If ingested, microplastics can block the gastrointestinal tracts of organisms, or trick them into thinking they don't need to eat, leading to starvation. Many toxic chemicals can also adhere to the surface of plastic and, if ingested, contaminated microplastics could expose organisms to high concentrations of toxins.”

What are microplastics and why are they such a problem?

'Microplastics' is a category that scientists use for any plastics smaller than your thumbnail. Because of their small size, it's almost unbelievable that such tiny plastics can cause so much damage in our vast oceans.

How do microplastics affect the environment?

What are the environmental impacts of microplastics? ... Once released or broken away from their original plastic product, microplastics can travel through waterways and end up in the ecosystems that serve as homes to a range of marine life, including algae, zooplankton, fish, crabs, sea turtles, and birds.