What are microplastics and can they be harmful?

Microplastics, as the name suggests are very tiny plastic particles. Coined in 2004 by Richard Thompson, a marine ecologist at the University of Plymouth, they are described as plastic particles that are smaller than 5 millimeters.

Recent research by the Environmental Agency Austria and the Medical University of Vienna has suggested evidence of microplastics in humans. From our food, drinking water, to the bottom of our seas, these minuscule pieces are everywhere. Small tasks like opening a plastic bottle or a plastic container can create thousands of microplastics.

These tiny particles of plastic pose a threat to marine life, as they can block their gastrointestinal tracts. As more and more of these microplastic particles get consumed by marine organisms, greater are the chances of it reaching our food chain through seafood.

Also Read: Microplastics found in unborn babies' placentas: study

What is worrying is that it is accumulating in our oceans and over our lands at an alarming rate! Even though there is no concrete research at the moment, scientists are trying to gauge the harmful effects of these plastic specks.

These pieces cannot be recycled and will take years to degrade. But if people make tiny changes in their daily lives, then a lot can be done. Tom Stanton, a Ph.D. researcher in the School of Geography and Faculty of Engineering at Nottingham University, exclaimed that it is not plastic that is the root problem, but rather the single-use lifestyle that we have become accustomed to. The need of the hour is to change the way we use and reuse unnecessary plastics.

Also Read: Microplastics discovered in sea breeze!