Marine litter plastics and microplastics and their toxic chemicals components: the need for urgent preventive measures

• DOI: 10.1186/s12302-018-0139-z
• Publication Date: 2018-04-17T07:41:39Z
• Authors: Frederic Gallo; Cristina Fossi; Roland Weber; David Santillo; Joao Sousa; Imogen Ingram; Angel Nadal; Dolores Romano
• Keywords: Biota; Marine debris; Litter; Marine ecosystem; Plastic pollution

Persistent plastics, with an estimated lifetime for degradation of hundreds years in marine conditions, can break up into micro- and nanoplastics over shorter timescales, thus facilitating their uptake by biota throughout the food chain. These polymers may contain chemical additives contaminants, including some known endocrine disruptors that be harmful at extremely low concentrations biota, posing potential risks to ecosystems, biodiversity availability. Although there is still need carry out focused scientific research fill knowledge gaps about impacts plastic litter environment (Wagner et al. Environ Sci Eur 26:9, 2014), chain human health, existing evidence concerns are already sufficient support actions scientific, industry, policy civil society communities curb ongoing flow plastics toxic chemicals they environment. Without immediate strong preventive measures, environmental economic costs set only become worse, even short term. Continued increases production consumption, combined wasteful uses, inefficient waste collection infrastructures insufficient management facilities, especially developing countries, mean achieving established objectives reductions remains a huge challenge, one unlikely met without fundamental rethink ways which we consume plastics. This document was prepared working group Regional Centres Stockholm Basel Conventions related colleagues intended background discussion 2017 Conference Parties (COP) Convention on hazardous wastes persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The COP finally approved issue could dealt its consistently report activities matter next COP's meetings.