As we learn more about plastic pollution, the focus is shifting from the big, obvious pieces we see in our day-to-day lives, to the more insidious, teensy tiny bits. This kind of plastic may seem smaller and more inconsequential, but microplastics are increasingly being revealed as the true threat posed by plastic. Marine biologist Alice Forrest and designer and videographer Harriet Spark have teamed up to create a free e-book – Microplastics, Massive Problem – about this teeny-tiny object with a horrifically humongous impact. With today being World Environment Day, Harriet and Alice have kindly shared an extract for us ahead of its launch next week.
WORDS: HARRIET SPARK
Microplastics are a massive issue, but ultimately this is a hopeful story. There are scientists on the cutting edge of research, there are companies making more sustainable products and there are things all of us can do to make a difference. Microplastics, Massive Problem aims to showcase these solutions and answer everything you ever wanted to know about microplastics.
What is microplastic anyway?
Microplastic is basically small pieces of plastic, less than 5mm. That’s about the size of a sesame seed. Plastic doesn’t go away, so when it ends up in the ocean it keeps on breaking into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually becoming nanoplastics. Nanoplastics are really small – less than a millimetre in size – and are usually only visible with a microscope.
Where does microplastic come from?
Microplastic comes from two main sources:
Plastic which is intentionally small, and manufactured as tiny pieces. This includes microbeads and nurdles (plastic pellets which are used in the manufacturing process), like the tiny beads found in exfoliating face wash.
Broken down pieces of bigger plastics, including fragments of bottles and bags, as well as polyester fibres from clothing. This could happen when a plastic bottle cap is gradually fractured by wind, waves and sunshine into smaller bits.
Microplastics generally aren’t captured by wastewater treatment facilities (sewage plants), and flush straight out into the ocean. Just like larger plastics, most waste comes from the land, not ships.
What can I do about microplastic?
We all have the power to make a difference on this issue. In the way we live, the businesses and products we give our money to, and the governments and policies we support. We are deliberately avoiding technological fixes here because they are yet to be proven to work – particularly on the large scale we need them to – and because as individuals, there are better things we can be focusing on, right now, to make a difference.
Talk to companies about your concerns.
Switch out products for better alternatives. If you have products at home which already contain microplastics, send them back to the manufacturer with a note about why you’re doing it. Here are some examples of easy swaps you can make:
• Glitter: Buy eco glitter or get crafty with a hole punch and some leaves.
• Paint: Buy paint with natural oils used instead of synthetic plastics.
• Tea: Loose leaf tea tastes better and doesn’t come in little plastic bags.
• Cosmetics: Choose microplastic-free products. If you’re not sure, check out this list. Check your products to see if they contain microbeads, and choose natural alternatives for products with the Zero logo. Learn more here.
What about microfibres?
There are a bunch of ways to tackle this issue, ranging from swapping what you wear to catching some or all of the bits before they reach the ocean.
To stop releasing fibres, avoid cheaply made, fast-fashion clothes and buy natural fibres like hemp and cotton.
To catch the fibres, invest in a Guppy Friend washing bag (which catches 79% of fibres) or a Cora Ball (which catches 26% of fibres). Consider buying a washing machine filter to attach to your machine.
To reduce the shedding, wash less frequently, with a full load to create less friction and go for colder wash settings.
IMAGE: ALICE FORREST (LEFT) AND HARRIET SPARK (RIGHT)
The BIG problem with microplastics is that it often comes from all the bigger pieces of our trash. So this isn’t just about avoiding microbeads and fibres but also reducing single-use plastics in your life in general.
For larger plastic pieces (the source of most microplastics) there are hundreds of ways to reduce our personal plastic use, as well as business and commercial waste. We can think about changing personal habits, shopping more consciously (voting with your money), supporting legislation changes, donating or volunteering with organisations and spreading the word.
Ultimately, reducing our consumption, repairing and reusing what we have and choosing bulk food and plastic-free items when we shop will already make a huge difference. For some ideas, check out our other e-book Part of the Solution.
