plastic pollution

Question 1

when did plastic growth start and why?

Answer 1

1950, due to the packaging, construction and other uses.

Question 2

how much gets into the ocean per year?

Answer 2

8 million tonnes

Question 3

what equals the number of tonnes which enter the oceans per year?

Answer 3

the same as the total household waste collected in England per year.

Question 4

what are the common plastics found?

Answer 4

soda bottles, plastic bags, detergent bottles, plumping pipes, drinking straws, take away food containers

Question 5

what counts as microplastics?

Answer 5

any plastic that is 5mm or smaller.

Question 6

what are the different shapes of microplastics?

Answer 6

granules, pellets, films, fishing lines fibres.

Question 7

what’s been banned?

Answer 7

microbeads

Question 8

what are the primary microplastics and examples?

Answer 8

manufactured for the use of small particles - microbeads in toothpaste, cosmetics, sandblasting agents, bio-beads for water filtration, etc

Question 9

what are secondary microplastics and examples?

Answer 9

particles produced by the breakdown of larger plastic materials such as litter, clothing, fishing gear. the relation between what happens on the sea and land.

Question 10

what is the Moby Duck case study and what does it explain about the ocean circulation?

Answer 10

1990-1992 plastic ducks fell off a boat. they’re still traveling around today. shows ocean circulation and how plastic is distributed throughout the entire ocean.

Question 11

how many small pieces of microplastics are there?

Answer 11

1,830 billion

Question 12

how many large pieces of microplastics are there?

Answer 12

3,020 billion

Question 13

how do different polymers behave differently

Answer 13

due to properties. some are less dense than sea water, some are durable, some get weathered by the sea and degrade.

Question 14

how do we detect them?

Answer 14

isolation from environmental media, larger particles are easier to detect. floatation and filtraton.

Question 15

what happens over time?

Answer 15

it all stays the same.

Question 16

how does it behave in ecosystems?

Answer 16

some very large creatures in the marine environment are being affected by plastics. could get into food chains and human food chains.

Question 17

what is the typical process of wastewater treatment?

Answer 17

screening, primary treatment, secondary treatment, final treatment, sludge treatment, back to river.

Question 18

what happens when it rains heavily when water is getting treated?

Answer 18

the additional runoff goes into the wastewater systems, this overflows and then it all goes into coastal rivers without being treated. this creates a direct pathway from our homes into the aquatic environment.

Question 19

what percentage of microplastics are taken out of the water, IF it is used properly?

Answer 19

90%

Question 20

how could intake or ingestion of small plastic particles potentially damage a filter-feeding organism?

Answer 20

it could affect reproduction, fill their stomach and hence starve, may affect growth, chemicals damaging body systems and poisoning, affect the function of the digestive system, fewer nutrients, inflammation or pathological change due to chronic inflammation.

Question 21

what are filter feeder methods to see how much plastic there is?

Answer 21

collect species, microplastics type and colour identified and filter what is left.

Question 22

what is sewage sludge?

Answer 22

it is what collects the plastic when water waste is being filtered.

Question 23

what used to happen to sewage sludge?

Answer 23

dumped in the sea.

Question 24

what happens to sewage sludge now?

Answer 24

now used as a soil improver for agricultural systems on a very large scale in the UK.

Question 25

why is using sewage sludge on fields a bad idea?

Answer 25

delivers microplastics to the soils, up to 15,000 particles reported.

Question 26

what are the benefits of sludge?

Answer 26

it is cheap, free soil improver and is high in nitrates and phosphates. use on farms reduces the need for costly and environmentally damaging synthetic fertilizer.

Question 27

what are the other options for sewage sludge?

Answer 27

sea dumping, landfill, incineration, anaerobic digestion, etc. all not good at all

Question 28

are plastics toxic?

Answer 28

hormone-mimicking properties, carcinogenic, birth controls go into water TBT, etc. all negative effects on ecosystems and people.

Question 29

how might humans be exposed?

Answer 29

diet, ingestion, inhalation, chemical effects, microbial effects, do not know the damage.

Question 30

what is in progress for plastic bans?

Answer 30

plastic bag charges, microbead ban straw and cotton bud restriction, soft drinks company deposit return system, research funds, UK environment strategy.

Question 31

what can we do?

Answer 31

educate, engage, think before buying, circular economy, better waste management, understand environmental processes.

Question 32

where has plastic reached?

Answer 32

the swiss alps.

Question 33

where has plastic been found for the first time?

Answer 33

human stools. 9 different plastics were found.

Question 34

what is the UN doing?

Answer 34

UN global move resolution 2017 to encourage to avoid plastic.

Question 35

where do the plastics go if they enter our system?

Answer 35

large enough to enter the lymphatic system.

Question 36

how many particles do tea bags shed and why?

Answer 36

11.6 billion particles. tea bags are made with woven plastics.