WESTPAC Takes Steps to Combat Marine Microplastics Pollution in Asia and the Pacific
02 Oct 2017
The three days WESTPAC workshop on Microplastics (20- 22 September 2017) finally culminated in a strong willingness to conduct joint research and monitoring of microplastics in the region.
Microplastics are small pieces of plastic found in the ocean, commonly defined as less than 5 millimeters in diameter. In general, microplastics are classified into two distinct types: ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’. Plastic pellets and plastic particles manufactured for particular applications, such as cosmetic products and abrasives, are often called ‘primary’ microplastics, and microplastics produced as a result of fragmentation from larger items are called ‘secondary’ microplastics.
