You are here:
Microplastics: An Overview
Citation:
Langknecht, T. Microplastics: An Overview. California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery: Policy Development and Analysis Office (internal meeting), NA, Virtual, January 07, 2022.
Impact/Purpose:
Microplastics, which are plastic pieces less than 5 mm, are present in all marine environments. These small plastic pieces enter the environment through wastewater, road and stormwater runoff, littering, marine vessels and fishing gear, and mismanaged waste. They can be harmful to many organisms through entanglement, blockage, chemical transport, and other pathways, though effects are still being investigated. Marine sediments are often a sink for these types of plastic pieces; therefore, microplastic abundance in marine sediments may have serious implications for many marine species. Microplastics are difficult to study and regulate due to their diversity in plastic type, shape, size, and global presence. This presentation provides an introduction to microplastics, including what microplastics are, types, sources, current and proposed legislation, and a quick overview of studies measuring the amount of microplastics in marine environments and methods to detect them. The intended audience of this research includes a state agency interested in implementing microplastics policies.
Description:
This presentation is for the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Policy Development and Analysis Office. Microplastics, which are plastic pieces less than 5 mm, are ubiqutous in marine environments. These small plastic pieces enter the environment through wastewater, road and stormwater runoff, littering, marine vessels and fishing gear, and mismanaged waste. They can be harmful to many organisms through entanglement, blockage, chemical transport, and other pathways, as well as acute effects such as molecular and cellular effects, though toxicological effects are still being investigated. Studies suggest marine microplastics settle into sediments due to weathering, biofouling, aggregation, ingestion, and other biotic and abiotic processes; therefore, microplastic abundance in marine sediments may have serious implications for many marine organisms. Microplastics are difficult to study and regulate due to their diversity in polymer type, shape, size, and global distribution. This presentation provides a brief overview about what microplastics are, types, sources, current and proposed legislation, and a quick overview of our work on the NCCA, RARE, and SCCWRP projects. This work will be presented to a state agency in California. It is meant to introduce the CalRecycle team to microplastics as a growing field.