“They are there because of marketing.”Thompson added: “You can’t ban microplastics [because they are made up of many different sources of plastics, which are broken down in oceans]. Plastics should be better designed to encourage recycling and prevent wasteful single-use containers finding their way into our oceans, where they break up into small pieces and are swallowed by marine animals, scientists said on Thursday. The scientists called for more research on the sources of plastics, their concentrations across the world, their effects on marine life, the potential of chemicals leaching from them, and the differences among varieties of plastics that might make some more deadly than others. Using biodegradable plastics is one way in which producers have tried to solve the problem. Photograph: Hennell/AlamyEvidence of the harm they do once broken down in the oceans is building up from new research.

Source: The Guardian July 14, 2016 14:15 UTC