Being Green in 2013: Week 11

What's in the Water?

Plastic pollution: problem, solution, U-M's response

In honor of Shark Week, let's talk about ocean pollution and the presence of plastics in our waters. You may have heard the claim that there is an island of plastic twice the size of Texas floating in the Pacific Ocean. An enormous gyre of marine debris, also known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, indeed exists, but if you're picturing a monumental pile of plastic bottles and beach toys, you're a little off. This area of the Pacific is characterized by having an exceptionally high concentration of suspended plastic particles, or tiny pieces of plastic, in the upper water column. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a source of alarm and has gained a great deal of media attention, but is only one part of a much greater problem. A similar, lesser known area of marine pollution exists in the Atlantic, known as the Great Atlantic Garbage Patch. Plastic particles are also found in lower concentrations throughout all our bodies of water, freshwater and saltwater, from the Pacific to the Great Lakes.


How does it get there?

Dumping of plastic into the sea was banned in 1988, but since the start of plastic production, hundreds of millions of tons of plastic have been poured in the oceans. The majority of plastic in our waters starts out on land and is transported to water by wind, rain, or currents. Some of the plastic comes from larger debris broken down by wind, waves, and UV radiation in a process called photodegradation. The rest starts out small and comes from things like the small plastic pellets used in plastic manufacturing, discharged with stormwater or spilled directly by cargo ships. Plastic microbeads used in abrasive hygiene products such as face wash, body wash, and toothpaste have also become a recent source of plastic pollution, as their small size allows them to go undetected in wastewater treatment plants. According to ABC News, personal care brands including Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, and L'Oreal have announced plans to stop manufacturing products containing microbeads as a response to studies indicating pollution and environmental damage.

Why is it bad?

The key issues regarding to aquatic plastic pollution have to do with environmental and human health. Plastic in the ocean threatens marine life through entanglement, ingestion, and ecosystem alteration. Scientists have long been aware that fish, seabirds, and marine mammals have been ingesting large amounts of plastic. Recent research now shows that plastic is ingested at lower levels of the food chain as well, meaning it bioaccumulates in higher trophic levels causing increasing rates of ingestion along the way. Plastic consumption is the proven cause of many marine animal deaths, and affects humans as well. Humans are part of the plastic-polluted food chain. As fish digest plastic, chemicals are released into their bodies that are then ingested by humans. A key human health concern comes from Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which have been found in high concentrations in marine plastics. Studies have associated POPs with numerous detrimental health conditions including cancer, diabetes, endocrine disruption, and more. For more information and specific studies on the effects of plastic ingestion on human health, go to: http://www.plasticoceans.net/the-facts/health/. 

How do we fix it?

Since most of the plastic in our oceans and lakes has already broken down into tiny fragments, we have yet to find a practical way to clean it up. The use of filtration nets could remove the plastic but would also remove microscopic plankton vital to aquatic ecosystems. So what can we do? The best we can do is to intercept plastic debris before it breaks down. Coastal cleanup efforts are going on all over the world, including the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) held by the non-profit group Ocean Conservancy. During the 2012 ICC, 10 million lbs of trash were removed by over 500,000 volunteers worldwide! Cleanup efforts help raise awareness and avert some plastic waste from the water, but to truly tackle the issue of plastic pollution we must reconsider our disposable lifestyles. As long as plastic remains such an integral part of our everyday lives, some will make its way to our waters. Reducing our use of plastic is the best way to prevent plastic pollution, and ensuring proper disposal and recycling is the next. Click here to view the EPA's comprehensive guide on What You Can Do to help reduce and prevent marine debris and plastic pollution.

What's U-M doing?
The University of Michigan Water Center is helping to fund the 2013 Great Lakes Restoration Conference, where the issue of plastic pollution has been addressed before. U-M has also begun to aid efforts to reduce plastic use by installing over 100 drinking fountains with water refill stations to encourage the use of reusable water bottles. What's the next step? So far, 16 colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada have issued campus-wide bans on the sale of bottled water, helping to reduce the production of plastic waste on campus. Could U-M be the first in the Big Ten to ban bottled water? The Plastic Pollution Coalition also has a Plastic Free Campus campaign, encouraging schools to educate, collaborate, and take action against plastic pollution. The Plastic Pollution Coalition has teamed up with schools including Penn State and UC Santa Barbara, and with plastic pollution in the Great Lakes presenting a growing issue, perhaps it's time for the U-M community to join the team.