Secondary Sources

Large litter from plastic resources, such as plastic bags, cartons, packaging or bottles, can break down through physical or chemical processes, becoming microplastics.

Natural processes, such as hydrolysis and photo-oxidation, can result in the fragmentation of plastic particles into smaller forms. Erosion by wind and sea currents can also have an impact on the formation of microplastics, increasing the degradation of the particles, as well as increasing the surface area, thereby continuing this viscious cycle. Researchers, Linda Ziccardi and colleagues, speculate, yet have not proven, that by increasing the surface area of these materials, hazardous organic compounds are more likely to adhere to these particles, possibly leading to negative health effects. Additionally, stormwater has been found by many researchers to be a significant source of microplastics pollutants in our freshwater and oceans. As runoff from hurricanes, rain showers, and other natural events occur, these types of instances, especially in urbanized areas, can result in the transfer of once land based litter into our waterways, intensifying the risk of microplastic pollution.

These are one of the most preventable sources of microplastics. All we have to do is acknowledge our responsibility to this planet and recycle plastic material when we see it, reduce as much waste as we can, support initiatives against plastic pollution and advocate for regulation on plastic pollution.