Microplastics Pollution – Burning Issues – Free PDF Download

 Context

• Tiny particles of plastic, known as microplastics, have been found in the Arctic region and the Alps.
• The study called for an urgent assessment of the risk.

Microplastics

• Microplastics are defined as shreds of plastic less than 5 mm in length.
• Microplastics are either manufactured or they are formed when larger pieces of plastic break down.
• The small, shiny particles advertised as “cooling crystals” in certain toothpastes
• Main contributors to this pollution is plastic waste, 90% of which is not recycled.

Concerns

• Contamination of snow by microplastics.
• Several other recent studies have established the presence of microplastics in groundwater
• A study published in June estimated that the average human ends up consuming at least 50,000 particles of microplastics in food every year.

Action

• Passed laws to limit the amount of microplastics in the environment.
• The US passed a law in 2015 to prohibit the manufacture of rinseoff cosmetic products containing plastic microbeads.

People’s Ingestion Of Plastic

• Drinking water: is one of the largest sources of plastic ingestion(with plastic particles found in bottled, tap, surface and groundwater).
• Shellfish: account for as much as 0.5g a week.
• Inhalation represented a negligible proportion of microplastics entering the human body.
• Indoor air because of its limited circulation is more heavily polluted with plastic than the outdoors.
• Major sources of Indoor airborne microplastics are synthetic textiles and household dust.

• Burden of Plastic
• Plastic pollution and Wildlife

Curbing Plastic Pollution

• Political and economic actions
• Minimize the use of plastics
• Legally binding agreement
• Binding national commitments
• What are microplastics? Discuss the threats by them.What should be the way forward to overcome the threats posed by the same?

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