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Microplastics Essay

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Microplastics Essay

Environmental pollution, especially plastic waste, remains a considerable nuisance in

society. Plastics have been widely used across the globe, compelling the scenario of increased

production. Despite the usefulness of plastics in the community, failure to have a correct disposal

method has led to a significant increase in plastics in the environment. In the environment, the

plastics may be carried by wind, run-off water, or degrade into microplastics, posing a significant

danger due to pollution. For Instance, according to Campanale et al. (2020), particles of

microplastics have been ubiquitously detected in the environment at varying concentrations. The

marine environment is particularly concerning as it is a habitat for many living organisms, such

as fish, plankton, turtles, whales, and corals. The paper will denote the issue of microplastics in

the coastal environment, future research, and reduction strategies.

The coastal environment constitutes lowlands near seas and oceans. Due to their

geographical positioning, the areas risk waste deposition due to surface run-off or entry of

polluted river water. Microplastics include those fragments that measure less than 5 millimeters.

Further breakdown of the microplastics may result in nano plastics. Plastic waste has a slow

degradation making it a significant contributor of pollutants, especially in marine or coastal

environments. Microplastics are light-in-weight sediments that can be easily carried by wind or

water. In water, the materials may remain suspended in the environment for a considerable time,

compounding the risk of being ingested by aquatic organisms. In connection, plastic-based items

are highly prevalent in community settings. Therefore, there is likelihood that the plastic entities

will be deposited in the coastal environment, primarily due to a lack of proper disposal strategies.

Besides, microplastics come from a wide array of particles that differ in size, shape, composition,
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and solubility (Coffin et al., 2021). Notably, plastics contain additives that confer stability,

resistance, and unique traits that considerably harm the environment, especially upon ingestion.

Microplastics, especially marine environments, are understudied (Abreu & Pedrotti,

2019). Therefore, further research on the issue should investigate the harmful effects associated

with microplastics, especially regarding marine life. Provencher ET AL. (2022) indicated that

there is a need to harmonize, standardize, and establish quality assurance mechanisms in the

research regarding microplastics. Notably, the issue of approaches to recycling, reuse, and proper

disposal mechanisms should be investigated to help inform on appropriate pollution control due

to microplastics. Additionally, single-use plastics should be abolished as they are likely to

increase environmental pollution. Therefore, research on strengthening plastic materials to

improve their reuse capacity is needed. Additionally, microplastics can pose a danger not only to

marine ecosystems but also to land and the atmosphere. As noted by Allen et al. (2022), future

studies should focus on enhancing understanding of the fate and effect of microplastics in the

ecosystems.

Different mechanisms can help reduce the impact of plastics, especially in the marine

environment. Baxter et al. (2022) noted that single-use plastics should be mitigated and cleanup

awareness plus education fostered. Such an approach can help reduce the level of pollution

emanating from plastics. Besides, creating awareness through education may help reduce the

careless disposal of plastic material in open environments while encouraging cleanup.

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References

Abreu, A., & Pedrotti, M. L. (2019). Microplastics in the oceans: the solutions lie on land. Field

Actions Science Reports. The journal of Field Actions, (Special Issue 19), 62-67.

Allen, S., Allen, D., Karbalaei, S., Maselli, V., & Walker, T. R. (2022). Micro (nano) plastics

sources, fate, and effects: What we know after ten years of research. Journal of

Hazardous Materials Advances, 6, 100057.

Baxter, L., Lucas, Z., & Walker, T. R. (2022). Evaluating Canada's single-use plastic mitigation

policies via brand audit and beach cleanup data to reduce plastic pollution. Marine

Pollution Bulletin, 176, 113460.

Campanale, C., Massarelli, C., Savino, I., Locaputo, V., & Uricchio, V. F. (2020). A detailed

review study on potential effects of microplastics and additives of concern on human

health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(4), 1212.

Coffin, S., Wyer, H., & Leapman, J. C. (2021). Addressing the environmental and health impacts

of microplastics requires open collaboration between diverse sectors. PLoS

Biology, 19(3), e3000932.

Provencher, J. F., Covington, G. A., Moore, R. C., Horn, D. A., Conkle, J. L., & Lusher, A. L.

(2020). Proceed with caution: The need to raise the publication bar for microplastics

research. Science of the Total Environment, 748, 141426.