This month at Water Wise

Does plastic pollution affect our freshwater systems?

While the focus of the war against plastic pollution is often on the effects on marine ecosystems, does plastic pollution affects our freshwater ecosystems? Research has shown that the accumulation of plastic in freshwater systems has far-reaching effects on both the wildlife and plants that that use rivers as habitats, but also the oceans that are fed by these rivers.

Plastic pollution can be toxic to both humans and wildlife. Animals can mistake plastic for food and can get trapped in plastic, preventing them from feeding, drinking, or even breathing. The UN (United Nations) Environment Programme warns that the amount of terrestrial microplastic pollution (tiny particles of disintegrated plastic) is from four to twenty-three times greater than marine microplastic pollution. Once these particles enter the food chain they may leach potentially harmful substances into our soil and freshwater.

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Over the past few months, local and international news has been filled with devastating images of marine life entangled within various forms of plastic waste: turtles stuck in plastic beach chairs; tiny fish swimming within a plastic bag; the carcass of an albatross with a plastic-filled stomach; and kilometers upon kilometers of a plastic-covered ocean surface. These images are enough to jolt us into the realisation that our plastic use is, and will be, highly detrimental to our environment.

While it is a great start to focus on plastic pollution as part of our international environmental days, such as World Environment Day in June, it is important not to forget the immensity of the situation. Recently, the focus has been on the reduction of single-use or disposable plastic items. These include Styrofoam containers, plastic straws, coffee stirrers, water bottles, most food packaging, and plastic bags.

Plastic pollution has a highly negative effect on freshwater too, which can affect the quality of our water supply.

Water Wise calls you to stand up against single-use plastic. Challenge big chains to reduce the use of disposable plastic. Look for alternatives such as stainless steel straws, paper bags, and biodegradable containers. The best way to make a difference is to do it together.

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