Microplastics in the marine environment and the food chain - science and mitigating strategies

Sources, Fate and Effects of Microplastics.Thomas Maes

SeafishCommon Language Group

22/03/2016 Friend’s House

173-177 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ

FACTS & FIGURESMarine Litter

Marine Litter

What is Marine Litter:

Any man-made object discarded, disposed of, or abandoned that enters the coastal or marine environment. It may enter directly from a ship, or indirectly when washed out to sea via rivers, streams and storm drains.

Types of Marine Litter:

Ranges from common domestic material (bags, cups, bottles, balloons) to industrial products (strapping bands, plastic sheeting, hard hats, resin pellets) to lost or discarded fishing gear (nets, buoys, traps, lines).

Where does it come from:

- Ocean-based Sources: Fishing Vessels, Cargo Ships, Stationary Platforms, Fish Farming Installations, Pleasure Crafts and Other Vessels

- Land-based Sources: Littering, Dumping, Poor Waste Management Practices, Untreated Sewage and Storm Water Discharges, Riverine Inputs, Industrial Facilities, Tourism, Extreme Natural Events

Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Clean Up

Krichim, Bulgaria . Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff

Plastic Waste Inputs (Jambeck et al., 2015)

• Linking worldwide data on solid waste, population density, and economic status to estimate the mass of land-based plastic waste entering the ocean.

• 275 million metric tons (MT) of plastic waste was generated in 192 coastal countries in 2010, with 4.8 to 12.7 million MT entering the ocean.

• Without improvements predicted to increase by an order of magnitude by 2025

• Currently 150 million MT of plastic in oceans based on estimated leakage per year since 1950

Figure: Global map with each country shaded according to the estimated mass of mismanaged plastic waste [millions of metric tons (MT)] generated in 2010 by populations living within 50 km of the coast.We considered 192 countries. Countries not included in the study are shaded white.

Socio-Economic Impacts of Marine Litter

Damage to people, property and livelihood can be grouped into the following general categories:

• Fishing boats and gear

• Fish & Shellfish stocks

• Safety risks for people at sea

• Damage to intakes

• Blocked waterways

• Aesthetic value

• Tourism revenues• Contamination of

beaches • Contamination of

harbours • Health hazards to

people• ...

• 600+ different animal species are known to have suffered from entanglement and ingestion of plastic debris (STAP, 2013).

• Harmful Effects:

• Entanglement & Ingestion

• Smothering and disturbance of the seabed

• Accumulation and dispersion of toxic substances

• Transport of invasive species

• …

• Abandoned Derelict Lost Fishing Gear – GHOST FISHING

Environmental Impacts of Marine Litter

SOURCES & FATEMICROPLASTIC

BUILT TO RESIST

Maximenko et al., 2010

North Sea Particle Tracking + Hydrodynamic model

HOTSPOTS

For floating particles: • beaches (in particular the South Coast and North Norfolk) • salinity front off continental coast • Skagerrak gyre • Central North Sea

For sinking particles: • beaches • deeper areas (in particular Oyster Grounds, Norwegian Trench)

MODELLING

BEACH

SEAFLOOR

WATER

BIOTA

FRAGMENTATION

REMOVAL

ENTRY

DEGRADE

FRAGMENTATION

Microplastics• Smaller than 5mm

• 2 types of Microplastics (MP):• PRIMARY MP: enters the

marine environment in this form

• SECONDARY MP: result from breakdown of larger items

Microplastics in UK Sewage Treatment Waters1. One off study – 9 samples (3 x sludge/effluents/ sediment)2. Similar concentrations as found in other studies 3. High number of microplastics in sediments surrounding outlets4. 80% Reduction between Sludge and Effluents5. Only fibres in effluents and sludge, predominantly polyester and acrylic (textiles?)6. length of the fibres on average 600µm and ranged between 80µm and 4mm7. Fibres and spheres were found in the river sediments surrounding the effluent outflow 8. Small plastic foils were absent in all samples

Breakdown by UV & Physical forces

Sinking of heavy particles

Sinking because of biofouling

Ingestion by biota

Sinking due to production of fecalpellets and marine snow

Floating due to de-fouling

EFFECTMICROPLASTIC

©5Gyres

Coles et al., 2013

Lusheret al., 2012

Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2015

Van Franeker et al., 2010

FIELDLABORATORY

v

Schematic illustration of risk as a function of consequence (the harm posed by a hazard) and likelihood.

GHOST FISHING

MICROPLASTICS

TOXINS

INVASIVES

ENTANGLEMENT

INGESTION

???

GESAMP (2015)

1. Scavengers (detritivorus and deposit feeders) could ingest microplastics in sediment; 2. Non-selective benthic predators could ingest microplastics on the seabed or suspended in lower part of water column; 3. Filter-feeders seem to ingest plastic microspheres due to their similarity with algae. They may be susceptible to sinking microplastic particles; 4. Suspension-feeders, like filter-feeders, seem to ingest plastic microspheres due to their similarity with algae. They may be susceptible to sinking microplastic particles5. Active predation by vertebrates like fish, birds and mammals could lead to ingestion of microplastics instead of biologic matter

Potential biological interactions of microplastics with marine organisms.

Tentative Adverse Outcome Pathway scheme for microplastics exposure of aquatic species showing potential pathways linking ingestion, uptake across membranes, and chemical release with adverse outcomes of growth inhibition and reproductive decline (Galloway and Lewis, 2016).

