Catastrophic rise in marine microplastics

Labadi beach Ghana last week. Pic (c) Kelpi

More than 170 trillion plastc particles are now afloat in our oceans - representing a huge, unprecedented rise in plastic pollution, scientists have revealed in a report in the Guardian this evening.

The research, by the 5 Gyres Institute and published in the journal Plos One, evaluates trends of ocean plastic from 1979 to 2019. The authors noted a rapid increase of marine plastic pollution and blamed the plastics industry, saying that ‘cleanup is futile’ if production continues at current rate.

They say without immediate global action on plastic production, the rate of plastic entering aquatic environments is expected to increase approximately 2.6-fold from 2016 to 2040.

Kelpi has for long argued that we cannot recycle our way out of the plastic pollution crisis. This research provides further evidence that we need to stop producing fossil fuel plastics even at current rates. Instead, we must turn to renewably-sourced bio-materials which fully bio-degrade, leaving no microplastics nor toxins behind, on land, in waterways or if washed out to sea.

Dr Edward J Carpenter, of the Estuary and Ocean Science Center at San Francisco State University, says in today’s Guardian article: “We know the ocean is a vital ecosystem and we have solutions to prevent plastic pollution. But plastic pollution continues to grow and has a toxic effect on marine life. There must be legislation to limit the production and sale of single-use plastics or marine life will be further degraded. Humans need healthy oceans for a livable planet.”