# data[].attributes.headline
Plastic contributes to global warming/climate change

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Plastic contributes to global warming/climate change

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Plastic in the oceans may interfere with the ocean's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide, thus creating another pathway through which plastic pollution contributes to accelerating climate change.

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We should stop polluting and destroying our planet, because it can affect us and others.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Plastic is environmentally costly to make
2. Plastic is hard to dispose of.
3. Plastic emits greenhouse gases as it decomposes.

# data[].attributes.headline
It kills hundreds of marine animals per day.

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It kills hundreds of marine animals per day.

# data[].attributes.body
Plastics in the ocean kill or harm more than 100,000,000 marine animals every year.

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Plastic pollution does contribute a bit to climate change-and slowing the production of non-degradable plastics has other large benefits for natural ecosystems.

Over a century after the first fully synthetic plastic debuted, plastic waste is a major problem. Eight to 12 million tons of it enter global oceans annually, where it kills marine life, piles into enormous garbage patches, and crumbles into microplastics that resurface in drinking water. "We have plastic in our stomachs," says Christopher Noble, who is the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative's Director of Corporate Engagement and leads their Plastics and Environment Program. "And so does everybody else in the world."

Plastic also contributes to climate change: plastics are environmentally costly to make and dispose of, they emit greenhouse gases as they decompose, and some evidence shows that the tiniest bits damage zooplankton-critters that are critical in the ocean's ability to absorb carbon. ¹

Piles of plastic waste

Plastic is made with fossil fuels and comprises roughly 6% of global oil consumption. ² Humans discard huge amounts daily: more than 40% of all non-fiber plastic becomes packaging, most of which is single-use. ³ And once it's here, it sticks around. "Something from Amazon.com that was packaged one day ago, you throw the packaging out," says Noble. "That packaging was used for 24 hours and then is thrown into a landfill," where it might take decades to decompose.

The US produces more plastic waste than any other country. ⁴ Most of this waste, even if it was intended for recycling, goes to landfills, or is incinerated or exported-often to countries that don't have the infrastructure to prevent it from winding up in water systems. ⁵ Plastic pollution also comes from urban runoff, industrial debris, illegal dumping, particles from clothing and personal care products, and fishing and aquaculture industries, to name a few.

The plastic industry emits greenhouse gases at every stage, from materials extraction to incineration, and production is increasing. A 2019 report from the Center for International Environmental Law projects that the industry will release up to 1.34 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually by 2030 ⁶-about equal to the emissions of the entire continent of Africa today. ⁷ And the resulting plastic waste will continue releasing more emissions the longer it sits around. The most commonly used plastics have been shown to release the greenhouse gases ethylene and methane as they decompose, ⁸ the latter of which traps atmospheric heat at 25 times the rate of carbon dioxide over the course of a century.

How do we prioritize plastic vs. the climate?

Climate change and plastic pollution have many of the same root causes, says Noble, including over-consumption of natural resources and non-renewable energy, and insufficient recycling and reuse systems. And plastic pollution and climate change contribute to many of the same environmental problems, like biodiversity loss. Climate change also worsens plastic pollution's effects: spreading this waste farther as weather and natural hazards intensify, and weakening marine ecosystems so they're less able to withstand plastic pollution. ⁹

Focusing on which of these two global problems is worse "can sometimes discourage working broadly on these issues," cautions Noble. But to the extent we have to choose, he adds, climate change is the more urgent issue: "climate change might well be an existential threat, whereas plastic pollution is not."

Reducing plastic's environmental impact

Recycling, as it exists now, does little to curb plastic pollution. Less than 10% of discarded plastics are recycled, partially because many plastic products, like flexible films used in potato chip bags, are laminated with non-recyclable materials. ¹⁰ Recycling programs also vary between locales, making it hard to know which plastics are recyclable-and misleading labeling doesn't help. (For example, the three-arrow recycling triangle on plastic products doesn't necessarily mean that an item is recyclable in your area.)

Noble calls biodegradable plastics a "big hope" for reducing waste, but historically these options have hit cost and efficacy obstacles. "It's very challenging to create biodegradable plastics," Noble says. "Part of the benefit of plastic is that it is not biodegradable," producing products that will last as long as we care to use them or let them sit on a shelf.