EU MICRO • Modelling & Prediction

• Sampling at Sea surface, Water column, Sediment, Shrimp & Mussels- 8 microplastic fibres/shrimp - 500 microplastic particles/kg DW sediment

• Chemical & Bacterial Analysis of Microplastics

• Impacts were observed on major physiological functions such as digestion, immunity, reproduction and growth when exposed to high concentrations in lab conditions

• Between £1,5 million and £500 million potential costs to Oyster and Mussel aquaculture in UK

• Potential Impacted Areas:• Hampshire & Isle of Wight region in oyster sector• Dorset region in mussel sector• Devon and Norfolk in terms of tourism

Marine Litter Initiatives

• MARLISCO• EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive • OSPAR Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter• G7 Marine Litter Action Plan

MARLISCOFP7 MARLISCOMarine Litter in European Seas: Social Awareness and co-responsibility

http://www.marlisco.eu

By developing innovative mechanisms and tools, MARLISCO effectively engaged, informed andempowered society, reaching the widest possible audience. Its activities included:

- A scoping study of the sources and trends regarding marine litter in each Regional Sea.- A collection of best practices from all partner countries.- A survey on the prevailing perceptions and attitudes of different stakeholders regarding marinelitter.- A European video contest for youngsters to collect their visions on the issue of marine litter andempower them as agents of change in society.- National debates in 12 partner countries.- Diversified, tailor-made national activities including e-learning, exhibitions, workshops,festivals, clean ups, etc.

MARLISCO – 73 BEST PRACTICES E.g.:

Waste minimisation guide for aquaculture

Blue Flag Beaches

Plastic Bag Fee

Plastic free shops

Fishing for Litter

Litter removal in rivers

Litter removal schemes by divers

Beach Cleans

Operation Clean Sweep

…

The Marine Strategy Framework DirectiveDIRECTIVE 2008/56/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 17 June 2008

10 DESCRIPTORS:

1. Biological diversity2. Non-indigenous species 3. Commercial fish and shellfish stock4. Marine food webs 5. Eutrophication 6. Sea-floor integrity7. Hydrographical conditions8. Concentrations of contaminants9. Contaminants in seafood10. Marine litter11. Introduction of energy (noise)

DESCRIPTOR 10: “Properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment”

OSPAR Regional Action Plan 2014-2021• The OSPAR objective with regard to marine litter is “to substantially reduce marine litter in the OSPAR maritime area to levels

where properties and quantities do not cause harm to the marine environment” by 2020. In order to achieve this objective the North East Atlantic Environment Strategy also commits to “develop appropriate programmes and measures to reduce amounts of litter in the marine environment and to stop litter entering the marine environment, both from sea-based and land-based sources”.

• 3 Levels: Guidelines/Recommendations/Agreements

• 4 areas: Sea-based sources, Land-based sources, Removal Action, Education and Outreach

• 55 collective and national actions which aim to address both land based and sea based sources, as well as education and outreachand removal actions

• Key actions: - Port Reception Facilities- Waste from fishing industry- Fines for littering at sea- Fishing for litter- Abandoned and lost fishing gear- Floating litter hotspots

- Education and outreach- Improved waste management- Sewage/stormwater run-off- Reduction of single use items- Removal of micro plastics from products/zero pellet loss- Redesign of harmful products

G7 Marine Litter Action Plan• Commit to the improvement of countries’ waste systems as a key goal of the action plan, to prevent, reduce and remove marine litter,

including the below listed priority actions.

• Recognize that support through international development assistance and investments are important to combat marine litter and encourage both.

• Support development and implementation of national or regional action plans to reduce waste entering inland and coastal waters and ultimately becoming marine litter, as well as to remove existing waste.

• Share best practices, especially with developing countries, and encourage a similar call to action in other international fora.

• Recognize that, where available, the use of existing platforms and tools for cooperation will reduce duplication and take advantage of progress made (e.g. the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA), the Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML) and the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans) and therefore support their use.

• Promote individual and corporate behaviour change through public awareness and education to address marine litter.

• Recognize that prevention is key to long-term success in addressing and combating marine litter and that industries and consumers have an important role to play in reducing waste.

• Recognize that the need for removal actions is important, due to the vast amounts of litter already in the marine environment.

• Support the use of a broad range of policy toolkits and available instruments, including economic incentives, market-based instruments, and public private partnerships to support implementation of actions to effectively combat marine litter.

SOLUTIONS REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

• Improving waste management infrastructure is paramount but requires substantial resources and time

• While such infrastructure is being developed, countries can take immediate action by reducing waste and curbing the growth of single-use plastics.

• Revise and develop regional and national action plans on marine litter

• Apply mixture of small/medium/large scale approaches

• Awareness raising at public, industry and governmental level

• Monitoring & Modelling

• Define source, zones of accumulation and degree of ecological, environmental and socio-economic impacts

• Stakeholder consultation and buy-in

• MARPOL Annex V

• FAO Code of Practice for Responsible Fisheries

• Prevent and reduce Abandoned, Lost and Discarded Fishing Gear

• …

The only way to manage the marine litter pollution issue is by limiting the input—changing ways and behaviours that cause marine litter to enter the environment.

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