Whales Consume Three Million Microplastics Per Day, New Study Finds

A study found that whales in New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf consume about three million microplastics per day. This research was done by analyzing whale poop and identifying how many grams of microplastics it contained.

Source: MBARI/Youtube

Whales are the species most susceptible to microplastic pollution as they consume much of it through their food sources. Study author Laura Zantis said,

“Essentially, whales are continuously sampling both their environment and their prey when they feed. We wanted to understand how many microplastics they consume each day and whether those microplastics were in the whales’ food or from water swallowed during feeding.”

The research concluded that whales consume around 25,000 microplastics every time they feed, with most of these microplastics coming directly from their food sources instead of the water itself. The study revealed just how bad these microplastics are for whales as they feed several times throughout the day. Consuming massive amounts of microplastics each time they eat is extremely dangerous. 

This study also revealed just how highly polluted the Hauraki Gulf is and how big of a problem it poses to marine life. Whales are certainly not the only species consuming large amounts of microplastics a day.

Globally, we produce 300 million tons of plastic every year, 78 percent of which is NOT reclaimed or recycled. Around  8.8 million tons of plastic get dumped into the oceans every year! 700 marine animals are faced with extinction due to the threat that plastic poses to them in the form of entanglement, pollution, and ingestion. 50 percent of sea turtles have plastic in their stomachs. By 2050, 99 percent of all seabird species will have ingested plastic waste. According to a study by the World Economic Forum, there will be one tonne of plastic for every three tonnes of fish by 2025, and if things go on business as usual, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050.

Read more about how companies like Facebook, Tupperware, Google, Dove,  Budweiser, Carlsberg, and FIJI Water are working towards reducing plastic pollution. Places around the world like Tel Aviv, California, Baltimore, Scotland and many more are banning various single-use plastics and others that are coming up with creative ways to recycle and use plastic waste.

There are products you may be using or habits you may have that contribute to plastic pollution. Learn more about how the use of Teabags, Cotton Swabs, Laundry, Contact Lenses, Glitter and Sheet Masks pollute our oceans so you can make more informed decisions going forward. There are also numerous simple actions and switches that can help cut plastic out of our lives including making your own cosmetics, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, household cleaners, using  mason jars, reusable bags/bottles/straws, and avoiding microbeads!

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