Reducing plastics is vital, he adds, but doing so requires worldwide cooperation. Nearly 130 countries have plastic regulations, ranging from bans on certain types of plastics and plastic products, to laws mandating that producers ensure a certain rate of recycling or responsible disposal, ¹¹ but policies vary between nations and have limited efficacy as plastic consumption keeps rising.

Despite the challenges, there are movements toward a global shift. The UN Environment Programme, for example, is currently working to create an internationally-binding agreement focused on ending plastic pollution. ¹²

Without these types of legal incentives and disincentives motivating plastic producers and consumers to choose alternatives, says Noble, the problems won't stop. "Policy innovation and cooperation are needed at the international, national, and local levels."
Read more Ask MIT Climate

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Would stopping plastic pollution help with climate change? How do we do it?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Plastic pollution does contribute a bit to climate change-and slowing the production of non-degradable plastics has other large benefits for natural ecosystems. Over a century after the first fully synthetic plastic debuted, plastic waste is a major problem.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Plastic pollution does contribute a bit to climate change-and slowing the production of non-degradable plastics has other large benefits for natural ecosystems.

Over a century after the first fully synthetic plastic debuted, plastic waste is a major problem. Eight to 12 million tons of it enter global oceans annually, where it kills marine life, piles into enormous garbage patches, and crumbles into microplastics that resurface in drinking water. "We have plastic in our stomachs," says Christopher Noble, who is the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative's Director of Corporate Engagement and leads their Plastics and Environment Program. "And so does everybody else in the world."

Plastic also contributes to climate change: plastics are environmentally costly to make and dispose of, they emit greenhouse gases as they decompose, and some evidence shows that the tiniest bits damage zooplankton-critters that are critical in the ocean's ability to absorb carbon. ¹

Piles of plastic waste

Plastic is made with fossil fuels and comprises roughly 6% of global oil consumption. ² Humans discard huge amounts daily: more than 40% of all non-fiber plastic becomes packaging, most of which is single-use. ³ And once it's here, it sticks around. "Something from Amazon.com that was packaged one day ago, you throw the packaging out," says Noble. "That packaging was used for 24 hours and then is thrown into a landfill," where it might take decades to decompose.

The US produces more plastic waste than any other country. ⁴ Most of this waste, even if it was intended for recycling, goes to landfills, or is incinerated or exported-often to countries that don't have the infrastructure to prevent it from winding up in water systems. ⁵ Plastic pollution also comes from urban runoff, industrial debris, illegal dumping, particles from clothing and personal care products, and fishing and aquaculture industries, to name a few.

The plastic industry emits greenhouse gases at every stage, from materials extraction to incineration, and production is increasing. A 2019 report from the Center for International Environmental Law projects that the industry will release up to 1.34 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually by 2030 ⁶-about equal to the emissions of the entire continent of Africa today. ⁷ And the resulting plastic waste will continue releasing more emissions the longer it sits around. The most commonly used plastics have been shown to release the greenhouse gases ethylene and methane as they decompose, ⁸ the latter of which traps atmospheric heat at 25 times the rate of carbon dioxide over the course of a century.

How do we prioritize plastic vs. the climate?

Climate change and plastic pollution have many of the same root causes, says Noble, including over-consumption of natural resources and non-renewable energy, and insufficient recycling and reuse systems. And plastic pollution and climate change contribute to many of the same environmental problems, like biodiversity loss. Climate change also worsens plastic pollution's effects: spreading this waste farther as weather and natural hazards intensify, and weakening marine ecosystems so they're less able to withstand plastic pollution. ⁹

Focusing on which of these two global problems is worse "can sometimes discourage working broadly on these issues," cautions Noble. But to the extent we have to choose, he adds, climate change is the more urgent issue: "climate change might well be an existential threat, whereas plastic pollution is not."

Reducing plastic's environmental impact

Recycling, as it exists now, does little to curb plastic pollution. Less than 10% of discarded plastics are recycled, partially because many plastic products, like flexible films used in potato chip bags, are laminated with non-recyclable materials. ¹⁰ Recycling programs also vary between locales, making it hard to know which plastics are recyclable-and misleading labeling doesn't help. (For example, the three-arrow recycling triangle on plastic products doesn't necessarily mean that an item is recyclable in your area.)

