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Plastics and the marine environment – Information and guidance for seafood businesses-229870-10795000This document details facts, figures and talking points relating to plastic pollution in the marine environment, and the risk and implications for the seafood industry. Its intended use is to support seafood businesses to develop consumer and retailer- facing material that acknowledges the issue but within the appropriate context. It is expected that businesses will tailor this material to meet their individual business needs. Why is plastic pollution a problem for the seafood industry? Once touted as a miracle product, plastic has now become one of the biggest environmental issues globally. It is also a topic that has generated strong consumer awareness. Recent TV coverage such as ‘Blue Planet 2’, ‘Drowning in Plastic’ and ‘War on Plastic’ have brought the risk and implications of plastic pollution to a much wider audience and consumers are keen to better understand how this issue can impact on them and what actions they can take personally to manage the risk. We know that plastic waste not only damages the environment and threatens animal life but increasingly there are concerns that it can impact the ongoing productivity of the oceans and human health. While this is not an issue caused by the seafood sector the implications for the marine environment have made it a seafood issue. These implications include:Concerns around environmental damage. As an industry, we need to be mindful of ‘ghost gear’ adding to the volume of plastic in the ocean as well as creating a risk of injury to marine wildlife. Entanglement in fishing gear (and other plastic waste) can kill wildlife outright through strangulation or impair an animal’s ability to swim, and in turn their ability to evade predators. Images of seabird and marine mammals entangled in discarded fishing gear are common. Possible supply implications as ingesting plastic particles can impact on fish growth rates and reproductive health. Product integrity issues amid growing perceptions of potential health implications from eating seafood. Increasingly the focus is on micro, less than 5mm, and nano-plastic particles because of the concern that these particles can enter the food chain and their associated toxicological implications.The current drive to reduce ‘single use’ plastic items and to encourage a less ‘throw away’ attitude is a step in the right direction. However, even if we stopped marine plastic pollution today the weathering of larger particles already present in the marine environment will continue to produce microplastic particles for many years. Plastics – the facts and figures It is estimated that 9 billion tonnes of plastics have been produced since the 1950s, creating 7 billion tonnes of waste. Given the time it takes for plastic to degrade this volume of production is significant – estimates are that a plastic bottle can take up to 450 years and fishing gear 600 years. Research suggests that:40% of the plastic produced annually is single use items.80% of the plastic in the oceans comes from land based use (this can include everything from car tyres, residues from fleece clothing, packaging, cigarette butts and cotton buds).98% of this comes from countries outside the US and Europe, and 90% from just 10 rivers in Asia. Although this does not reflect that western countries do export their waste to Asia for further processing which can mean that some of this pollution may originate from Europe or the US. 20% of plastic in the seas comes from ocean-based sources – including litter and damaged and discarded fishing gear. The reasons for this loss vary, ranging from accidents, storms and entanglement to intentional abandonment. This is not just a surface water issue - plastic particles exist throughout the water column and have been found at depths of almost 5,800 m. And recent research has recorded plastics at the bottom of the Mariana Trench at a depth of over 10,000m. Does plastic pollution make seafood unsafe to eat? Microplastic particles can enter the marine environment either as primary particles such as microbeads or micro fibres or as secondary particles formed from the breakdown of marine litter by the action of ultra violet light and mechanical agitation.The most important issue for seafood consumption is the consequence for fish and human health from the ingestion of microplastics, and the associated pollutants attached to the surface of these particles. Research has confirmed that microplastic particles can be found in the gut of fish and shellfish. As more research becomes available on what this could mean for human health we need to be prepared that some consumers may perceive that there is a risk from seafood. The most comprehensive research to date on this issue is from The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). It recently assessed the potential risks to consumers from microplastics and nanoplastics in food, especially seafood. We also recommend this article from Food Navigator which covered the report very well. We know that:much of the plastics consumed won’t move beyond the digestive tract and will be excreted so it won’t cause a problemparticles smaller than 150 micrometres have been observed to cross the digestive tract wall in marine mammals but there is still uncertainty about the physiological impacts.Human ingestion of the contaminants and additives on microplastic