Plastics pollution and their water evolution.

Plastics have been described as the new major pollutant not only in marine environments but also in rivers, lakes and streams. Plastic breaks and form small fragments which in time will become smaller to the point these can only be seen under a microscope. Fragments that measure 5 mm or less (up to 0.001 mm) are called "microplastics". Some microplastics can be mistaken by food and be eaten by animals living in the water and potentially passed down onto us. Some microplastics are even smaller than the human cells!

Toothpastes and many cosmetic creams used to have microbeads which are microplastics. These have now been banned in the UK but many of these microbeads are still lying around at the bottom of rivers and the sea. Check this video about microbeads HERE.

Microplastics can break down into much smaller sizes of plastic, named "nanoplastics" and due to their size can easily be transported unseen in the air to almost anywhere. Since the past decade scientists have been trying to identify how bad is the plastic pollution; and just recently reliable results from numerous research around the globe have started coming to light. Summarizing, plastic pollution is a global problem that needs everybody's contribution to be solved.

If you have/see/find a plastic bag or a bottle of water please dispose it, recycle it or reuse it but do not let these rubbish lying around which will end up into the river, your local stream, pond or lake.

BBC have produced a number of videos and supports a site called Plastic Watch which I invite you check by clicking HERE