The Effects of Microplastics @seaplasticdifferently-blog - Tumblr Blog

The Rum Runner

According to Tyler Davis, The Rum Runner is now using paper straws instead of plastic straws.

A Bright Future

Thankfully, countries all over the world are responding to the problem. In 2015, President Obama passed The Microbead-Free Waters Act that bans the manufacturing and sale of cosmetics containing microbeads that started taking effect on July 1, 2017.

Additionally, the UK government outlawed the manufacturing of products containing microbeads. Canada and New Zealand have also banned microbeads.

Sweden, Austria, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium are also calling for a joint effort to ban microbeads in cosmetic products.

#beatthemicrobead #action #pollution #education #savetheocean #savetheplanet

These are larvaceans.

#savetheplanet #savetheocean

How Does it Move Around?

Microplastics have been found in the most remote oceanic locations such as in the Arctic sea ice and the deep ocean floor.

Kakani Katija, a marine scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, found that microplastics are carried to the deep ocean after being eaten by larvaceans.

Larvaceans pack the microplastics into their feces or their “houses” made of mucus, which are then eaten by other marine animals. This allows the microplasics to travel throughout the oceans and the food web.

#savetheocean #savetheplanet #education

Food?

While large pieces of plastic debris slowly break down, they collect algae and therefore smell like the food consumed by many marine animals. More than 100 species of fish have been documented to eat microplastics and in 2016, Matthew Savoca’s study concluded that seabirds also mistake microplastics for food because of its odor.

#savetheocean #savetheplanet

The vast majority of ocean plastics are these small fragments. More than 90 percent are less than 10 millimeters long. It's really small stuff.

Matthew Savoca, Researcher at the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center

#noaa #science #sustainability

What the Shell?

A study published in the journal, Environmental Pollution, states that all mussels sampled from the UK coastline and supermarkets were found to contain microplastics as well as other debris.

#savetheocean #savetheplanet

A diagram showing the harms of microplastics.

Nanometer Scale

According to an extended study done by Orb, plastic can break down to the nanometer scale size and particles at this size can migrate through the intestinal wall and even travel to the lymph nodes and other organs in the human body.

#orb #health #savetheocean #savetheplanet #pollution

No Place is Safe

Antarctica was considered the last pristine environment on Earth, but recently, studies have shown that even this remote location has been contaminated with microplastics and other man-made chemicals.

#savetheearth #savetheplanet #antarctica #icecaps #education

Global plastic production in 2017 was over 375 million metric tons ... By the year 2025, scientists predict that we will be producing 600 million metric tons, and this amount is anticipated to reach 1 billion metric tons by the year 2050.

Dr. Maia McGuire, Florida Sea Grant Agent for the University of Florida

Degradation

According to the NOAA, every piece of plastic that has ever been created still exists in some form. Even the tiniest microplastic particles never fully degrade.

#savetheocean #savetheplanet #noaa

Microplastics in our seas now outnumber stars in our galaxy.

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General

This is some good stuff.

Welp...

A study done by Orb Media and researchers at the State University of New York at Fredonia found that microplastics are found in 90% of bottled waters.

You’re Doing Amazing, Sweetie!

This list shows the cosmetic brands and products that don’t use plastic microbeads in their products.

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The Effects of Microplastics