The term microplastics is now part of our vocabulary, as these harmful particles have flooded the environment, especially the seas, with at least 8 million tonnes of plastics ending up in the oceans. Experts warn that unless immediate action is taken, the oceans will have more plastics – by weight – than fish by 2050. The microplastics and nanoplastics that result from their breakdown are hurting the marine ecosystem, with many species feeding on them, leading in many cases to extinction. Their presence is so pronounced that according to previous research hermit crabs choose to “wear” plastics as “armor” to armor their fragile bodies rather than snail shells as usual, since they are abundant in their environment.

There are many initiatives by organizations to clean the seas of plastics, with innovations that allow for the collection of waste, as in the case of The Ocean Cleanup which has collected more than 8 tons of plastics globally, however, a portion of scientists are now saying “stop” to these efforts.

Why? Experts argue that plastics persist in the marine environment for so long that they become a “habitat” for various organisms. As a result, removing plastics from the ocean could lead to significant animal losses.