Noble calls biodegradable plastics a "big hope" for reducing waste, but historically these options have hit cost and efficacy obstacles. "It's very challenging to create biodegradable plastics," Noble says. "Part of the benefit of plastic is that it is not biodegradable," producing products that will last as long as we care to use them or let them sit on a shelf.

Reducing plastics is vital, he adds, but doing so requires worldwide cooperation. Nearly 130 countries have plastic regulations, ranging from bans on certain types of plastics and plastic products, to laws mandating that producers ensure a certain rate of recycling or responsible disposal, ¹¹ but policies vary between nations and have limited efficacy as plastic consumption keeps rising.

Despite the challenges, there are movements toward a global shift. The UN Environment Programme, for example, is currently working to create an internationally-binding agreement focused on ending plastic pollution. ¹²

Without these types of legal incentives and disincentives motivating plastic producers and consumers to choose alternatives, says Noble, the problems won't stop. "Policy innovation and cooperation are needed at the international, national, and local levels."
Read more Ask MIT Climate

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Would stopping plastic pollution help with climate change? How do we do it?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Plastic pollution does contribute a bit to climate change-and slowing the production of non-degradable plastics has other large benefits for natural ecosystems. Over a century after the first fully synthetic plastic debuted, plastic waste is a major problem.

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By 2050 we will have more plastics in the oceans than fish according to the United Nations Environment which means more fish consuming plastic which makes us sick when we eat the fish.

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1. Plastic that we ingest through fish that ingested plastic.
2. Plastic when made can release toxic gases and harm us.
3. Plastic pollutes the water and when put through the salt filter micro-plastic stays in the water and gets drunk by people.

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Author: Gianna Andrews

This case study is part of a collection of pages developed by students in the 2012 introductory-level Geology and Human Health course in the Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University. Learn more about this project.

Over a few decades, humans have managed to dump tons upon tons of garbage into the ocean. Of the most devastating elements of this pollution is that plastics takes thousands of years to decay. As a result, fish and wildlife are becoming intoxicated. Consequently the toxins from the plastics have entered the food chain, threatening human health. In the most polluted places in the ocean, the mass of plastic exceeds the amount of plankton six times over. This is a large piece of evidence that leaves the problem of polluted oceans undeniable. It is upsetting that more of clean up effort is not taking place.

The Three Plastic Islands

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also know as the Pacific Trash Vortex or gyre, is located in the central North Pacific Ocean and is larger than the state of Texas. There are also garbage patches in the Indian and Atlantic ocean. The patches are defined as containing a higher amount of plastic as compared to surrounding oceans. To date, five patches in total have been discovered.

Plastics are transported and converge in the ocean where currents meet. This means that huge plastic islands are made as a result. SES (Sea Education Society) scientists studied plastics in the Atlantic and calculated there are 580,000 pieces of plastic per square kilometer.

Sources of Plastic Toxins Entering the Oceanic Food Chain

As far as plastic entering the ocean, about 20% of the trash comes from ships and platforms that are offshore. The rest sources from litter being blown into the sea, picked up by tides on the beach, or intentional garbage dumping. The worse part is, these plastics don't biodegrade, so they break up into tiny pieces that are consumed by fish and sea mammals. Plastic is killing more than 100,000 sea turtles and birds a year from ingestion and entanglement. To learn more visit Project Green Bag.

Chemicals in plastics are released into the water as well as the atmosphere. Fish easily become contaminated from the chemicals in the water. This is a direct link of how plastic chemicals enter the food chain. See Earth Times for more on this.

Plastics getting to Humans Impacting Health

Different plastics spread throughout the ocean. As Styrofoam breaks into smaller parts, polystyrene components in it sink lower in the ocean, so that the pollutant spreads throughout the sea column.

In fact, not only do the toxins in plastic affect the ocean, but acting like sponges, they soak up other toxins from outside sources before entering the ocean. As these chemicals are ingested by animals in the ocean, this is not good for humans. We as humans ingest contaminated fish and mammals.

