At a time when it seems that we have finally understood the dangers posed by the accumulation of plastics in the sea, the accidental dumping of more than 26,000 kilos of this material in Galician waters has ignited the networks due to the lack of a contingency plan that allows them to be removed quickly. Is about plastic pellets that were being transported in the Portuguese ship Toconao last Monday, January 8, when one of his drums accidentally fell into the water.
The content has spread throughout Galician waters, but it has also begun to be detected in Asturias and It is not ruled out that it reaches the Basque Country. A great deal of controversy has arisen about its risks. The majority of scientists and all of the environmental associations that have spoken out on the matter warn of the ecological disaster it represents, while other scientists call for calm, ensuring that the fact that plastic pellets are polluting does not mean that they are toxic.
Even so, the statement issued by the prosecutor’s office that is taking charge of the case declares them as non-biodegradable and with signs of toxicity. Now, what exactly are these plastic pellets and why is their discharge into the sea so worrying?
Plastic pellets: raw material for almost everything
The plastic industry generally manufactures its products from plastic pellets. These are small spheres of said material, usually less than 5 millimeterswhich can be melted to make any product. That is why the Portuguese ship was transporting them when the incident took place. But what are its risks?
Pellets can be composed of any type of plastic, so they can have different levels of toxicity. However, even if they were among the most harmless plastics, they are still dangerous to aquatic ecosystems. for many reasons.
For starters, given their shape and size, they may look like fish eggs, so some species, including certain birds, they eat them by mistake. Even if it were not immediately toxic, their stomach would remain full and they could die of hunger, not eating anything that really nourishes them.
On the other hand, it could be that certain really toxic substances from the aquatic environment to stick to the surface of the plastic pellets. Likewise, some Pathogenic bacteria They could proliferate in the form of films, such as those created on a kitchen cloth.
This would make its consumption dangerous. On the other hand, since they cannot be degraded, they would continue to be transported in the food chain. Animals that eat each other would also incorporate plastic pellets into their bodies. And, thus, they would end up, possibly, reaching back to humans.
The danger of microplastics
Plastic pellets cannot be considered microplastics, as their size is much larger. However, if they spend a lot of time in water, they could degrade into smaller piecesgiving rise to those tiny particles that carry so many risks for humans. marine ecosystems. Among them would be consumption by filter-feeding species, which would place them on an even lower step in the food chain.
Therefore, there are many reasons to try to find a quick solution to this plastic pellet problem. Whatever their toxicity, they pose an environmental risk. Starting because it is not natural for thousands of plastic spheres to fall into the sea and continuing because of all the risks they pose to the ecosystem.