Studying marine microplastics pollution presents a conundrum: It necessarily involves the use of plastics. While we cannot avoid using plastics entirely, we can take steps to mitigate our contributions to the problem—and so can you.
One of the unique—and frankly frustrating—challenges with studying the global microplastics problem is that it necessarily involves the use of plastics. From trawl-building materials and water quality testing tools to kayaks, sailboats, and other vessels, all of the main assets we need to conduct our on-the-water research either: (i) directly incorporate plastic; or, (ii) are packaged and shipped in plastic containers.
This is unavoidable. Yes, we could use wooden kayaks and aluminum-hulled boats; and, yes we could develop—and are developing—a microplastics sampling trawl that minimizes the plastics used. But, the reality is that even taking these steps will not allow us to avoid using plastics entirely. At the very least, the plastic packaging issue isn’t going to go away; and, while there are wooden kayaks and aluminum sailboats, these are still going to have plastic-based coatings and various plastic components.
Right Now (and For the Foreseeable Future), the Focus Needs to Be Mitigation and Cleanup
So, what do we do? Right now, for the foreseeable future, and quite possibly forever, the focus needs to be on mitigation and cleanup. In our immediate work, we are focusing on mitigation—with the goal of allowing other organizations to use our research to inform and secure funding for their cleanup initiatives. Our mitigation efforts include, but are not limited to:
- Developing a New Plastic-Free Trawl Frame – Microplastics trawls need plastic netting. Currently, the only netting material that is available with a small enough micron count to collect microplastics is a plastic-based product. But, we can make the rest of our trawls plastic-free. We are actively in the process of designing, prototyping, and testing a new trawl design that will be made entirely out of galvanized and stainless steel—eschewing the plastic-based coatings and plastic coupling used in the current primary scientifically validated model.
- Buying Used Equipment When Possible – When possible, we are buying used equipment. Currently, half of our fleet of kayaks was purchased used, and we intend for any additional kayaks we purchase to be used as well. Additional vessels that we purchase will also be used, and we have purchased used water sampling and lab equipment that is still 100% functional.
- Selling Only Plastic-Free Merchandise – If you visit our online shop, you will see that all of our merchandise is plastic-free. Our hats, shirts, and tote bags are 100% cotton, our field notebook is made entirely of paper, and our phone cases are made with a natural and biodegradable plastic alternative. While we purchase some plastic-based branded items for other purposes, we limit this as much as possible.
Then, of course, there is the focus of our work. We are studying marine microplastics and providing our data to the public and the scientific community. By doing the research that we have the capabilities to do (and that many other organizations do not), we can help others move forward with their work focused on advocating for reduced plastic use and cleaning up our inland, coastal, and offshore waters.
While it would be great if we could say that we are advocating for a plastic-free world and working to restore our oceans to how they were before the first plastics were introduced more than 180 years ago, this simply isn’t realistic. This is important to acknowledge. But, the adverse environmental and health consequences of the marine microplastics problem are very real, and taking control of the problem—to the extent possible—is a worthwhile endeavor.
How We Use Plastics, Why It’s Necessary, and What We’re Doing About It
Like everyone else, we use plastics in various ways. As we touched on above, much of our field equipment incorporates plastic materials and plastic components—and we take this into account when doing our data analysis. Our laptops are also made with plastics, as are the tires and many of the other components on our vehicles (tires are among the largest contributors to the global microplastics problem).
The reality is that in today’s world, using plastics is unavoidable.
Going forward, we are going to continue to use products that incorporate plastics. This is because we largely have no choice if we are going to do our work with the vigor and scientific rigorousness it demands. But, we are also going to continue to make conscious decisions about what we buy and what we produce. This, frankly, is the best we can do; and, while our individual mitigation efforts might not make much of a difference on a global scale, we believe that our efforts are worth it.
What You Can Do to Limit Your Contributions to the Global Microplastics Problem
If you are interested in making an effort to reduce your contributions to the global microplastics problem, what can you do?
Like us, you can take steps to limit your use of plastic-based products when possible. You can also avoid unnecessarily buying new products (whether plastic-based or plastic-free) that come packaged and shipped in plastic materials. Here are a handful of concrete examples:
- Buy Used Items When It Makes Sense – Buying used rather than new limits the amount of plastic waste you’re responsible for, which in turn limits your contributions to the global microplastics problem.
- Buy Plastic-Free Clothing When Possible – Clothing is an example of a common product that often contains plastics (and sheds microplastics). You can also limit your contributions to the problem by buying plastic-free when possible. Nylon, polyester, Lycra, and Spandex are all plastic-based fabrics (among many others).
- Buy Products in Glass and Aluminum Containers When Possible – While they may still have plastic labels and coatings, glass and aluminum containers generally shed fewer microplastics than 100% plastic bottles and bins.
- Avoid Cosmetics and Sunscreens with Plastic-Based Ingredients – Many cosmetics and sunscreens have plastic-based ingredients; and, when these wear off of your body, they end up in the environment (and ultimately in the water).
- Avoid Single-Use Plastic Products – Plastic straws, utensils, bottles, and bags all add up. By having reusable (and ideally non-plastic) alternatives—and by committing to using them on a regular and long-term basis—you can avoid creating unnecessary plastic waste and unnecessary microplastics.
You can also help by spreading the word. No single person (or even single organization) can tackle the global microplastics problem on their own. But, sharing your concerns about the problem, you can have an outsized impact—both now and in the future.
Again, these are just examples. If you have other ways that you are minimizing your use of plastics, we’d love to hear about them.
About Following Seas Marine Impact Research
At Following Seas Marine Impact Research, we are studying the global microplastics problem through on-the-water sampling and data analysis. Our goal is to provide other organizations with the data and science they need to advocate for change and implement clean-up solutions. We are also developing standards for citizen-scientists who are interested in gathering data where they live. Join our mailing list to follow along.