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You’re a nurdle novice. but you can still become a microplastics expert by learning more. 5| Microplastics mad. You’re getting there! Learn more.
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Fan-plastic! You’re a microplastics quiz whizz. Learn more.
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# social text incomplete: What’s the depth of your knowledge on microplastic pollution? Find out in this @PewEurope quiz.
# social text complete: How much do you know about microplastic pollution? I took the quiz and got a {score} out {total_questions}. Test yourself and share your results!
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? Microplastics are small fragments of plastics less than … (!img[Anadolu Agency via Getty Images]({_imgurl}Microplastics_Quiz_1.jpg) /!)
- 1 micrometre in diameter—the length of a typical bacterium
+ 5 millimetres in diameter—the thickness of a pencil
- 10 millimetres in diameter—the size of a pea
! Microplastics are generally defined as pieces of plastic less than 5 millimetres in size. There are even smaller particles called nanoplastics, which are defined as pieces of plastic between 1 to 1,000 nanometres that are created through the breakdown of microplastics. Direct sources of microplastics include paint, tyre abrasion, plastic pellets and textiles, as well as ingredients in personal care products, detergents, agricultural fertilisers and other goods. Governments and businesses must adopt policies to stop the leakage of microplastics into the ocean and, more broadly, into the environment. They must also take urgent action to stop pollution from larger pieces of plastic—called macroplastics—which can break down into microplastics.
? What type of microplastic is this? (!img[Unsplash]({_imgurl}Microplastics_Quiz_2.jpg) /!)
- Styrofoam
- Microbeads
- Noodles
+ Nurdles
! Also called plastic pellets, these tiny granules of plastic, usually in the shape of a cylinder or a disk, are produced as a raw material (also from plastic recycling) and are the building blocks of most plastic products. They’re often spilled, such as in factories or during transport, contaminating the environment in the process. In 2016, nurdles contributed approximately 10 trillion particles—collectively weighing about 220 kilotons—of microplastic leakage into the ocean.
? What is the leading source of microplastic pollution worldwide? (!img[Shutterstock]({_imgurl}Microplastics_Quiz_3.jpg) /!)
- Pellets
- Tyres
+ Paint
- Textiles
! A 2022 study found that
paint is the largest estimated source of microplastic emissions, accounting for 1.9 million metric tons of that leakage globally into oceans and waterways. Leakage occurs during painting—of buildings, ships, roadways and a huge range of other applications—and from wear and tear, paint removal and disposal of unused paint. The second largest source is tyre particles, which were responsible for nearly 1 million metric tons of microplastic leakage in 2016. Vehicle tyres shed tiny particles during normal use. Pellets and textiles are the third and fourth largest sources, respectively.
? Which are the biggest microplastic polluters, per capita? (!img[Unsplash]({_imgurl}Microplastics_Quiz_4.jpg) /!)
- Low-income countries
- Middle-income countries
+ High-income countries
! In The Pew Charitable Trusts’
Breaking the Plastic Wave report, microplastics composed about 60% of total plastic leakage in high-income countries. In 2016, when the underlying research was conducted, this was estimated to be equivalent to 365 grams of microplastic per capita—about the weight of a small loaf of bread. By comparison, middle- and low-income countries leaked 109 grams of microplastic per capita—about the weight of an apple. Microplastic emissions to the ocean from high-income countries are 3.4 times higher than from the rest of the world. This difference is mainly because of higher driving rates, plastic consumption and textile washing in high-income countries.
? If they’re so small, can microplastics really affect the ocean? (!img[Getty Images]({_imgurl}Microplastics_Quiz_5.jpg) /!)
+ Yes
- No
! In
Breaking the Plastic Wave, we estimate that 26% of all the microplastics released into the environment through any means ends up in the ocean, while 63% ends up in other places, including soil and air. Studies have demonstrated that the plastics and the toxic chemicals they contain can affect the growth, health, survival, feeding and ability to breed in a range of invertebrate and fish species. Further, microplastics can end up in the food chain after being accidently eaten by animals—and may then eventually be consumed by people.
? True or false: Microplastics have been found in food and water that people consume. (!img[Getty Images/iStockphoto]({_imgurl}Microplastics_Quiz_6.jpg) /!)
+ True
- False
! Research
has revealed microplastics in bottled water and in foods, including shellfish, other fish, land and ocean invertebrates, and humans. However, this is a relatively new area of research, and a 2019 World Health Organization report on microplastics in drinking water concluded that microplastic exposure levels in humans and the long-term consequences of that are not yet fully understood; the report called for further assessment on the potential impact on human health.
? What can be done do to limit microplastic pollution? (!img[Unsplash]({_imgurl}Microplastics_Quiz_7.jpg) /!)
- Adopt policies and manufacturing techniques to reduce how much microplastic tyres can shed
- Improve the design and manufacture of textiles to reduce fibre shedding during production, wear and cleaning of those products
- Adopt regulations to prevent pellet leakage along the plastics supply chain
- Ban microplastic ingredients in personal care and other products
+ All of the above
! Solutions should focus on reducing microplastics at their source, because this is more cost-efficient and feasible than collecting microplastic particles after they leak into the environment. Addressing the problem at the source could be achieved through establishing emission limits for tyres and design requirements for textiles, rethinking tyre and textile design, reforming transportation to decrease the total distance driven by cars, taking regulatory and corporate measures to prevent pellet leakage, and banning the usage of microplastic ingredients in personal care and other relevant products.
