Microplastics found in lobster, researchers sound alarm

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#GlobalNews #pollution #marinelife Plastics are everywhere in our modern world, and when they break down, they leave behind microplastics.  A new study by Dalhousie University has even detected them in lobster.  Heidi Petracek explains what the researchers found and why they say it's a call to action.

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00:00They were banded just like this.

00:02It's a case researchers in Nova Scotia wanted to crack,

00:05whether microplastics are finding their way into this East Coast delicacy.

00:09We wanted to study this, knowing it's important for, you know, Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada.

00:18So they cooked the lobster, then analyzed the tail meat,

00:21using a special dye that binds to microplastics, then glows under fluorescent light.

00:26The result? They were present in like 100% of the lobsters.

00:31And most of the microplastics were the tiny microplastics, below 4 microns.

00:40And it's not just in lobster.

00:42Other studies have found microscopic bits of plastic in other seafoods too,

00:47and in meats and beverages.

00:49All coming from discarded plastics, fishing gear, even what we wear.

00:53We've shown that the plastic pollution crisis, you know, isn't just removed from us,

00:58it's not just like out in the ocean, it's also ending up on our dinner plates.

01:03What that does for our health, the researchers say, is still under investigation.

01:07Microplastics have been found in our own bodies,

01:10and some observational studies have linked them to increased risk of cancer,

01:15cardiovascular and reproductive issues.

01:17Our dependency on plastics and plastic materials for convenience has just grown exponentially since the 1950s.

01:25Even with good intentions, to find alternatives at that scale is really quite difficult right now.

01:31He says the world needs to find ways to reduce reliance on plastic.

01:35The United Nations has been trying to establish a world-first treaty to cut down on its production,

01:42but so far that has remained out of reach.

01:45Heidi Petracic, Global News, Halifax.

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