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. 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.

These may be 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.