As we all know, our oceans are filled with tons of plastic. These plastics can come in all shapes and sizes, but a specific type, known as microplastics have been garnering attention. Microplastics can be found in a number of places, including larger plastic litter that breaks down into smaller and smaller fragments. Microbeads, a form of microplastic, are extremely small bits of processed polyethylene plastic used as exfoliants in health and beauty goods such as cleansers and toothpaste.
The great issue with microplastics is that they are so small which results in them being overlooked. Many animals consume microplastics in unhealthy amounts. Another alarming fact is that microplastics cannot be completely removed from water using conventional treatment methods. Plastics will take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose, wreaking havoc on the atmosphere in the process. Although research is still underway, there is much we do not know about microplastics and how they affect humans and animals. The only thing we can do now is continue to move away from plastic products as much as possible.
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