One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Plastic Fish

Would you empty your trash can into the ocean? Of course not. I can’t think of anyone who would deliberately throw trash into the ocean or any water system for that matter. Each year 8 billion tons of trash finds its way into the water. So why do we have so much plastic and garbage in a place it should never be found? Why should you care? Because you are eating it in the form of microplastics.

So what is microplastic? A quick answer is that microplastic is any plastic that is 5 millimeters or smaller in size. That’s about the size of a sesame seed or smaller, even microscopic. Larger plastic finds its way into the ocean and usually floats on the surface and is subjected to the sun's harsh UV rays. The plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces through this process of photodegradation. Other plastic starts out small such as synthetic fibers and small plastic beads. 

How does plastic get into the ocean and waterways in the first place? Some of it is dumped and the rest migrates through rivers and other waterways. The wind carries it, birds bring it, use your imagination. Other plastic is designed to go into the water and we use these products every day. Microbeads are in many personal hygiene products and we have no idea they are in there. Microplastics are added to face wash and other cleansers to help exfoliate the skin. Sand or ground nuts actually work better but companies like microplastic because it is so much cheaper than the natural options. Microplastic is often found in cosmetics and toothpaste, as well as many other products. You use these products and the plastic goes down the drain to the water treatment plant and gets cycled in with freshwater or feeds into the ocean. The bottom line is that it gets there.

Microplastics absorb the odors of the water it is in and smells inherently delicious to fish who are hungry. One study by Plymouth University found that perch actually prefer polystyrene particles over plankton. Another study found that one-third of caught fish had microplastic in it. This includes cod, haddock, mackerel, and shellfish. Ghent University estimates that lovers of shellfish consume 11,000 microplastics per year. 

This is an issue that moves up the food chain to your plate. I say “your” plate because I don’t like eating anything that has been in the water. Plankton eats microplastic, something larger eats the plankton, something even larger eats that fish, you get the idea. Some of the plastic moves through the digestive tract but the rest is absorbed into the meat of the fish and this is one way it gets to you.

I think this is an issue that needs attention.  Once you know what the problem is, you can work on fixing it.  At our house, we have drastically reduced the amount of plastic that makes its way into our home and we are choosing to buy products that don't contribute to this issue.  Making changes is easier than you think and it feels good to be making responsible choices.