In a bid to reduce the amount of microplastics entering the UK environment, the government has announced it will introduce a ban on the sale of wet wipes containing plastic in the country.
Steve Barclay, the Environment Secretary, announced steps being taken to ban the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic. It comes after a study found an average of 20 wet wipes were found per 100 meters of beach in Britain.
Wet wipes also release microplastics into the environment. Microplastics are defined by the UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology as small plastic particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm.
In a statement, Barclay said: “Wet wipes containing plastic are polluting our waterways and releasing microplastics into the environment.
“Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) will introduce legislation before the summer recess to tackle this unnecessary source of pollution, following on from our successful levy on single-use carrier bags and the ban on microbeads in personal care products. ”
It comes at a time when scientists are beginning to investigate the impact of microplastics on human health.
Where do microplastics come from?
Microplastics mainly come from the microfibers of clothing – and wet wipes – microbeads and plastic pellets. They also enter the environment as small fragments from larger pieces of litter, such as plastic bags, bottles or packaging.
They can be between 5 mm and a micrometer in length – small enough to penetrate human cells.
Once in waterways, soil and the general environment, microplastics contaminate everything, including living things. A large number of studies around the world have shown that animals ingest the polluting microplastics, including aquatic animals and wild birds.
For example, a study by the UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology found microplastic fibers in the guts of freshwater fish living in the River Thames. Another study published earlier this year in the journal Science of the Total Environment also found microplastics in the digestive and respiratory systems of birds of prey.
In fact, every bird tested in the study contained at least one microplastic in its digestive system. The presence of microplastics in the respiratory tracts of 65% of birds tested also suggests that the animals inhale the pollutants.
There is evidence that microplastics have harmful effects on the animals that ingest or inhale them. The pollutants prevent them from feeding properly and can also affect their ability to grow, reproduce and defend themselves from predators.
How harmful are microplastics to humans?
Watch: Microplastics in blood linked to stroke, heart attack and early death, research shows
Since plastic plays a major role in people’s daily lives, and it is known that microplastics can be absorbed by humans through the food chain, studies are being conducted to determine the impact on human health.
A 2019 American Chemical Society study found that people consume and inhale as many as 211,000 microplastic particles every year.
The first study linking microplastics to health problems was published earlier this year. Scientists discovered that people with microplastics in their blood vessels had a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
Researchers in Naples, Italy, examined the buildup of plaque in the arteries of 257 patients who had undergone surgery to remove it. They discovered micro- or nanoplastics in more than half of the samples.
It was also found that participants who had microplastics in their plaque sample were almost five times more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or death than those who did not.
A separate study also found the presence of microplastics in every human placenta the researchers examined and tested, raising concerns about the potential health effects on babies growing in the womb.
Scientists analyzed 62 placental tissue samples and found microplastics in all samples. The most common microplastic found was polyethylene, which is often used to make plastic bags and bottles.
Microplastics have also been found in human blood and breast milk. The World Health Organization has called for more research into the potential health effects of the pollutants.
Should I worry about microplastics?
Although microplastics are becoming more common, it is still unclear how much of an impact they have on our health, and whether we should worry about whether they will make us sick.
Scientists are conducting studies and tests to see how the presence of microplastics in our bodies affects our health. It remains to be determined how long they stay in the body and whether they contain chemicals that are harmful.
However, there is sufficient evidence that microplastics are harmful to the environment and nature around us. They have even been found in remote corners of the planet, with scientists stating that microplastic levels in Antarctica’s remote Weddell Sea are even higher than previously thought.
Chemicals released from microplastics as they break down can also harm soil and water, causing potentially harmful effects on animals and organisms. The UN Environment Program called for the “elimination of unnecessary plastic” and the “redesign of products” to end plastic pollution.
The organization said redesigning products and packaging is crucial “so they can be more easily reused, repaired and recycled, and switch to non-plastic substitutes that help protect the environment, human health and our economy”.
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