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Microplastics

Microplastics are small plastic pieces of less than five millimeters in size ,which if engulfed by marine life can pose grave danger to them.
It includes microbeads (solid plastic particles of less than one millimeter in their largest dimension) that are used in cosmetics and personal care products, industrial scrubbers which are used for aggressive blast cleaning, microfibers used in textiles and virgin resin pellets used in plastic manufacturing processes.

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Its found in the Arctic region and the Alps, carried by the wind. The study called for an urgent assessment of the risk of inhalation of the microplastics.
Possibilities are even more since they easily pass through water filtration systems. They come from a variety of sources, including from larger plastic debris that degrades(UV radiation) into smaller and smaller pieces.

Types :

These can be of two types:
1. Primary microplastics are tiny particles designed for commercial use, such as cosmetics, as well as microfibers shed from clothing and other textiles, such as fishing nets.
2. Secondary microplastics are particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic items in the open environment, such as water bottles. This breakdown is caused by exposure to environmental factors, mainly the sun’s radiation and ocean waves

Impact on the Environment:

Its Non-biodegradable: It takes 500-1000 years to breakdown. We currently produce 380Mn Tonnes of plastic each year.
Ocean Pollution: It will outweigh all the fishes by 2050. 8Mn tonnes of plastic is dumped into oceans annually. This has led to the appearance of Gyres of Plastic in the middle of Oceans. For example in Indian ocean & Great Pacific Garbage patch(GPGP).

Bio-Accumulation: Many animals & birds die due to ingestion of indigestible trash. Microplastic is now entering food chain and our microbiology; Most of it comes from natural degradation of larger plastic wastes. They can effect our metabolisms. It may have effects on genetics. They can be carcinogenic;

Impact on Drinking Water: Centre's own estimate shows over 60% of about 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste generated daily is collected. This essentially means 10,000tonnes of trash being released into the environment. For example: Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river systems are on the UN map of 10 rivers worldwide that collectively carry bulk of plastic waste into the oceans. Micro-plastic is now even found in drinking water.

Impact on Food security: Leaching of harmful chemicals into food chain such as Bishperol A can impact productivity.
Vector Borne Disease: They provide abundant surfaces area for colonization opportunities. In addition, these plastics are essentially rafts for organisms to travel further then they usually would, making them vectors for spreading invasive marine species.

Measures to reduce its prevalence:

Global Mechanism Needed: Since the problem is global, a global effort becomes similar to UNFCCC, Kyoto & Montreal etc. becomes necessary.
Implementation of Solid & Plastic waste management rules.
Environmental Protection Act: the overarching law that enables anti-pollution rules to be issued, should be implemented in letter & spirit.

Awareness & Individual efforts: Valuable as they are, voluntary efforts cannot achieve what systematic reforms can.
Investment into Bio-plastics: They are produced from by-products of food-crops; Thus they are expensive; Compared to the conventional plastics which are derived from fossil fuels.
Greater taxation on Products with micro-beads, or composite materials: These are used in cosmetics, e.g. as exfoliating agents in facewash or in toothpaste.

Action by countries�

In the recent past, several countries have passed laws to limit the amount of microplastics in the environment.
The United States passed a law in 2015 to prohibit the manufacture of rinse-off cosmetic products containing plastic microbeads.

Plastic consumption in India�

Average Indian consumes approximately 11 kg of plastic products in various forms every year. Though it is much less than what an American or a Chinese does, it still is a problem.

Microplastic in Body�

Scientists say plastic particles can reach our stomach, and depending on their size, these plastics are either excreted, get entrapped in stomach and intestinal lining or move freely in body fluids such as blood, thereby reaching various organs and tissues of the body.
While a number of studies have shown negative effects of plastics on nervous system, hormones, immune system together with cancer-inducing property of plastics are already well known, scientists are now trying to understand how the basic machinery of body interacts with plastic particles.