For more information on this topic on toxins in the ocean, see this article by National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/8/plastic-breaks-down-in-ocean-after-all-and-fast/#:~:text=Though%20ocean%2Dborne%20plastic%20trash,that's%20not%20a%20good%20thing.

There are different types of ways that plastic is dangerous for humans. Direct toxicity from plastics comes from lead, cadmium, and mercury. These toxins have also been found in many fish in the ocean, which is very dangerous for humans. Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) contained in some plastics, is a toxic carcinogen. Other toxins in plastics are directly linked to cancers, birth defects, immune system problems, and childhood developmental issues. To learn more on effects of plastics on humans visit the Ecology Center

Other types of toxic plastics are BPA or health-bisphenol-A, along with phthalates (mentioned above). Both of these are of great concern to human health. BPA is used in many things including plastic bottles and food packaging materials. Over time the polymer chains of BPA break down, and can enter the human body in many ways from drinking contaminated water to eating a fish that is exposed to the broken down toxins. Specifically, BPA is a known chemical that interferes with human hormonal function.

Rolf Halden, associate professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and Arizona State University has studied plastics adverse effects on humans and has thus far concluded that and exact outline of health effects of plastics on humans is almost impossible to determine. This is due to the fact that the problem of plastic contamination in humans is globally spread; there are almost no unexposed subjects. That being said, it is evident that the chemicals are not healthy for humans. To learn more about Halden's studies on plastic at Arizona State University see Impacts of plastics on human health and ecosystems

Prevention of Contamination

As Rolf Halden asserts, the only way for this unsustainable plastic production to decrease would be a global staggering petroleum supply, because of environmental worry. About 8% of the world's oil use is from manufacturing plastics.

There are efforts to protect the oceans from plastic pollutants along with human health, but they are mostly grassroots organizations. One in particular that I discovered during my research is Save My Oceans (http://www.savemyoceans.com/plastics.php-broken link) which anyone can become involved with.

As far as protecting yourself from contamination, it is probably best not to have a diet that consists mainly of fish, since most is probably contaminated. However, one of the most effective things we could all do as members of this fragile ecosystem is to be responsible for our trash. When we have the opportunity, we should try to avoid buying products packaged in plastic. We should always recycle plastic when we do use it. At the store, request a paper bag instead of plastic, or bring your own. Use a reusable water bottle, and of course don't litter.

The Role Humans Play

As quoted by UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner,

"Marine debris - trash in our oceans - is a symptom of our throw-away society and our approach to how we use our natural resources."

Our tendency as humans to be irresponsible about cleaning up after ourselves is about to get us in trouble. We risk losing many species in the ocean as well as negatively affecting ourselves. The average person produces half a pound of plastic waste every day. No wonder the oceans are filling up with waste!

I think part of the problem is that we don't recognize how this issue starts with the individual. There are obviously life style changes we can make to solve this problem. We just have to be willing to accept this issue and look past our denial. The government also needs to make regulations on plastics if anything is going to change. Surprisingly, there is little to no information on governmental websites about pollution in the oceans. I think they are afraid to address the problem; it is a costly fix. However there have been some treaties formed to minimize the amount of trash entering the oceans. This is still not enough. To see more on EPA laws and treaties visit US Environmental Protection Agency. These grassroots organizations are vital then to the protection of the oceans, striving to get information out about this tragic pollution. We should really all be involved though, it is everyone's responsibility. Lets make these changes before it is too late and we kill the all oceanic life, or even our own.

Related Links

1. How Does Plastic Get Into The Ocean? Project Green Bag

I found this website helpful in describing the how marine waste has compiled into the different plastic islands.

2. Plastic Contamination in the Atlantic Ocean Earth Times, Kirsten E. Silven

This web article speaks specifically to the Atlantic garbage patch and plastic pollution in the ocean.

3. Plastic Breaks Down in Ocean, After All- And Fast National Geographic

An article discussing how plastic breaks down in the ocean and is ingested by sea birds, asserts that humans will as well be affected by the toxins.

4. Human Health Warning UN New Centre

This article provides useful information about the human tendency to waste and pollute and how it is affecting the planet and its species.

