Waste by the Ocean

Previously, I have spoken about just how much plastic is going into our oceans and where it is coming from. Now, we can have a look at what effects it is having, as not only is this waste creating an eye-sore when washed up on beaches around the world, it can also get into the food chain, our food chain. The recent popular hit 'Cake by the Ocean' features the band DNCE on a sunny beach in paradise throwing cake at each other and eating it. Here, we take a more cynical look at what it really is that we might be ingesting at our favourite seaside eateries, when we're not filming extravagant, cake-themed music videos. In fact, whether you're by the beach or not, it is important to consider the state of the seafood which you are eating. 

In the EU, any genetically modified product is required to advertise itself as such on the packaging. Also, across Europe in recent years, countless pesticides have been banned on farms due to health implications, amongst other reasons. There is a clear concern over the condition of the food we are putting into our bodies, and rightly so, and as far as plastic is concerned, we are certainly moving in the right direction with regard to abolishing it from our oceans. For example, the use of plastic bags in the UK has drastically decreased since the 5p charge was added. 

However, there is still work to be done; we want to be seeing headlines such as 'Use of microplastics banned in cosmetics', not 'Microplastics should be banned in cosmetics' (microplastics are a significant aspect of marine waste that will be discussed in detail in my next blog post). Whilst steps are being made, worries over the contents of the seafood we are consuming do not seem to receive the same concern that other food sources perhaps do. There appears to be a slight disconnect between the waste we are pumping into our oceans and the food we are taking out of it. Like pesticides might affect our corn on the cob, plastic bottle caps might affect our fish and chips.  

In 2013, fish accounted for around 17% of the global population's intake of animal protein - in some countries this figure was over 25%. This is particularly the case for countries such as Iceland and Greenland, who live in an environment not best-suited to growing crops, and so are extremely reliant on fish. With seafood therefore being responsible for a significant proportion of the globe's diet, we must deeply consider what the contents of this food supply might be. 

In addition to the 44% of seabird species that ingest plastic, there are over 250 marine organisms worldwide, and counting, that are known to have been affected by marine debris. This is due to the fact that when plastics in the ocean are broken down into small pieces, marine organisms can mistake them for food. There have been studies on how these plastics can be of detriment to human health once they have found their way into the environment. The plastics contain various harmful chemicals that are produced during part of the manufacturing process, and these can be absorbed into the guts of the organisms which ingest them. Then it's a simple case of dot-to-dot; fish absorb chemicals, humans eat fish. The precise effects on human health that this process has are so far unknown due to this being a relatively understudied phenomenon, hence further research has been advocated. 

Unfortunately, real fish do not use plastic bags to escape captivity (Source)

In a developing world of rising population and growing consumerism, it is important to consider the effects that our actions are having on the environment and how they may come back around to harm us. As previously mentioned, the next post will be about microplastics. These are the 'small pieces' of plastic that marine organisms can mistake for food. I will be discussing exactly what they are and how they have become such a prominent aspect of marine waste. Finally, just a parting thought for any readers at the end of today's topic - think about the food your food is eating!