Hoping to turn tide on plastic
Art and science join forces for ocean health
ART is giving science a muchneeded voice to address the growing concern of plastic in our oceans through a striking new exhibition on Hobart’s waterfront. Vanishing Point: Unseen, which opened at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies last night, uses paintings, photographs, jewellery, woodwork, prints and sculptures to highlight the global environmental threat posed by invisible microplastics.
IMAS scientists Heidi Auman, Patti Virtue and Frederique Olivier teamed up with artists Katherine Cooper, Sophie Carnell, Diane Masters, Toby MuirWilson, Peter Walsh and Gerhard Mausz to deliver the second Vanishing Point exhibition since 2015.
A recent United Nations report has stated that there are up to 51 trillion microplasticc particles in the world’s oceans due to synthetic clothing, cosmetics and broken down plastic debris — many of which are impossible to see.
Dr Auman, a seabird biologist, said microplastics could block animal digestive tracts, prevent them from eating and cause punctures and ulcerations.
“There are really no places left on Earth, even the remote places, that are free from microplastic pollution,” she said. “Tasmania is certainly part of that, especially with the fishery and aquaculture industries.”
Dr Virtue, a zooplankton ecologist, said thousands of microplastic fibres entered sewerage systems after people washed synthetic clothing, as did plastic microbead fragments from cosmetic items.
“They [clothing fibres] are coming out of our sewerage plants every day and getting caught in currents and travel around the oceans,” she said.
“Microbeads [from] cosmetic products and some toothpastes do too.”
Dr Auman added that larger pieces of plastic broke down to smaller pieces in contact with the sun and waves.
“Plastics never dissolve they just break down into smaller pieces which affect smaller species.”
Dr Virtue and Dr Auman said solutions included fitting washing machines with special filters to stop plastics entering sewerage lines or the use of
woollen and cotton clothes over synthetic.
Another idea was the minimisation of plastic products through research into alternatives. This could include organic, plant-based plastics.
Dr Virtue also noted Bicheno, which IMAS found this year had Australia’s highest concentration of microplastic filaments in sea-floor sediment, had banned plastic bags in the town.
She likewise praised moves by some stores to phase out plastic bags and the Hobart City Council’s plan to phase out plastic takeaway containers and utensils at food venues by 2020. Tasmania banned lightweight plastic shopping bags in 2013.
Labor MP Madeleine Ogilvie’s Microbead Free Waters Bill was knocked back in the Lower House by the Liberals last September. The legislation would have banned the sale, importation and manufacture of microbeads in Tasmania and Ms Ogilvie plans to reintroduce it next year.
Dr Auman said education was important for future generations.
“Worldwide it will take a major shift in consciousness ... and I’d like to think [that shift] is under way in the younger generation but with our generation and older I’m not convinced.
“The kids get it and they do go home and teach their parents.”
The exhibition runs till November 25 and includes a series of free public talks each Saturday, starting today, with 2016 Eureka Prize winner for Environmental Research Denise Hardesty.
Other speakers over the next five weeks include Matt Dell, from the South West Marine Debris Clean Up, and Greens senator Peter WhishWilson.
Ms Cooper, who established Vanishing Point, said the artists and scientists had learnt a lot from each other, with the seminars giving advice on everyday changes to cut back on plastic use.
“In a way the art gives the science a voice,” she said.
“This is affecting all of us.”