No Plastic in Nature: Assessing Plastic Ingestion From Nature To People 7. 6 No Plastic in Nature: publications/NPEC-Hybrid_English_22-11-17_Digital.pdf).
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CONTENTS ACKN OWL EDGEME NTS The analysis was written by Dalberg Advisors, Wijnand de Wit and Nathan Bigaud. DAL BERG ADVIS ORS and sustainable world where all people, everywhere, can reach their fullest potential. WW F 100 countries. biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, All rights reserved Design: Ender Ergün WWF International Avenue du Mont-Blanc www.panda.org Dalberg www.Dalberg.com The University of Newcastle www.newcastle.edu.au/ PLAS TIC IS PO LLUT IN G THE AI R WE BRE ATHE, THE WA TER WE DRINK AND THE FOO D WE EAT . 6STU DY METHO DOLOGY AND LI MITATIONS . 7WW F™S CALL FOR CO LL ECT IV E GLOB AL A CT ION ..12 ENDN OTE S 14Cover photo © Mohammed Abdulraheem / Shutterstock / WWF AN ANALYSIS FOR WW F BY
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13. Microplastics are contaminating the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. size AN AV ER AGE PER SON COU LD BE IN GE STIN G APPROX IMATE LY 5 GR AMS OF PLAS TIC PER WEE K. THE EQU IVAL ENT OF O NE CRE DI T CARD.A new study by the University of Newcastle, Australia, takes a closer look at the data gap on what plastic pollution means for human nutrition15. concerns over the large quantity of plastic we ingest every day. Study methodology and limitations The study by the University of Newcastle, discussed below builds on a comprehensive review of existing studies to estimate plastic ingestion through inhalation, food, and beverages. The approach was to focus on available data and to use conservative extrapolations and assumptions when data was not available. While this study represents a synthesis of the best available data, it builds on a limited set of evidence, and comes with limitations. The consensus among specialists is thus that while these numbers are in a realistic range, further studies are needed to get a precise estimate. A key limitation is the lack of data available on crucial metrics, such as weight and size distribution of microplastics in natural environments, and the varying quality of data collected. A widespread issue in data collection for instance is variations in sample collection methodologies leading to risks of contamination. the Invisible plastics (2017). The Newcastle study team used assumptions and extrapolations to bridge data gaps and adjust for data quality. It is acknowledged that with every assumption and extrapolation, the level of uncertainty increases, and further research and data collection is needed to ascertain these results. The study reveals that consumption of common food and beverages may result in a weekly ingestion of approximately 5 grams of plastic, depending on consumption habits. Out of a total of 52 studies that the University of Newcastle and beverage. *2. A new study by the University of Newcastle, Australia suggests that an average person could be into our body, and what we can do about it.Increasing plastic use and limited recycling results in towering plastic production.1nature2. The production of virgin plastic has increased a year since 2000. If all predicted plastic production capacity is reached, current production could increase by 3. As of today, a third of plastic waste ends up in nature, accounting for 100 million metric tons of plastic waste in 20164. Plastic is used as waste5 6. Of . . planet 9 and in Arctic sea ice10 11 12 Figure 1: Total production of virgin plastic by year, 1950-2030 (forecasted)PLAS TIC IS PO LL UT IN G THE AI R WE BRE ATHE, THE WA TER WE DRINK AND THE FOO D WE E AT. 1950 0500 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 1,500 2,500 3,500 4,500 5,500 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 PRO JECTE DHAL F OF THE VI RG IN PLAS TIC PRO DUCE D BET WEE N 1950 AND 2016 H AS OCCURRE D SIN CE 2000. 2016 2000AN AVER AGE PER SON COU LD BE INGE STI NG˜ APPROXIM ATE LY 5 GR AMS OF PLAS TIC EVERY WEEK5 g
