Plastic waste is a visibly growing problem for the environment, especially the ocean. Debris can be seen scattered across shorelines of once-pristine beaches, a sign of how much is making its way into the seas. Over time, the plastic degrades and breaks apart into microplastics – fragments about the size of a grain of rice – which can easily be consumed by sea creatures.
A new study by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) shows that the number of fragments floating on the surface is nothing compared to how many are embedded in the seafloor.
The researchers analyzed core samples and found that 9.25 million to 15.87 million tons of microplastics are embedded on the seafloor. That’s the equivalent of 18 to 24 shopping bags full of plastic fragments for every foot of coastline worldwide (except Antarctica). The team says their research is the first-ever global estimate for microplastics on the seafloor and it’s more than double the estimate of what’s on the surface.
Lead CSIRO researcher Justine Barrett said:
The research extended our understanding of the amount of plastic pollution in our oceans and the impact of plastic items, both large and small. Plastic pollution that ends up in the sea deteriorates and breaks down, ending up as microplastics.
Our research provides the first global estimate of how much microplastic there is on the seafloor. Even the deep ocean is susceptible to the plastic pollution problem. The results show microplastics are indeed sinking to the ocean floor.
And they’re not just in the ocean. Microplastics are in the air and our food, including milk and fruits and vegetables. Co-author Britta Denise Hardesty, a principal CSIRO scientist, said in a phone interview with The New York Times:
It really points to the ubiquity of the problem. It is really everywhere all the time and increasing. Microplastics could be ingested by smaller plankton and fish on the seabed. Once eaten by fish, the microplastics can end up in the human food chain.
Our research found that the deep ocean is a sink for microplastics. The number of microplastic fragments on the seafloor was generally higher in areas where there was also more floating rubbish. We were surprised to observe high microplastic loads in such a remote location.
By identifying where and how much microplastic there is, we get a better picture of the problem’s extent. This will help to inform waste management strategies and create behavioral change and opportunities to stop plastic and other rubbish from entering our environment.
She stresses that we must prevent plastic from making its way into the ocean in the first place. Between 4.4 million to 8.8 million tons of plastic enters the sea yearly. She hopes that awareness about the issue will lead to shifts in behavior and more sustainable policies.
At the moment, the quantity of plastic entering the marine environment is expected to increase over the coming years regardless of growing attention to the negative impacts it will have. It is an internationally recognized environmental issue, and many governments have banned single-use plastic items like straws or plastic bags. Still, the problem persists, and the coronavirus has only made it worse.
Hardesty continued:
We can all help to reduce plastic ending up in our oceans by avoiding single-use plastics, supporting Australian recycling and waste industries, and disposing of our rubbish thoughtfully, so it doesn’t end up in our environment. Most of what ends up in oceans are in people’s hand. They can see that their behavior — their actions and purchasing power — is very powerful, and that can result in change. Government, industry and the community need to work together to significantly reduce the amount of litter we see along our beaches and in our oceans.
The plastic pollution crisis may seem like an impossible problem to solve, but it’s not. We can do it!
