Microplastic pollution

Question 1

what classes as a microplastic?

Answer 1

plastic less than 5mm in size

Question 2

types of microplastic

Answer 2

primary - manufactured less than 5mm

secondary - result of breakdown of plastic of larger pieces of macroplastic

Question 3

how many microplastic particles do global oceans contain

Answer 3

between 15 and 51 trillion

Question 4

what % of microplastic in the oceans is from secondary microplastic

Answer 4

69-81%

Question 5

how many tonnes of micro plastics enter the marine environment every year from Europe alone?

Answer 5

80,000-219,000 tonnes

Question 6

sources of micro plastics?

Answer 6

primary- industry, medicine, clothing

secondary - food packaging and fishing

Question 7

sinks of micro plastics?

Answer 7

garbage patches, open ocean, beaches, sea bed, air, wildlife, rivers, soil

Question 8

how do micro plastics lead to pollutants getting inside fish?

Answer 8

they act as a transport vector

Question 9

ecological impact of micro plastics

Answer 9

• mistaken ingestion
• sharp edgers- stomach ulcers
• false satiation-feel full
• leaching of plastic additives and POPs

Question 10

how to test for microplastics

Answer 10

gather samples and sieve through mesh with 1mm and 5mm

Question 11

what % of microplastic pollution is land based?

Answer 11

98%

Question 12

is microplastic present in the Bristol Channel?

Answer 12

yes and there are many sources in the region