Factsheet Number 56 / April 2018

Microplastics
the most widespread and
persistent hazards of plastic

A Quick look into the There are some microplastics which fall in between,
for examples dust from car and truck tires, synthetic
Microplastics textiles, ropes, paint etc. for example, plastic dust is
• Microplastics are synthetic or semi-synthetic, created by the friction between the car wheels and
solid, water insoluble, high polymer plastic the road and is blown into waterways by the wind.
particles of a size range below 5 mm. Car tires shed 20 grams of plastic dust every 100
• They are both used as a raw material for a number kilometers! These are in most cases classified as
of products and produced from degradation of primary owing to the fact that their emissions are
any plastic product. inherently a result of human material and product
• Their small size allows them to pass through use and not secondary defragmentation in nature.
wastewater treatment plants and reach the oceans
through surface waterbodies and rivers.
Are Microbeads different from
• Microplastics are non-biodegradable and microplastics?
persistent in marine and freshwater.
Microplastics used as abrasives in personal care and
Nanoplastics: Plastic particles generally of size cosmetic products (PCCP) are commonly known as
below 1µm are called nanoplastics. They pose higher About 5 to 14
microbeads. Mostly of spherical shape, these, are used
million tons of
risk to the environment because of their reduced in both leave-on lotions and rinse-off products.
plastic waste
size which is 1000 times smaller than an algal cell.
enter into the
ocean every year.
Types of Microplastics Why is of risk? Average annual
global release
Depending on the origin, we can differentiate • Microplastics undergo various processes of of primary
between primary and secondary microplastic. physical, enzymatic and microbial degradation in microplastics
Primary microplastics are manufactured as nature, but do not get completely broken down. into the ocean
• About 5 to 14 million tons of plastic waste enter is estimated to
microbeads, capsules, fibers or pellets. Examples
into the ocean every year. Average annual global be around 1.5
include microbeads used in cosmetics and personal million tons.
care products, industrial scrubbers used for abrasive release of primary microplastics into the ocean is
blast cleaning and microfibers used in textiles. estimated to be around 1.5 million tons.
Primary microplastic can also come from the • Microplastics can absorb extremely harmful
run-off/effluent of plastic product fabrication or hydrophobic organic pollutants.
manufacturing facilities. • Removal of microplastics from aquatic
Secondary microplastics are the result of larger environment is extremely difficult as that could
pieces of plastic breaking down into smaller lead to the elimination of all plankton size
pieces. This occurs when plastic debris is exposed organisms.
to sunlight and the plastic begins to weather and • Microplastics exist in air as airborne pollutants
fragment. It is generated by the fragmentation originating from the plastic textile fiber
of larger plastic items by UV radiation, physical production.
abrasion (waves, rocks), and microbial processes.
 microplastics in the air can be directly inhaled and
Occurrence of affect the lungs. Occurrence of microplastic across
microplastic across food-chain ensures their presence in human food
food-chain ensures their increasing the direct exposure of associated toxic
presence in human food chemicals to humans which again come with their
increasing the possibiliy own sets of fateful impacts.
of exposure of associated
toxic chemicals to
humans. In direct impact, Bio-degradable plastics also
microbead can lead to
bacterial infections in the
produce microplastics
gum, skin or injure the Microplastic and plastic concerns have lead to the
cornea by sticking in the development of bio-degradable plastics. However, none
eye. In facial products, it of these plastics are completely degradable and their
can cause tiny skin rips. degradation also is subject to high temperature which is
not possible in marine environment.

Impacts of Microplastics
The Indian Context
Environment: Considered as global pollutants,
microplastics pollute the water environment; change Sadly, microplastics are less studied in India despite
the country being among the major plastic consumers
the ecosystem, affects biodiversity by reducing
and producer of 5.6 million tons of plastic waste
species diversity and act as vectors for spreading annually. Studies have found microplastics in Gujarat
A tap water toxic chemical additives. and Chennai coast, Mumbai beaches and Kerala lake.
survey analysis International studies have also found microplastics in
conducted with Wildlife: Microplastics are ingested by zooplanktons, drinking water (tap) samples from Delhi and bottled
in samples from 5 like, daphnia, as well as several other higher aquatic water from Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. A National
continents (USA, species and bio-accumulates in the food chain. Institute of Oceanographic study (running) has found
Lebanon, Europe, Ingestion of microplastics causes digestive tract microplastics absorbed in fish tissues.
Indonesia blockage and stomach lining damage leading to
Uganda, India &
starvation of the organism, digestion impairment
Ecuador) found
and reduced and delayed reproductive ability, Microplastic in drinking water
microplastics in
83% of sample resulting into a lifespan reduction. In addition, the Analysis of 259 bottled drinking water of 11
from across the toxins, including endocrine disrupting chemicals different brands, from 19 locations in nine
continents. India (EDCs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), countries found an average of 325 plastic particles
ranks 3rd with organochlorine pesticides, carried by these for every litre of water being sold. In one bottle,
in 82.4% sample microscopic plastic particles are carried over long concentrations were as high as 10,000 plastic pieces
contaminated distances by water systems and released inside per litre of water. Of the 259 bottles tested, only
with microplatics the organisms, impacting further. From the fishes 17 were free of plastics, according to the study.
these harmful toxins and particles spread across There are no regulatory limits on the levels of
the food-chain. microplastics in bottled water.
Socio-economic: severely affected by marine
plastic pollution owing to the reduced fish The consumption of plastics and microplastics by
population, loss of income from tourism, damage marine animals can lead to false satiation , starvation
to coastal agriculture, etc. Direct socio-economic and death.
impacts of microplastics need to be researched in
depth.

