A new study quantifying plastic pollution in Fiji contained a worrying finding regarding fish, according to The Fiji Times.
What's happening?
Fiji is an island archipelago nation in the South Pacific, north of Australia and New Zealand.
Research published in the November 2020 edition of the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin identified a worrisome "knowledge gap" with respect to plastic pollution and its effect on Fiji's 330 islands.
In July, new research was published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, reporting concentrations of microplastics in fish sampled for the study.
"Microplastics were found in 74% of fish" tested, according to the study's abstract. The authors examined 184 fish in total, across 21 species.
Fiji Fisheries and Forestry Minister Alitia Bainivalu called the findings "deeply concerning."
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"I think we should enforce very stringent litter laws so that people are aware that throwing rubbish is not right and then when they do it they get charged," Bainivalu commented, citing a need to keep "plastics from being ingested by our marine organisms."
Although Bainivalu alluded to plastic handling practices and littering locally, a 2024 TIME investigation into Fiji's plastic pollution problem indicated that a significant amount of it "drifts in with ocean currents from as far away as South Africa and Mexico."
Why is this important?
The Fiji Times noted that Bainivalu said approximately 60% of Fijians live near the coast and rely on the ocean "for their livelihoods."
Microplastics, however, are a massive global problem, as the findings in Fiji emphasized. Defined as particles of plastic debris measuring 5 millimeters or less, microplastics were first identified by a marine biologist in 2004.
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Majorly 😥 Since that time, research into the environmental and health impacts of microplastics has been ongoing worldwide, with concerning findings.
Microplastics are pervasive across every reach of the planet, from the ocean's deepest trenches to remote Antarctica.
Plastic pollution and microplastics are devastating to wildlife, and studies have identified concerning impacts in humans, too.
Microplastic particles have been found in various forms of human tissue, and exposure to microplastics is linked to cardiovascular problems, cognitive issues, and some cancers.
What's being done about it?
Although microplastics are environmentally pervasive, there are ways to both reduce your personal exposure and contribute to a world with less plastic.
Using less plastic overall is efficient on both counts, and replacing items you use daily with plastic-free alternatives makes a big difference.
On a broader level, donating to groups fighting plastic pollution and keeping oceans clean also helps.
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