5. Adverse Health Effects of Plastics Ecology Center

Discussing the health impacts that plastics have on humans, this article discusses the dangers in different plastic chemicals.

6. Impacts of plastics on human health and ecosystems News Medical

7. http://www.projectgreenbag.com/news/how-does-plastic-get-into-the-ocean 'Project GreenBag'

This is an extensive article on research done by Rolf Halden and his concern for humans and the environment from our irresponsible use of plastic. I found it very compelling.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
teach the earth incorporating societal issues geology and health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Over a few decades, humans have managed to dump tons upon tons of garbage into the ocean. Of the most devastating elements of this pollution is that plastics takes thousands of years to decay. As a result, fish and wildlife are becoming intoxicated. Consequently the toxins from the plastics have entered the food chain, threatening human health.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Author: Gianna Andrews

This case study is part of a collection of pages developed by students in the 2012 introductory-level Geology and Human Health course in the Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University. Learn more about this project.

Over a few decades, humans have managed to dump tons upon tons of garbage into the ocean. Of the most devastating elements of this pollution is that plastics takes thousands of years to decay. As a result, fish and wildlife are becoming intoxicated. Consequently the toxins from the plastics have entered the food chain, threatening human health. In the most polluted places in the ocean, the mass of plastic exceeds the amount of plankton six times over. This is a large piece of evidence that leaves the problem of polluted oceans undeniable. It is upsetting that more of clean up effort is not taking place.

The Three Plastic Islands

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also know as the Pacific Trash Vortex or gyre, is located in the central North Pacific Ocean and is larger than the state of Texas. There are also garbage patches in the Indian and Atlantic ocean. The patches are defined as containing a higher amount of plastic as compared to surrounding oceans. To date, five patches in total have been discovered.

Plastics are transported and converge in the ocean where currents meet. This means that huge plastic islands are made as a result. SES (Sea Education Society) scientists studied plastics in the Atlantic and calculated there are 580,000 pieces of plastic per square kilometer.

Sources of Plastic Toxins Entering the Oceanic Food Chain

As far as plastic entering the ocean, about 20% of the trash comes from ships and platforms that are offshore. The rest sources from litter being blown into the sea, picked up by tides on the beach, or intentional garbage dumping. The worse part is, these plastics don't biodegrade, so they break up into tiny pieces that are consumed by fish and sea mammals. Plastic is killing more than 100,000 sea turtles and birds a year from ingestion and entanglement. To learn more visit Project Green Bag.

Chemicals in plastics are released into the water as well as the atmosphere. Fish easily become contaminated from the chemicals in the water. This is a direct link of how plastic chemicals enter the food chain. See Earth Times for more on this.

Plastics getting to Humans Impacting Health

Different plastics spread throughout the ocean. As Styrofoam breaks into smaller parts, polystyrene components in it sink lower in the ocean, so that the pollutant spreads throughout the sea column.

In fact, not only do the toxins in plastic affect the ocean, but acting like sponges, they soak up other toxins from outside sources before entering the ocean. As these chemicals are ingested by animals in the ocean, this is not good for humans. We as humans ingest contaminated fish and mammals.

For more information on this topic on toxins in the ocean, see this article by National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/8/plastic-breaks-down-in-ocean-after-all-and-fast/#:~:text=Though%20ocean%2Dborne%20plastic%20trash,that's%20not%20a%20good%20thing.

There are different types of ways that plastic is dangerous for humans. Direct toxicity from plastics comes from lead, cadmium, and mercury. These toxins have also been found in many fish in the ocean, which is very dangerous for humans. Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) contained in some plastics, is a toxic carcinogen. Other toxins in plastics are directly linked to cancers, birth defects, immune system problems, and childhood developmental issues. To learn more on effects of plastics on humans visit the Ecology Center

Other types of toxic plastics are BPA or health-bisphenol-A, along with phthalates (mentioned above). Both of these are of great concern to human health. BPA is used in many things including plastic bottles and food packaging materials. Over time the polymer chains of BPA break down, and can enter the human body in many ways from drinking contaminated water to eating a fish that is exposed to the broken down toxins. Specifically, BPA is a known chemical that interferes with human hormonal function.