surfaces is potentially of concern. Research highlights that seafood species eaten whole (e.g. bivalve molluscs, sardines etc.) as a potential source although human consumption of is highly unlikely to be in quantities that would cause any risk.However, seafood isn’t the only food source of microplastics. A recent study from ORB media found that across the globe, 83% of tap water was contaminated with microplastics (72% for Europe). Microplastics have also been found in air, beer, honey, sea salt as reported in The Lancet in October 2017. Seafood is a small source of human exposure to microplastic particles compared with other foods. Research has shown that there is no clear evidence that microplastics in fish pose any risk to human health; in fact consumers are predicted to consume more plastic particles from breathing than through seafood consumption. Recent research from Heriot-Watt University suggests that we ingest between 13,731 and 68,415 microplastic particles each year simply because of dust falling on our food as we eat. Compare this with the 125 particles per year that the average UK consumer is exposed to through eating mussels.A recent report (January 2019) published by SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) indicates that the best available evidence suggests that microplastics and nanoplastics do not pose a widespread risk to humans or the environment, except in small pockets. However, the report does caveat its findings by advising that evidence is limited, and the situation could change if pollution continues at the current rate. However one of the key issues with microplastics and seafood is the perception that there is a risk from eating seafood that is prevalent amongst the public which can lead them to alter their purchasing and consumption habits as a result. The media is getting ‘a’ message out there that is adding to the frenzy:‘By 2050 the oceans will contain more plastic than fish’‘If you regularly eat seafood you will consume 11,000 plastic particles a year’‘A new study by the University of Newcastle, Australia suggests that an average person could be ingesting approximately 5 grams of plastic every week’.What is the seafood industry doing in response? This is not a new issue for the seafood industry. However the industry needs to be able to respond to consumer concerns with accurate, accessible and practical information that provides reassurance, promotes awareness of how the seafood sector is responding to this issue but also encourages them to recycle (by making it easier for them to do so). There are a number of projects and initiatives already happening to minimise levels of plastic pollution at sea and through the food production process. This includes reducing marine litter through a range of schemes such as Fishing for Litter and the Global Ghost Gear Initiative.Seafood processing businesses are also reviewing the use of single use and non-recyclable packaging. Initiatives include focusing on packaging that is fit for purpose, is easier to recycle as well as exploring the use of plastic alternatives. Innovative ideas include using seaweed and pineapple leaves to create biodegradable plastics or bioplastics and the work Waitrose is doing with Scottish biotec company CuanTec to develop a new film for food packaging made out of waste langoustine shells.There is also an opportunity for retailers and processors to influence supply chain partners in those countries with less than optimal waste management programmes.To support industry, Seafish has recently contracted a research project to investigate the potential food safety risks of microplastic particles in the food chain. The findings of this research will be available later in 2019 and should provide a framework to allow ongoing risk assessments of this issue. What else should you know? This is a global issue so there is a need for the seafood industry to work collectively and take a leadership role in engaging with consumers, Government and NGOs. There are some important points to remember:We need plastic! It delivers food safety, reduces perishability and in turn food waste. The challenge is to find ways to better manage how we make it and how we use it. Plastic is lightweight compared to alternatives such as glass and metal. It is cheaper to produce and requires less energy to transport which is a positive when it comes CO2 emissions.Plastic can be recycled into new products and can even be turned into fuel. Plastic levels in the North Sea have been stable since 2000; in a 2017 study of 400 North Sea fish only one contained microplastic particles. The seafood industry is not working in isolation; there has been a multi-level response to this issue already. In December 2017, the UN Environment Assembly adopted a global goal to stop the discharge of plastic to the sea; the EU Parliament approved a ban on single use plastics which is expected to go through in 2021; The UK Government has a 25 year plan with specific requirements for marine plastics including land based sources.Further reading and guidanceThe MCS have produced some useful background information on the issue: The FAO has produced a useful summary of the impact of microplastics on food safety Seafish first produced a substantial guide to the issue in 2016; this was updated in 2018 and provides additional detail more information and guidance please contact: Seafish@seafish.co.uk ................
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