Are 'microplastics in our drinking water' bad for our health?

Summary

The script delves into the profound impact of plastic pollution, illustrating that even the deepest parts of the ocean like the Mariana Trench are not immune to it. It highlights the astonishing cost of plastic to society and the environment, estimated at a staggering five trillion dollars annually. The script also underscores the efforts being made to combat plastic use and pollution, including global agreements like the Pacific Declaration, as we grapple with the reality of plastic's pervasive presence in our oceans and its detrimental effects on marine life and potentially human health.

Takeaways

• 🏔️ If Mount Everest were to be placed in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, its peak would still be 2.1 kilometers below the surface, highlighting the immense depth of the ocean.
• 🌊 The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the ocean and the deepest location on Earth, with very limited exploration due to its extreme conditions.
• 🦐 Each exploration of the Mariana Trench has led to extraordinary discoveries, including previously unknown sea life and plastic waste.
• 💰 The World Wildlife Fund and Dahlberg's research estimated the annual cost of plastics to society and the environment at a staggering five trillion dollars.
• 📈 This cost accounts for pollution from manufacturing, waste management, environmental degradation, and ecosystem destruction.
• 🇮🇳 For perspective, five trillion dollars is equivalent to the annual GDP of India, emphasizing the massive financial impact of plastic pollution.
• 🌏 Australia contributes around 17 billion dollars to this global cost, with plastic pollution affecting wildlife such as albatrosses.
• 🚯 Plastics are cheap and widely used, but their persistence in the environment causes significant harm, including ingestion by animals and microplastics in drinking water.
• 🔄 Efforts to reduce plastic use are growing, with shifts to biodegradable or reusable alternatives and bans on single-use plastics.
• 🌿 Despite these efforts, the production of plastic, particularly from fossil fuels, is still increasing, with the WWF warning that it could double by 2040.
• 🌐 The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a massive collection of floating plastic debris, is three times the size of France, illustrating the scale of global plastic pollution.
• 🌍 A binding global agreement, the Pacific Declaration, has been endorsed to combat marine plastic pollution, with over 110 countries supporting the initiative.

Q & A

If Mount Everest were to be placed in the Pacific Ocean, how deep would its peak be?

The peak of Mount Everest would still be 2.1 kilometers below the surface.

What is the deepest part of the ocean and the deepest location on Earth?

The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the ocean and the deepest location on Earth.

How many successful human descents have been made to the bottom of the Mariana Trench?

There have been just four successful human descents to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

What are some of the extreme conditions found at the bottom of the Mariana Trench?

The bottom of the Mariana Trench is pitch black, freezing cold, and has intense pressure that can crush most submarine crafts.

What kind of discoveries have been made during expeditions to the Mariana Trench?

Expeditions to the Mariana Trench have led to the discovery of previously unknown sea life, including large and strange creatures, tiny shrimp-like animals, brightly colored rocky outcrops, and mysterious mud-dwelling organisms.

What has been found during recent expeditions to the deepest parts of the ocean?

During recent expeditions, plastic waste, including remnants of a helium balloon and plastic bags, has been found even at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

What is the estimated annual cost of plastics to society and the environment according to the World Wildlife Fund?

The World Wildlife Fund estimates the annual cost of plastics to society and the environment to be five trillion dollars.

How does the annual cost of plastics compare to the GDP of India or the amount spent on the war in Afghanistan?

The annual cost of plastics, five trillion dollars, is equivalent to the annual GDP of India and is four times the amount spent on the war in Afghanistan over two decades.

What is one of the consequences of plastic pollution for wildlife, as mentioned in the script?

One of the consequences of plastic pollution for wildlife is that many animals, such as albatrosses, are found with large amounts of plastic inside them, which can lead to their death.

What are some of the measures being taken to reduce plastic use and pollution?

Measures being taken to reduce plastic use and pollution include switching to biodegradable or reusable straws, encouraging the use of environmentally friendly bags, banning single-use plastics in many jurisdictions, and increasing participation in recycling programs.

What is the Pacific Declaration and what does it aim to achieve?

The Pacific Declaration is a binding global agreement aimed at reducing waste, preventing future plastic pollution, and addressing its enormous impact on the environment. More than 110 countries are on board with this treaty.

What is the World Wildlife Fund's concern regarding the future of plastic production?