Human health: Humans can be exposed to An estimated 5

microplastics either directly through contaminated trillion pieces of
water and cosmetics or indirectly from seafood plastic currently
float in the world’s
consumption. It can lead to bacterial infections in
oceans
the gum, skin or injure the cornea by sticking in
the eye. Microbeads in facial products can cause
tiny skin rips and further infection. Suspended

2 Toxics Link Factsheet Number 56 / April 2018

Microplastics - the Most Widespread And Persistent Hazards of Plastic 3
 Regulations on Microplastics Conclusion
Legal restrictions on the use of microbeads in Microplastic is a global environmental problem
cosmetic products are either posed or under which has the power to threaten marine life as well
process in a number of countries. In the US the as freshwater
Microbead Free Water Act was introduced in 2015, organisms for decades and centuries, and the
which prohibits the manufacturing, packaging, and potential to poison the entire food chain.
distribution of rinse-off cosmetics containing plastic
Though it needs global research, policy and
microbead. Legislations on banning microbeads
technological change to decontaminate the
in cosmetics are to come in force in 2018 in the
environment from microplastic pollution, however,
European Union and Canada. Legislations are also
we can always take action to minimize the
under process in South Korea and New Zealand
A tube of face contribution.
wash can while Australia has initiated a voluntary phasing out.
contain over No legal framework is in place for restrictive use
Meanwhile, consumers can limit their personal
330000 micro of microplastics or microbeads in India. However,
contributions to microplastic pollution by avoiding
beads! microbeads are notified as ‘not recognized as safe’ products that contain microbeads, choosing clothing
for use in cosmetic products by the Bureau of made from natural fibers, avoid single use plastic
Indian Standards (BIS) in India. products and taking care not to litter or flush plastic
materials down the drain
Plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton swabs could
be banned in England under plans proposed by the UK
government to reduce plastic waste and protect the
world’s oceans.

Literature referred
• European Commission (DG Environment). 2017. Intentionally document within the Common Implementation Strategy for the
added microplastics in products. Final Report. Amec Foster Marine Strategy Framework Directive MSFD Technical Subgroup
Wheeler Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited. on Marine Litter. JRC Scientific and Policy Reports.
• UNEP. 2015. Plastic in Cosmetics: Are we polluting the • [Link]
environment through our personal care? Plastic ingredients that documents/unep_frontiers_2016.pdf
contribute to marine microplastic litter. • GESAMP. 2015. Sources, fate and effects of microplastics in the
• IUCN. 2017. Primary microplastics in the oceans: a global marine environment: a global assessment (Kershaw, P. J., ed.).
evaluation of sources. Written by Boucher J. and Friot D. • ORB Media. 2017. Invisibles. [Link]
• Rocha-Santos T.A.P. and Duarte A.C. (volume Editors). 2017. Invisibles_final_report
Characterisation and Analysis of Microplastics. Volume 75 In • Costa J.P., Santos P.S.M., Duarte A.C. and Santos T.R. 2016.
Comprehensive Analytical Chemistry. Barcelo D (Series Editor). (Nano)plastics in the environment – sources, fates and effects.
Elsevier: Camridge, United States. Science of The Total Environment. 566-567: 15-26.
• Cole M., Lindeque P., Halsband C., Galloway T.S. 2011. • Gasperi J. et al. 2018. Microplastics in air: are we breathing it in?
Microplastics as contaminants in the marine environment: A Current Opinion in Enviornmental Science & Health. 1: 1-5.
review. Marine Pollution Bulletin 62: 2588–2597
• UNEP. 2016. Microplastics: troule in the food chain. UNEP Front
• Patel M.M., Goyal B.R., Bhadada S.V., Bhatt J.S., Amin A.F. 2009. Tires 2016 Report.
Getting into the brain: approaches to enhance brain drug delivery.
• ORB Media. 2018. Plus Plastic: Microplastics found in global
CNS Drugs 23: 35–58.
bottled water. Written by Tyree C. and Morrison D.
• Duis K. and Coors A. 2016. Microplastics in the aquatic and
• Ramasamy E.V. 2016. Microplastics : An Emerging contaminant
terrestrial environment: sources (with a specific focus on personal
- with potential threat to aquatic systems - less studied in India.
care products), fate and effects. Environmental Sciences Europe
Presented In: Lake 2016: Conference on Conservation and
28
Sustainable Management of Ecologically Sensitive Regions in
• European Commission. Joint Research Centre. 2013. Guidance Western Ghats.
on Monitoring of Marine Litter in European Seas. A guidance

Research and Compiled by For more information, please contact:

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4 Toxics Link Factsheet Number 56 / April 2018