"""Kama tunavyojifunza zaidi juu ya uchafuzi wa plastiki, lengo linabadilika kutoka kwa vipande vikubwa, wazi tunavyoona katika maisha yetu ya kila siku, hadi vipande vidogo, vidogo, vidogo." Aina hii ya plastiki inaweza kuonekana kuwa ndogo na isiyo na maana, lakini microplastics zinafunuliwa zaidi na zaidi kama tishio la kweli linalotokana na plastiki. Mwanabiolojia wa baharini Alice Forrest na mbuni na mpiga picha wa video Harriet Spark wameungana kuunda kitabu cha bure cha elektroniki Microplastics: Massive Problem kuhusu kitu hiki kidogo kidogo na athari ya kutisha. Siku ya mazingira duniani, Harriet na Alice wamekuwa na fadhili ya kutushirikisha sehemu ya kitabu hicho kabla ya kutangazwa wiki ijayo. "HARRY SPARK: ""Plastiki ndogo ni suala kubwa, lakini mwishowe hii ni hadithi ya matumaini." Kuna wanasayansi wa kisasa, kuna kampuni zinazotengeneza bidhaa endelevu, na kuna mambo ambayo sisi sote tunaweza kufanya ili kufanya tofauti. Microplastics: Massive Problem inakusudia kuonyesha suluhisho hizi na kujibu kila kitu ambacho umewahi kutaka kujua juu ya microplastics. Kwa kweli, microplastics ni nini? Microplastics ni vipande vidogo vya plastiki, chini ya 5mm. Hiyo ni karibu ukubwa wa mbegu ya mbegu ya sesame. Plastiki haiondoki, kwa hiyo inapomalizika baharini inaendelea kuvunjika katika vipande vidogo zaidi na vidogo zaidi, hatimaye kuwa nanoplastics. Nanoplastics ni ndogo sana <unk> chini ya milimita moja kwa ukubwa <unk> na kwa kawaida huonekana tu kwa darubini. Microplastics hutoka wapi? Microplastics hutoka kwa vyanzo viwili: plastiki ambayo ni ndogo kwa makusudi, na kutengenezwa kama vipande vidogo. Hii inajumuisha microbeads na nerds (pellets za plastiki ambazo hutumiwa katika mchakato wa utengenezaji), kama vile beads ndogo zinazopatikana katika kuosha uso. Vipande vya plastiki vilivyovunjika, pamoja na vipande vya chupa na mifuko, na nyuzi za polyester kutoka kwa nguo. Hii inaweza kutokea wakati kifuniko cha chupa ya plastiki kinapovunjika hatua kwa hatua na upepo, mawimbi na jua katika vipande vidogo. Microplastics kwa ujumla si kukamatwa na vifaa vya matibabu ya maji taka (mimea ya maji machafu), na flush moja kwa moja nje katika bahari. Sawa na plastiki kubwa, taka nyingi hutoka ardhini, si meli. Ninaweza kufanya nini kuhusu microplastic? Sote tuna nguvu ya kufanya tofauti katika suala hili. Kwa njia tunayoishi, biashara na bidhaa tunazotoa pesa zetu, na serikali na sera tunazosaidiana. """Tunaepuka kwa makusudi marekebisho ya kiteknolojia hapa kwa sababu bado hayajaonyeshwa kufanya kazi, haswa kwa kiwango kikubwa tunachohitaji, na kwa sababu kama watu binafsi, kuna mambo bora ambayo tunaweza kuzingatia, sasa hivi, kufanya tofauti.""" Zungumza na kampuni kuhusu wasiwasi wako. Badilisha bidhaa kwa njia mbadala bora. Kama una bidhaa nyumbani ambayo tayari vyenye microplastics, kutuma nyuma kwa mtengenezaji na maelezo kuhusu kwa nini wewe ni kufanya hivyo. Hapa kuna baadhi ya mifano ya kubadilishana rahisi unaweza kufanya: • Glitter: Kununua glitter eco au kupata ujanja na punch shimo na majani. • Rangi: Nunua rangi yenye mafuta ya asili badala ya plastiki bandia. • Chai: Chai yenye majani mepesi ina ladha nzuri zaidi na haipatikani katika mifuko midogo ya plastiki. • Vipodozi: Chagua bidhaa zisizo na microplastic. Ikiwa huna uhakika, angalia orodha hii. "Hebu angalia bidhaa zako ili uone kama zina microbeads, na chagua mbadala wa asili kwa bidhaa zilizo na nembo ya ""Zero.""" Jifunze zaidi hapa. Vipi kuhusu microfibers? Kuna njia kadhaa za kukabiliana na tatizo hili, kuanzia kubadilisha kile unachovaa hadi kukamata vipande fulani au vyote kabla ya kufikia bahari. Ili kuzuia kutolewa kwa nyuzi, epuka nguo za bei nafuu, za mtindo wa haraka na ununue nyuzi za asili kama hemp na pamba. Kwa mfano, unaweza kutumia Guppy Friend, ambayo huchukua asilimia 79 ya nyuzi za nguo, au Cora Ball, ambayo huchukua asilimia 26 ya nyuzi za nguo. Kwa mfano, unaweza kununua kichujio cha mashine ya kuosha nguo na kuifunga kwenye mashine yako. Ili kupunguza kuvuja, safisha mara chache, kwa mzigo kamili ili kuunda msuguano mdogo na kwenda kwa mipangilio ya kuosha baridi. ALICE FORREST (kushoto) na HARRIET SPARK (kulia) - Mfano wa microplastics ni kwamba mara nyingi hutoka vipande vikubwa vya taka zetu. Kwa hiyo hii si tu kuhusu kuepuka microbeads na nyuzi lakini pia kupunguza plastiki ya matumizi moja katika maisha yako kwa ujumla. Kwa vipande vikubwa vya plastiki (chanzo cha microplastics nyingi) kuna mamia ya njia za kupunguza matumizi yetu ya kibinafsi ya plastiki, pamoja na taka za biashara na kibiashara. Unaweza kufikiria kubadilisha tabia zako za kibinafsi, kununua kwa ufahamu zaidi (kupiga kura kwa pesa zako), kuunga mkono mabadiliko ya sheria, kutoa au kujitolea na mashirika na kueneza neno. Mwishowe, kupunguza matumizi yetu, kurekebisha na kutumia tena kile tunacho na kuchagua chakula cha wingi na vitu visivyo na plastiki tunaponunua tayari vitafanya tofauti kubwa. Kwa mawazo zaidi, angalia kitabu chetu kingine cha e-book, Sehemu ya Suluhisho.