1 NEWS
ESR scientist Dr Olga Pantos says the microplastics study in Lyttelton Harbour is “vitally important”.
Plastic is being dropped into Lyttelton Harbour as part of a study looking at the impact it has on our marine environment.
Over the next three months, Kiwi scientists will be monitoring the impact and changes plastics have when submerged in water at Lyttelton's port.
The microplastics study is the first of its kind in New Zealand.
Dr Olga Pantos, from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), told 1News that they would document the bacteria and fugus that forms on the surface of the plastics.
Over time, they'd likely see invertebrates, animals and algae settling on them as well, she said.
ESR
ESR environmental scientist Dr Olga Pantos
Pantos told 1News that currently they "don't know anything at all" about the potential risks involved. It was important to understand if there were any, so they could do something about it in future.
An estimated 15 trillion pieces of microplastics debris ends up in the world's oceans. The two types of plastics being studied in Lyttelton - polyethylene and nylon - are among the most common types to end up in marine environments.
Pantos is co-leading a five-year research project on the topic of plastics, which was made possible by $12.5 million worth of Government funding.
Last year, she told Zuardian that very little was known about microplastics and their impact here. It was hoped more research in this field would bring New Zealand "up to speed with the rest of the world".
Once in the ocean, plastics break down into microplastics, with the potential problems ranging from human health risks to ecosystem collapse.
The United Nations Environment Programme has likened their impacts to climate change.