The World Wildlife Fund fears that without action, plastic production will double by 2040, which will also lead to a doubling of plastic pollution.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Depths of the Ocean and Plastic Pollution

The first paragraph discusses the astonishing depth of the Mariana Trench, which is deeper than Mount Everest would be if submerged in the Pacific Ocean. It highlights the limited exploration of this region due to its extreme conditions, such as darkness, cold, and pressure, which are inhospitable to most known submarine crafts. The paragraph also delves into the surprising discoveries made during the few successful expeditions, including previously unknown sea life and the concerning presence of plastic waste. The environmental and financial costs of plastic production and pollution are underscored, with an annual societal and environmental cost estimated at five trillion dollars. The script also touches on the impact of plastic on wildlife and the human consumption of microplastics through drinking water, urging for greater awareness and action to reduce plastic use.

05:02

🌍 Global Efforts to Combat Plastic Pollution

The second paragraph focuses on the global response to the plastic pollution crisis. It introduces the 'Pacific Declaration,' a binding international agreement aimed at reducing waste and preventing future plastic pollution. The script mentions the growing support for this treaty, with over 110 countries in agreement, indicating a collective will to address the issue. The paragraph concludes with a hopeful note, suggesting that concerted efforts can lead to significant improvements before the situation deteriorates further. The mention of Australia's commitment to the agreement and the role of the environment minister in endorsing the proposal underscore the political will and the importance of international cooperation in tackling marine plastic pollution.

Keywords

💡Mount Everest

Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world, standing at 8,848 meters above sea level. In the context of the video, it is used to illustrate the immense depth of the Pacific Ocean, specifically the Mariana Trench, by stating that even if Everest were to be placed in the ocean, its peak would still be submerged by 2.1 kilometers.

💡Mariana Trench

The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans, reaching a depth of about 11 kilometers. It is a significant concept in the video as it represents a largely unexplored and mysterious part of our planet, where even human presence is limited, and it has become a repository for human waste, including plastic.

💡Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution refers to the accumulation of plastic products in the environment, causing harm to wildlife and ecosystems. The video emphasizes the pervasiveness of plastic waste, from the surface to the deepest parts of the ocean, and highlights the negative environmental and health impacts of plastic use.

💡World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

The WWF is an international non-governmental organization known for its work in wilderness preservation and conservation. In the video, the WWF is mentioned as the source of research that estimated the annual cost of plastics to society and the environment, emphasizing the economic burden of plastic pollution.

💡Microplastics

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles, less than 5 millimeters in size, that are found in the environment. The video discusses how microplastics have entered our water systems and may pose health risks, as they are often too small to be removed from drinking water.

💡Single-Use Plastics

Single-use plastics are plastic products designed to be used once before they are thrown away or recycled. The video mentions the growing movement against single-use plastics due to their contribution to environmental pollution and the efforts to replace them with more sustainable alternatives.

💡Recycling

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. The video notes the increasing participation in recycling programs as a positive step towards reducing plastic pollution, although it also points out that plastic production is still on the rise.

💡Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch refers to two large systems of floating plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean. The video uses this term to illustrate the scale of plastic pollution in our oceans, which is vast enough to be visible from space.

💡Macro Plastics

Macro plastics are larger pieces of plastic waste, as opposed to microplastics. The video mentions macro plastics as part of the pollution problem in the oceans, contributing to the massive weight of plastic debris affecting marine life.

💡Plastic Production

Plastic production refers to the manufacturing of plastic materials, often from fossil fuels. The video warns that without action, plastic production is expected to double by 2040, exacerbating the issue of plastic pollution.

💡Pacific Declaration

The Pacific Declaration is a proposed global agreement aimed at combating marine plastic pollution. The video mentions Australia's commitment to this agreement as a sign of international cooperation to address the plastic pollution crisis.

Highlights

If Mount Everest were placed in the Pacific Ocean, its peak would still be 2.1 kilometers below the surface.

The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the ocean and the deepest location on Earth.

Only four manned and three unmanned expeditions have successfully reached the deepest parts of the Mariana Trench.

The Mariana Trench is an unexplored, pitch-black, freezing cold environment with intense pressure.

Extraordinary discoveries of previously unknown sea life have been made in the Mariana Trench.

Plastic pollution has been found even in the deepest parts of the ocean.

The World Wildlife Fund estimates the annual cost of plastics to society and the environment at five trillion dollars.

The cost of plastic pollution is equivalent to the annual GDP of India or four times the amount spent on the war in Afghanistan.

Australia contributes approximately 17 billion dollars to the global cost of plastic pollution annually.

Plastic is found in the bodies of many animals, including albatrosses, causing harm and death.

Plastics do not break down easily due to their cheap production and widespread use.

