Oncologist. Founding member of the Committee for Environmental Health of the Spanish Pediatric Association. Consultant and founder of the Pediatric Oncology Unit at the La Fe University Children’s Hospital in Valencia. Member of the “Healthy Environments for Childhood” International Alliance of the World Health Organization. Main researcher of the “Environment and Pediatric Cancer” project with the Spanish Association against Cancer.
“On a worldwide scale, it’s estimated that only 8﹪ of all produced plastic has been recycled to date, 12﹪ has been incinerated and the remaining 80﹪ has ended up in illegal landfills.” “We should and must take action on two levels, institutionally and personally.” “The impact of microplastics in water, at its current pace, is estimated to surpass the impact of fish in 2050.”
In what ways does microplastic pollution happen?
Microplastics are contaminants of emerging concern (CEC). They’re products, substances, compounds, agents, anthropogenic factors that present the following characteristics: penetration of live organisms in the biosphere, toxicity and environmental biopersistency, adverse risks for ecosystems and human health. Lastly, they’re still not being monitored in the environment, nor are they subject to laws or regulation standards for the protection of human and ecological health. The vast, progressive, and unstoppable accumulation of plastic residue isn’t just drowning the earth. We quite literally eat, drink, and breath micro and nanoplastics. Microplastics and nanoplastics are contaminants of emerging concern. Microplastics are solid fragments that contain synthetic polymers, less than 5mm in size, and nanoplastics are between 1-0.1 micrometers at most. The Committee of Environmental Health of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics studies this micro and nanoplastics, as a contaminant of emerging concern regarding the planet’s health.
How are microplastics classified?
They’re put into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary microplastics have micrometric dimensions, less than 500 micrometers, contained in diverse carriers such as cosmetic products, especially exfoliators, toothpastes and detergents with artificial coloring, mixes with fine sand used to clean monuments, etc., there are other uses such as pharmaceutical vectors and 3D printing. Secondary microplastics are found in the slow and progressive environmental degradation of bigger plastics. The production and consumption of plastics has grown exponentially since 1945 from on million annual tons to 300 million in 2014, and the demand keeps growing.
“The growth of production contributes to the mismanagement of waste, associated with the generation of micro and nanoplastics, making them contaminants of emerging concern“
Josep Ferris i Tortajada
In what ways is plastic polluting the world?
The growth of its production contributes to the mismanagement of waste, associated with the generation of micro and nanoplastics, making them contaminants of emerging concern regarding planet ubiquity. They negatively affect living organisms of all ecosystems on earth, in water, and in the earth’s atmosphere. In relation to the deficiency of waste management, it’s important to note that, on a worldwide scale, it’s estimate that only 8% of all produced plastics have been recycled to date, 12% has been incinerated and the remaining 80% has ended up in illegal landfills on land and in water. Like most mismanaged waste, they end up in bodies of water. The impact of micro and nanoplastics is estimated to surpass the impact of fish in 2050. Micro and nanoplastic pollution is easily ingested directly by many sea creatures. It gets into fish via the digestive tract, respiratory exposure, and by skin absorption.
What are the adverse effects of plastic contamination on human health?
Humans are exposed by ingestion of food, water, and drink, through breathing and through mucous membrane absorption. The negative impact on human health is caused by diverse factors, among them are the physical nature of micro and nanoplastics and the possible tissue damage that it can cause. They’re absorbants and transportants of potentially toxic chemical substances, especially due to the numerous chemical additives included during production. Through the incineration of plastic waste, most of them persist in the environment and are biosoluble and bioacummulating in the food chain they’re potentially toxic contaminants for the neurological system, the immune system, the liver, the kidneys, etc. They increase the risk of several dysfunctions, disorders and illnesses, congenital malformations, cognitive and neural alterations, decrease in male and female fertility; endocrine disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, thyroid problems; hormone-dependent cancers, alterations of the immune system, disorders of them autoimmune, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and neurodegenerative systems.
“We need to reduce the amount of plastics in our everyday lives”
Josep Ferris i Tortajada
How can we address the plastic pandemic happening on our planet?
We have to address it in two ways, institutionally and personally. In terms of institutional action. many national government organizations and non-profits raise awareness and advocate for legislation to regulate, control, and stop the production of plastics. They push for more sustainable products, since perfection total elimination is impossible. The capacity and executive legislative authority of some of these organizations will be of great use to get manufacturers to work for a world that’s less polluted by micro and nanoplastics. For example, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) started a campaign in May 2017 to keep aquatic habitats plastic-free.
In regards to personal actions, we need to reduce the amount of plastic in our daily lives, we need to decrease the potential or real adverse effects on our health and, at the same time, leave this world with fewer ecosystems contaminated by plastic for our descendants.
“Americans consumed around 5 grams of plastic per week, about the equivalent of a credit card.”
Josep Ferris i Tortajada
How can we reduce the ingestion of microplastics in human organisms?
An interesting fact to mention is that americans have consumed between 74,000 and 121,000 particles of nanoplastics per year. People have consumed around 5 grams of plastic per week, about the equivalent of a credit card. Some major recommendations and personal advice to decrease or counteract the adverse effects on human health are a vegetarian diet, with natural, ecological, and sustainable foods. Consuming polyphenols in your diet which are in condiments and spices, olive oil, forest fruits, nuts, fresh fruit that’s in-season, cacao, vegetable remains. Drinking potable faucet water, avoiding plastic casing; reducing the purchase of plastic materials until elimination and in particular foods that are encased with trays and plastic films. Eliminating all plastic objects, receptacles and utensils from our homes, minimizing dust in the house, and reducing the purchase of clothes with synthetic materials, among other things.
Translator: Zach Beacher