Plastic Pollution

Question 1

Distribution

Answer 1

International trade in plastics for recycling
USA and UK are biggest per capita producers
Mass production of plastics since mid 20th century
4.8-12.7 million metric tons of plastic waste entered the ocean in 2010 from land

Question 2

In coastal environments

Answer 2

Up to 80% of marine litter, 15-51 trillion pieces
Remain in the env for long time
Marine species ingest or are trapped
Threatens food safety and quality, human health, coastal tourism and contributes to climate change

Question 3

Plastic degradation

Answer 3

Chemical, physical and biological processes
End up with much larger surface area

Question 4

Microbeads

Answer 4

Visible particles with spherical shape
Scrubs and body wash

Question 5

Pellets

Answer 5

Rigid, hard and globular

Question 6

Film

Answer 6

Thin, transparent and soft

Question 7

Fiber

Answer 7

Elongataed thread-like structures

Question 8

Fragment

Answer 8

Derived from large plastic waste

Question 9

Fate of micro in estuaries

Answer 9

Polymer type and size of the microplastic particle underpin the ability of microplastic particles to be moved from freshwater to salt water envs
Plastics vary in density, changes how they move
Variation in buoyancy, most are denser than fresh but float in salt
Currents can move the more buoyant plastics from the freshwater system into the coastal zone
Negatively buoyant accumulate on floor

Question 10

Effect on life

Answer 10

Entanglement and choking
Smallest particles absorbed by life at bottom of the food chain
Nurdles, mistaken for small items of food like fish eggs
Micro also attract and adsorb toxins, from env, more hazardous to any animal that eats them.

Question 11

Factors influecing microplastic availability

Answer 11

Size
- small size is mistaken by predators
- Passively as zoop consume them and go up the food chain
Density
- polyethylene bags, biofilm developed in less than a week
Abundance
- greater the abundance, more consumption
Colour
- certain colours consumed more
Shape, cylindrical beads for sewage and clothes

Question 12

Process impacting on marine plastics

Answer 12

Degrade under high exposure to UV
Coupled with physical abrasion due to wave action and sed movements
Weakens polymer bonds of plastics and they fragment, which leads to secondary microplastics

Question 13

Governance challenges and current approaches

Answer 13

Highly challenging due to consumption, distribution and quantity of plastic pollution in the marine environmnt vary both spatially and seasonally
Evolves overtime as new source of plastic are introduced or removed from the waste stream, urban populations grow and use patterns for plastic change

Question 14

Ocean garbage patches

Answer 14

1.6 mil km2
Estimated to contain 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic, weighing almost 90,000 tons

Question 15

Reducing plastic pollution in the oceans

Answer 15

Regulatory and policy instruments, microbeads in personal care products banned
Economic instruments, lots used but can be improved
Co-management and voluntary initiatives, beach clean ups
Technological innovation and improve infrastructure
UN Global Plastics Treaty

Question 16

Barriers

Answer 16

Jamaica:
- Anchored in a U shape around the mouth of a small river
Guatemala:
- chain link fence for flash flood environments