Comments on: Plastic and ocean life– Micro to Mega

By: Ian Kenney

Ian Kenney — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 07:48:51 +0000

I knew this was a problem, as there have been several articles in New Scientist recently. There is also a small exhibition in Brighton Museum currently which features the oceans and plastic pollution. What really brought it home to me was the assertion that ‘some beaches in Hawaii are almost 50% microplastic rather than sand grains.

That’s shocking!

By: emma

emma — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 13:55:09 +0000

Hi Jacki, it’s great to see you’re so enthusiastic! i really wish it was law that plastic bags in shops had to be sold at 5 p and were no longer free. its what has happened elsewhere in the UK but england won’t follow! As a baby i think i had washable nappies, which i always thought was a bit unhygienic but i guess now i know so much about our environment i might have to do the same when i have children. Excess packaging bothers me too, its enough to make me go to the greengrocers just so i don’t have everything wrapped in plastic. I’m not sure what the reason is for doing it. Ludicrous!

By: Jacki Hart

Jacki Hart — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 12:53:08 +0000

Another point I forgot to add is that Lidl supermarkets had paper sacks for shopping when I was there last week. Know these are quite normal in the USA but it is a long time since I have seen them in the UK.
Lack of awareness as to waste is, I believe, generational!
When my kids were small we used Terry nappies & had to wash them!!! Once you had 2 -3 dozen they would see you through several children & when no longer required they were used as floor-cloths.
Excess packing is also something that annoys me. Why a plastic bag inside a cardboard box?
I will be on my high horse again so must close!!!

By: Jacki Hart

Jacki Hart — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 12:46:44 +0000

You are so right. I live near to the Northumbrian coast where we have marine reserves but the amount of “stuff” that is deposited on our local beaches (especially after a storm in the North Sea) is incredible.
Take-away containers(polystyrene), Lots if bits of rope,nets & twine most of which is polypropalene . Lobster pots, nappies, carrier bags, condoms….the list is endless.
Then of course we must think of all the “stuff” dumped after WW2 by the military , ammunition, luminous dials from planes, etc. and we must also remember that up until fairly recently must naval vessels/submarines were full of asbestos.
Nuclear power plants also result in “hot spots” on nearby beaches due to the cooling water required. In the far North of Scotland there is a beach which is privately owned & is I believe still closed due to radiation .