting sustainability.