Biodegradable polymers are materials that can be broken down by living things. Unlike most polymers, which are made to last a long time, biodegradable polymers are not. These polymers can be made from natural materials, oil-based substances, or a mix of both.
The European Union’s Directive (EU) 2019/904, also called the Single-Use Plastics Directive, was created on June 5, 2019. This rule helps reduce the harm caused by certain plastic products to the environment, especially the ocean and people’s health. It also encourages moving toward a circular economy, which means using resources wisely and creating new, sustainable ways to make products.
Marine plastic pollution is a type of ocean pollution caused by plastic materials, which can be as large as bottles and bags or as small as microplastics. Microplastics and nanoplastics form when larger plastic items break down in the ocean, rivers, or surface waters. Most ocean debris comes from human waste that floats or is suspended in the ocean.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also called the Pacific trash vortex or North Pacific Garbage Patch, is a large area in the central North Pacific Ocean filled with floating debris. It is found roughly between 135°W to 155°W and 35°N to 42°N. The trash and plastic in this area come from countries around the Pacific Rim, including parts of Asia, North America, and South America.
Microplastics are tiny pieces made from man-made materials. They can be any shape and range in size from 1 micrometer (about the width of a human hair) to 5 millimeters. They come from two sources: some are made intentionally to be small, and others form when larger plastic items break down over time.
Microplastics are tiny plastic pieces or plastic materials that are either round or irregular in shape and range in size from 1 micrometer to 5 millimeters. They can come from two sources: they may already be small when made (primary microplastics), or they may form after larger plastic items break down in the environment (secondary microplastics). Microplastics cause pollution because they enter natural environments from many places, such as makeup, clothing, building materials, food packaging, and industrial activities.
Cadmium is a harmful metal that occurs naturally. People may be exposed to it in workplaces, in soil where plants grow, and through smoking. Because the amount of cadmium that is safe for humans is very small, even tiny amounts can be dangerous.
Lead poisoning, also called plumbism and saturnism, happens when lead enters the human body. It can cause symptoms like stomach pain, trouble passing stool, headaches, being easily upset, memory issues, trouble having children, and numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. Lead poisoning is linked to about 10% of intellectual disabilities with no known cause and can lead to behavior problems.
Mercury in fish is an important health issue for people who eat them, especially for women who are or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children. Fish and shellfish take in mercury from their environment, often in the form of methylmercury, a type of mercury that is very harmful. Mercury builds up in the bodies of humans over time, so when people eat seafood that contains mercury, it can lead to mercury poisoning.
A toxic heavy metal is a confusing term for a metal-like element that can be harmful to health. Not all heavy metals are toxic, and some toxic metals are not heavy. Examples of toxic elements include cadmium, lead, and mercury, which are listed by the World Health Organization as 10 major chemicals of public concern.