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* Drinking water includes both tap and bottled waterDrinking water* Shellfish Beer Salt 1769 182 1011(>100um) per 500ml16Figure 2: Estimated microplastics ingested through consumption of common foods and beverages (particles (0-1mm) per week) An average person potentially consumes as much as 1769 particles of plastic every week just from water USEurope Lebanon Uganda Ecuador India Indonesia 4.8 4.5 2.2 1.9 2.2 41.9 72.2 % 82.4 % 79.2 % 76.2 % 80.8 % 94.4 % 98 % © Shane Gross / Shutterstock / WWF
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THE LONG-TERM EFFECT S ON OUR HEALTH OF INGESTING LARGE QUANTITIES OF PLASTIC ARE NOT CLEAR BUT STUDIES ARE UNDERWAY . currently understood21. well documented. But studies have shown that tract2223in vitro to lung cells, the liver, and brain cells. on human health. 25 and cancers . health. 29. The University of Newcastle in Australia Ingestion of plastic is just one aspect of a much larger problem with Plastic pollution is The largest source of plastic ingestion is drinking water* with plastic found in water (groundwater, surface water, tap water and bottled water) all over the world . . 19 polluted seas. Inhalation estimates represent a negligible proportion of microplastics entering the human body but may vary heavily depending on the environment. The study surveys 16 papers focusing on outdoor and indoor air quality. 20. Going forward, scientists are working to obtain more precise information on pollution from plastic, how it is distributed and how much is consumed. © Shutterstock / See Cee / WWF
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Law, Production, Use, and Fate of All Plastics EverMade Microplastics as an Emerging Threat to Terrestrial Ecosystems3 WWF, Solving plastic pollution through accountability , 2019 (https://www.worldwildlife.org/publications/solving- Microplastics as an Emerging Threat to Terrestrial Ecosystems Law, Production, Use, and Fate of All Plastics EverMade Plastic Waste Inputs from Land into the Ocean The new plastics economy: rethinking the future of plastics & catalysing action Marine Debris: Understanding, Preventing and Coastal Biodiversity , Microplastics as an Emerging Threat to Terrestrial Ecosystems How much microplastics are we ingesting? Estimation of the mass of microplastics ingested.Report for WWF How much microplastics are we ingesting? Estimation of the mass of microplastics ingested.Report for WWF Synthetic Polymer Contamination in Bottled Water, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ Atmospheric transport and deposition of microplastics in a remote mountain catchment, Nature 019-0335-5 Microplastics in air: Are we breathing it in?, 22 Ibid. knowledge on their occurrence and implications for aquatic organisms and food safety, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture pdf 26 Melzer, David, et al., Association of urinary bisphenol a concentration with heart disease: evidence from NHANES 2003/06 Human exposure to PBDE and critical evaluation of health hazards https:// 30 UNEP, Marine Plastic Debris and Microplastics: Global Lessons and Research to Inspire Action and Guide Policy Change, ENDN OTE S
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5g75%87%1 tonAverage person could be pollution.The ocean will ton of plastic for Of all plastic ever produced is wasteAssessing plastic ingestion from nature to people © 1986 Panda symbol WWF Œ World Wide Fund For Nature (Formerly World Wildlife Fund) ® fiWWFfl is a WWF Registered Trademark. WWF, Rue Mauverney 28, 1196 Gland, Switzerland Œ Tel. +41 22 364 9111; Fax. +41 22 364 0332. For contact details and further information, visit our international website at panda.org Why we are herepanda.orgTo stop the degradation of the planet™s natural environment andto build a future in which people live in harmony with nature.© 1986 Panda symbol WWF Œ World Wide Fund For Nature (Formerly World Wildlife Fund) ® fiWWFfl is a WWF Registered Trademark. WWF, Avenue du Mont-Blanc, 1196 Gland, Switzerland Tel. +41 22 364 9111 Fax +41 22 364 0332. For contact details and further information, please visit our International website at www.panda.org © Text 2016 WWF. All rights reserved100%RECYCLEDGO.P ANDA .ORG /PLAS TICSNO PLAS TIC IN NATURE: A SS ESSIN G PLAS TIC INGE STION FROM N ATURE TO PEOP LE
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