Rolf Halden, associate professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and Arizona State University has studied plastics adverse effects on humans and has thus far concluded that and exact outline of health effects of plastics on humans is almost impossible to determine. This is due to the fact that the problem of plastic contamination in humans is globally spread; there are almost no unexposed subjects. That being said, it is evident that the chemicals are not healthy for humans. To learn more about Halden's studies on plastic at Arizona State University see Impacts of plastics on human health and ecosystems

Prevention of Contamination

As Rolf Halden asserts, the only way for this unsustainable plastic production to decrease would be a global staggering petroleum supply, because of environmental worry. About 8% of the world's oil use is from manufacturing plastics.

There are efforts to protect the oceans from plastic pollutants along with human health, but they are mostly grassroots organizations. One in particular that I discovered during my research is Save My Oceans (http://www.savemyoceans.com/plastics.php-broken link) which anyone can become involved with.

As far as protecting yourself from contamination, it is probably best not to have a diet that consists mainly of fish, since most is probably contaminated. However, one of the most effective things we could all do as members of this fragile ecosystem is to be responsible for our trash. When we have the opportunity, we should try to avoid buying products packaged in plastic. We should always recycle plastic when we do use it. At the store, request a paper bag instead of plastic, or bring your own. Use a reusable water bottle, and of course don't litter.

The Role Humans Play

As quoted by UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner,

"Marine debris - trash in our oceans - is a symptom of our throw-away society and our approach to how we use our natural resources."

Our tendency as humans to be irresponsible about cleaning up after ourselves is about to get us in trouble. We risk losing many species in the ocean as well as negatively affecting ourselves. The average person produces half a pound of plastic waste every day. No wonder the oceans are filling up with waste!

I think part of the problem is that we don't recognize how this issue starts with the individual. There are obviously life style changes we can make to solve this problem. We just have to be willing to accept this issue and look past our denial. The government also needs to make regulations on plastics if anything is going to change. Surprisingly, there is little to no information on governmental websites about pollution in the oceans. I think they are afraid to address the problem; it is a costly fix. However there have been some treaties formed to minimize the amount of trash entering the oceans. This is still not enough. To see more on EPA laws and treaties visit US Environmental Protection Agency. These grassroots organizations are vital then to the protection of the oceans, striving to get information out about this tragic pollution. We should really all be involved though, it is everyone's responsibility. Lets make these changes before it is too late and we kill the all oceanic life, or even our own.

Related Links

1. How Does Plastic Get Into The Ocean? Project Green Bag

I found this website helpful in describing the how marine waste has compiled into the different plastic islands.

2. Plastic Contamination in the Atlantic Ocean Earth Times, Kirsten E. Silven

This web article speaks specifically to the Atlantic garbage patch and plastic pollution in the ocean.

3. Plastic Breaks Down in Ocean, After All- And Fast National Geographic

An article discussing how plastic breaks down in the ocean and is ingested by sea birds, asserts that humans will as well be affected by the toxins.

4. Human Health Warning UN New Centre

This article provides useful information about the human tendency to waste and pollute and how it is affecting the planet and its species.

5. Adverse Health Effects of Plastics Ecology Center

Discussing the health impacts that plastics have on humans, this article discusses the dangers in different plastic chemicals.

6. Impacts of plastics on human health and ecosystems News Medical

7. http://www.projectgreenbag.com/news/how-does-plastic-get-into-the-ocean 'Project GreenBag'

This is an extensive article on research done by Rolf Halden and his concern for humans and the environment from our irresponsible use of plastic. I found it very compelling.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
teach the earth incorporating societal issues geology and health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Over a few decades, humans have managed to dump tons upon tons of garbage into the ocean. Of the most devastating elements of this pollution is that plastics takes thousands of years to decay. As a result, fish and wildlife are becoming intoxicated. Consequently the toxins from the plastics have entered the food chain, threatening human health.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Microscopic plastic harms marine animals' organs when ingested by accident.
2. Marine animals get plastic in their gills or mouths so they can't breathe.
3. Big pieces of plastic such as plastic bags can hook onto marine life and cause deformity's while growing.