Microplastics have been found in drinking water, posing potential health risks.

There have been significant strides in reducing plastic use, including bans on single-use plastics and increased recycling.

Despite efforts to reduce plastic use, plastic production is still growing, driven by virgin plastics from fossil fuels.

The WWF predicts that without action, plastic production will double by 2040, doubling plastic pollution.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, comprising two enormous floating garbage patches, is three times the size of France.

Scientists estimate 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic pollute the ocean, weighing up to 269,000 tons.

Australia has committed to a global agreement to combat marine plastic pollution called the Pacific Declaration.

Over 110 countries support the global treaty on plastic pollution, aiming to reduce waste and prevent future pollution.

Transcripts

if you picked up mount everest and

dumped it in the western part of the

pacific ocean the peak would still be

2.1 kilometers below the surface so far

down is the mariana trench the deepest

part of the ocean and the deepest

location on earth

that humans haven't really managed to

poke around down there just four man

descents and three unmanned robotic

expeditions have been successful the

furthest hit the 11 kilometer mark

it's pitch black

freezing cold and the intense pressure

would crush most submarine crafts that

exist as a result we've explored very

little of the mariana trench and each

trip down has led to extraordinary

discoveries

previously unknown sea life from large

and strange creatures to tiny

shrimp-like animals as well as brightly

coloured rocky outcrops and mysterious

mud-dwelling organisms

and on the past couple of trips as far

as we've ever gone before

plastic

a whole lot of plastic

plastic is super cheap it's one of the

cheapest materials we have and we use it

in just about everything we make from

packaging and storage to toys and car

parts but it has a huge cost

the environmental group the world

wildlife fund just released

groundbreaking research produced in

conjunction with the consultancy firm

dahlberg it estimated the annual cost of

plastics to society and the environment

five trillion dollars that's the modeled

lifetime cost of all the plastic

produced globally in just a single year

it accounts for the pollution from

manufacturing waste management

environmental degradation ecosystem

destruction and so on

to put five trillion dollars into

perspective that's the annual gdp of

india

it's four times the amount of money

spent on the war in afghanistan over two

decades

of this mammoth bill australia is lumped

with about 17 billion dollars every

single albatross that you see across

this landscape has been fed plastic

so as you open it up

you can see

that's incredible all that plastic

that's inside this bird

plastics don't break down because

they're cheap a lot of plastic is

produced and it ends up sitting in

landfill or flowing into rivers creeks

and the sea it's eaten by animals or

chokes them to death and microplastics

get into our drinking water we think of

it as pure but according to the world

health organization the water we drink

comes with an added extra tiny often

microscopic fragments of plastic and no

one knows whether our health is at risk

here we can just about see some very

small specks and we suspect that those

are the microplastics we've made big

strides in reducing our plastic use

you've probably switched from plastic

straws to biodegradable or reusable ones

we're encouraged to dump plastic bags at

woolies or coals for more

environmentally friendly options

a lot of jurisdictions are banning

single-use plastics altogether and

across the board participation and

recycling programs is growing rapidly

and yet the production of plastic is

also growing virgin plastics devised

from fossil fuels are driving this huge

surge the wwf fears that without action

plastic production will double by 2040.

which will also see plastic pollution

double

to see how insidious this plastic use is

you just have to look at where it ends

up

there's the trash vortex comprising two

separate but enormous floating garbage

patches one spans the west coast of

north america to japan another between

hawaii and california

together they're known as the great

pacific garbage patch three times the

size of france 1.8 billion pieces of

plastic debris just floating out there

in the middle of the ocean

across the whole world scientists

estimate that 5.25 trillion pieces of

macro and micro plastics pollute the

ocean weighing up to 269 000 tons

each day another 8 million pieces of

plastic make their way into the sea

and some of it has floated all the way

down to the bottom of the mariana trench

look at this vision it was taken by a

submarine craft that ventured more than

10 kilometers down

that's the remnants of a helium balloon

decorated with a character from the kids

movie frozen

next to it a 20 litre bucket all around

shreds of plastic bags containers and

packets

humans ourselves have barely begun to

explore these vast depths of the ocean

but all of our crap has made it there

australia recently committed to a

binding global agreement to combat

marine plastic pollution environment

minister susan lay announced the

endorsement of a proposed agreement that

aims to reduce waste prevent future

plastic pollution and address its

enormous impact it's called the pacific

declaration

support for this global treaty on

plastic pollution is growing more than

110 countries are on board all that

remains is to get to work

here's hoping we can start to make

things better before they get much much

worse

[Music]

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