Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.08.2014, Qupperneq 22

On June 28, the 5 Gyres Institute sailed into Reykjavík fol-
lowing a three-week expedition during which they collect-
ed marine plastic samples from Bermuda to Iceland. Led
by half-Icelandic Research Director Dr. Marcus Eriksen, a
super-crew consisting of 13 advocates, sailing experts, art-
ists, journalists, students and others set out with the goal of
researching the North Atlantic and subpolar gyres.
Gyres are large rotating ocean current
systems that accumulate what is es-
timated to be hundreds of thousands
of tonnes of plastic that makes its way
into the world’s oceans. Few would be
better suited to carry out this research
than the 5 Gyres Institute, as they are
the world’s first organisation to con-
duct research in the five major gyres,
which include the North and South
Atlantic gyres, North and South Pacific
gyres and the Indian Ocean gyre. The
findings of this research expedition,
which included taking ocean samples
in the subpolar gyre just south of Ice-
land and also taking beach samples in
Vík and Selfoss, indicate that Iceland is
suffering from the same plastics prob-
lem that affects nearly every corner of
the world’s oceans. Each sample taken
during 5 Gyres’ expedition revealed
surface and subsurface microplastic
pollution. These findings reveal that
Iceland is inextricably part of this glob-
al issue.
The Cycle Of Synthetics
It’s no big secret that the oceans are
teeming with trash. Because of ocean
currents and non-biodegradable plas-
tics, a straw you tossed on the ground
could find their way around the world’s
oceans before too long—and it will have
plenty of other plastic to keep it com-
pany. Due to degradation by the sun,
chemicals, and hungry sea creatures,
plastics can be broken up into salt-and-
pepper size particles that can create
sort of a film near the ocean’s surface.
Over the course of their journey, the
research crew found everything from
gnawed Styrofoam cups to small action
figures and countless microparticles.
While many people would acknowl-
edge that this plastic pollution leads
to far more unattractive beaches, what
may be less well known is that it has
health implications for humans as well.
According to Marcus, marine plas-
tic pollution is already affecting human
health. “Once plastic hits the ground, it
becomes more toxic over time,” he says.
“So, very quickly, one small particle of
plastic in the ocean is absorbing pesti-
cides, industrial chemicals, hydrocar-
bons—all this stuff that sticks to plastic
in high concentrations.” Marcus points
out that one scientist found that a single
particle of marine plastic can have up
to one million times the concentration
of these pollutants than ambient sea-
water does.
Additionally, the pH in the stom-
achs of fish and other ocean creatures
is very different than that of ambient
seawater. “So all those different things
going on in fish stomachs can pull the
toxins off the plastics,” Marcus says,
“and what we’re finding is that fish
store these toxins in their tissues and
organs. So if you’re eating a fish that ate
a fish that ate plastic that came from
a plastic fork that you dropped on the
ground five years ago, you’re eating
your own trash.”
What Needs To Be Done
When it comes down to it, 5 Gyres’ re-
search shows that we cannot remove
ourselves from this cycle of trash.
When we pollute the environment—
whether this manifests as a Pacific
garbage patch the size of Texas, trash-
filled coastlines in Southeast Asia or
even the Icelandic fish that have in-
gested these chemicals that we then
consume—the pollution inevitably has
human consequences as well. Marcus
stresses that the most effective way to
address this problem is by targeting the
source.
“It’s ridiculous
that we take a mate-
rial that’s designed to
last forever and make
a product that’s de-
signed to be thrown
away,” he says. “And
that kind of stupid
use of that mate-
rial is what’s creat-
ing these islands of
trash in the oceans.”
For instance, 5 Gyres
has led a hard-fought
campaign against
the exfoliating mi-
crobeads found in
skincare products.
These exemplify
single-use plastic—
worse yet, a product
that is actually de-
signed to be washed
down the drain—and
these too end up in
the stomachs or even
circulatory systems
of marine creatures.
Marcus emphasises
that we as consum-
ers need to make our voices heard and
demand that companies practise better
product stewardship. By shifting away
from microbeads and other single-use
plastic products, companies are capa-
ble of making a difference—and we, the
consumers, have the power to nudge
them in that direction.
5 Gyres’ research demonstrates that
Iceland is already be-
ing affected by ma-
rine plastic pollution.
“We’re just going to
see more of it, going
to start finding plas-
tic particles and their
associated toxins in
the food that Iceland-
ers harvest,” Marcus
says. He strongly en-
courages Icelanders
to take part in the
global movement to
address this problem.
“What you buy and
what you throw away
is part of a global sys-
tem of consumerism.
And Iceland can set
a standard for the
world to follow by not
consuming products
that have no plan for
their disposal.”
Regardless of
whether Icelanders
make this choice,
however, Marcus re-
minds us that “the
trash is coming to you anyway. It’s go-
ing to be on your beaches, in the food
you eat, and in the fish you harvest and
sell around the world. We’re already
seeing it happening, and if you look
closely, you might see it here.”
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22
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 11 — 2014
Environment | Pollution :(
Plastic,
Not So
Fantastic
Marine plastics pollution
and what it means for Iceland
Words by Tyler Clevenger
Photo by Sergio Izquierdo Fight
Plastic
Pollution!
According to the Ministry of the
Environment, Icelanders throw
out 70 million plastic bags annu-
ally. Take action by participating
in No-Plastic Saturdays, or sim-
ply bringing reusable bags when-
ever you go grocery shopping.
Check out 5gyres.org and sign
their petition for a ban on micro-
beads.
Join the Plastic Beach project
which documents plastic levels
on beaches.
Join the iTrawl program and col-
lect marine plastic data yourself.
Apply to go on the next 5 Gyres
voyage!
Be a diligent recycler, a smart
consumer and don’t litter.