Context

Researchers led by Takuzo Iida at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) in Japan have created a groundbreaking plastic that is both sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Key features:

• This innovative material is not only as strong as conventional plastics, but is also biodegradable.
• It has the unique ability to decompose in seawater.
• This plastic has the potential to substantially reduce microplastic pollution.
• The new plastics (supramolecular plastics) are non-toxic and non-flammable - that is, they produce no CO2 emissions - and can be reshaped at temperatures above 120 degrees Celsius like other thermoplastics.

What are Microplastics?

• These are pieces of plastic less than five millimeters in length.
• Fibers constituted 35.6% of the microplastics found in the collected samples.
• Fragments (33.3%) and Phyme (28%) were far behind on the list.
• "Notably, most of the particles were in the small size range, which is harmful to aquatic organisms," the study said.
• Hazardous Heavy Metals Detailed analysis of the samples revealed the presence of plastic polymers as well as hazardous heavy metals.
• The polymer composition of microplastics found in the stomachs of fish and shellfish includes nylon, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polysiloxane.
• Hazardous heavy metals such as molybdenum, iron and barium, which are potentially absorbed from the environment, were found in microplastics, posing potential risks to aquatic organisms and humans.
• It is noteworthy that the Ashtamudi wetland was designated a Ramsar site in 2002 in view of the exceptional importance of its hydrological functions, its biodiversity etc.

Efforts made to stop marine pollution at global level

• Clean Sea Campaign
• Basel Convention
• Honolulu strategy
• Ocean Cleanup Project in the Pacific Ocean
• Collaboration to stop plastic pollution (Alliance to end Plastic Waste)
• The Blue Flag program was started by the Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environment Education (FEE).