JunKride Synthetic Sea

Our Synthetic Sea Marcus Eriksen, PhD Anna Cummins Algalita Marine Research Foundation

1992 60 billion pounds (EPA,1992) 2004 115 billion pounds (ACC, 2005) 21st Century = The Plasticene Era

Throwaway Living Life Magazine, 1955 In a “Throwaway” society…

… where is “Away”? (California Integrated Waste Management Board, “Plastics White Paper” 2003)

Here is “AWAY”

LAYSAN ALBATROSS

Where does it come from?

80% runoff - 20% maritime industry United Nations Report

Where is it going?

North Pacific Gyre (approx. 5 million sq.mi.)

5 Subtropical Gyres (Maximenko, IPRC Climate, vol. 8, no. 2, 2008)

Expeditions to the North Pacific Gyre

The Manta Trawl Skims 20 cm of ocean surface with a 333 micron mesh net.

The mass of plastic was 6 times heavier than the total bio-mass on the ocean surface in our study area. Surface abundance was .002 grams/m 2 . 1999 Plastic Density Estimate

2008 Expedition

Surface abundance today is .004 grams/m 2 , doubling in 9 years. 2008 Plastic Density Estimate

2008 MYCTOPHID STUDIES

Lowiena interrupta Hygophum reinhardii Symbolophorus californiensis Myctophum aurolanternatum Astronesthes indopacifica Cololabis saira

Stomach Analysis

Plastic Ingestion PLASTIC PLANKTON

Plastic Ingestion

Record Holder - 84 fragments Plastic Ingestion

Alarming Results Total Fish = 671 (46% immature) 6 Species: Count % with Ingested Plastic Astronesthes indopacifica 6 16 Cololabis saira 51 16 Hygophum reinhardii 43 23 Loweina interrupa 26 8 Myctophum aurolanternatum 460 37 Symbolophorus californiensis 74 56 35% had plastic in the stomachs

PHASE 1 Gyre expedition to get samples www.junkraft.com PHASE 2 Raft across Pacific Ocean to get attention PHASE 3 Bicycle 2000 miles to give samples away

The Voyage of JUNK

JUNK made from JUNK

Rainbow Runner 17 fragments of plastic in its stomach

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH’s)

PAH’s are a group of over 100 different chemicals that are formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil and gas, garbage, or other organic substances like tobacco or charbroiled meat. PAHs are found in coal tar, crude oil, creosote, and roofing tar, plastics, and pesticides.

Organo- Chlorine Pesticides

They include DDT which was a major pesticide used in agriculture until it was banned.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

They’re mixtures of up to 209 individual chlorinated compounds (known as congeners) used as flame retardants.

POPs QUIZ 5cm Time at Sea One plastic pellet can have up to 1 (hundred, thousand, or million) times higher concentration of POPs than ambient seawater. (Takada, 2001)

How synthetic are we?

How synthetic are we? 287 chemicals detected in 10 newborns umbilical cord blood 134 known human carcinogens 158 toxic to brain and nervous system 186 linked to infertility 151 shown to cause birth defects *EWG: Ten Americans, 2004 *DANGERS FROM EXPOSURE TO COMBINATION OF THESE CHEMICALS HAS YET TO BE STUDIED

Can’t we SCOOP IT ALL AWAY? Imagine sifting the Sahara..... What can we do?

Is recycling the answer?

Inefficient recovery

Limited markets

Contamination

Low melting point

Downcycling

Bioplastic

We must redesign products… Cradle to Cradle

… and keep waste out of the sea. Structural Controls Beach and Reef Clean-ups

We will continue research… North Pacific Gyre 2009 North Atlantic Gyre 2009 Fish Tissue Studies

… and teach others. *JUNKRIDE: Cycling 2000 MILES *35 TALKS, 100 GYRE SAMPLE GIVEAWAYS

We can end the Age of Throw Away Plastic..

… and demand industry cooperation.

vom Saal and Hughes, 2005 Environmental Health Perspectives MANUFACTURED UNCERTAINTY EVIDENCE FOR BIAS DUE TO SOURCE OF FUNDING IN ANIMAL STUDIES WITH BPA AT HUMAN EXPOSURE LEVELS (1997 - 2004) SOURCE OF STUDY OUTCOME FUNDING HARM NO HARM Government 138 (93%) 11 (7%) 149 Chemical Corporations 0 (0%) 12 (100%) 12 138 23 161

WHAT CAN YOU DO TODAY TO R ISE A BOVE P LASTICS?

1) REDUCE YOUR FORKPRINT TO GO WARE ECOUSABLE BRING YOUR OWN

2) SUPPORT LOCAL GROUPS