Plastics, which are highly durable and can be easily produced at low cost, are used in every aspect of our lives. The total amount of plastic waste in the world's oceans today is estimated to be 150 million tons (*1), with an estimated annual inflow of 8 million tons (*2). It is predicted that the volume of plastics in the ocean will exceed the volume of fish by 2050. (*3)
Degraded, fragmented plastics are known as microplastics, which range from millimeters to nanometers in size, invisible to the eye (nano = 1 billionth). Unlike natural organic matter, plastics do not easily decompose and are likely to remain in the sea for nearly 1,000 years (*4). Plastics have already been incorporated into marine ecosystems, raising concerns over the impacts. (*5)
*1. Conservancy, Ocean. "Stemming the tide: Land-based strategies for a plastic-free ocean." Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey Center for Business and Environment (2015)
*2. Jambeck, Jenna R., et al. "Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean." Science (2015)
*3. Neufeld, L., et al. "The new plastics economy: rethinking the future of plastics." World Economic Forum (2016)
*4. UNEP. SINGLE-USE PLASTICS: A Roadmap for Sustainability (2018)
*5. Juliana A Ivar do Sul, Monica F Costa. "The present and future of microplastic pollution in the marine environment." Environmental pollution (2014)
AWARD:
■ Tokyo International Foto Awards 2021
[ 銀賞・Silver prize - Science category / Professional division ]
■ Budapest International Foto Awards 2021
[ 銅賞・Bronze prize - Science category / Professional division ]
■ 16th Annual Black & White Spider Awards
[ Nominee - Photojournalism category / Professional division ]
■ London International Creative Competition 2021
[ Official Selection - SHOOT (Photo/Video) category / Professional division ]
#2 Polyethylene / Object size 1.1mm 2019.05 Tokimeki beach, Tannowa, Sennangun Misakicho, Osaka, JAPAN
#8 Polyethylene / Object size 1.8mm 2019.05 Tokimeki beach, Tannowa, Sennangun Misakicho, Osaka, JAPAN
#32 Polyvinyl Chloride / Object size 0.75mm 2021.04 Sea salt / Raw material : Seawater / