How half of all fish have swallowed ‘toxic’ plastic
ALMOST half of all fish caught off Scotland’s coasts have swallowed potentially toxic plastic debris, an alarming study has revealed.
The scale of plastic pollution has been laid bare by scientists who found items including washing beads, fishing floats and can holders in the stomachs of hundreds of fish.
The problem has been branded a ‘risk to human health’ as toxic chemicals contained in the materials could enter the food chain.
Scientists at the Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research (IBEHR) in Paisley, Rentics frewshire, found that between 45 and 51 per cent of inshore fish caught off Scotland had ingested plastic.
The Scottish Daily Mail is backing a crackdown on the tide of plastic with our Banish the Bottles campaign encouraging the introduction of a deposit return scheme.
Study groups have argued that such a scheme would be the most effective way to tackle marine pollution. The Green Alliance says introducing a deposit system in the UK could ensure 95 per cent of plastic bottles are collected and recycled.
The IBEHR study says larger plastics break down over time to become ‘microplastics’, which absorb toxic pollutants and enter the food chain.
The study, led by Dr Fionn Murphy, said: ‘The uptake of microplas- and absorbed co-contaminants by commercially caught fish represents a risk to human health as these contaminants may transfer to fish tissue and eventually humans through consumption.’
It added: ‘The effect of the physical uptake of microplastic by fish is not the only concern. The uptake of harmful contaminants potentially absorbed on to the surface of the microplastics is a major issue.
‘Exposed fish were found to be able to bio-accumulate these chemicals and this caused liver toxicity and pathology.’
Researchers worked at 14 sites. Deep water fish samples were taken off Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles. Inshore samples came from the Firths of Clyde and Forth.
The study, published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, said: ‘High concentration of microplastic were observed in the Clyde but areas outside of the Clyde had much lower concentrations, suggesting that proximity to coastal areas may result in higher ingestion rates than in offshore areas.’
More than 330million tons of plastic are produced every year, which in turn accounts for 80 per cent of all marine pollutants.
Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said the Scottish Government was drawing up plans for a workable deposit return scheme.
She said: ‘This paper highlights how humans are impacting on wildlife and damaging our marine environment, on which we depend for food and livelihoods.’
She added: ‘In June 2017 we published a summary of evidence, analysis and stakeholder feedback on a deposit return scheme and we are now using this to investigate the potential design, costs and benefits of a scheme in Scotland.’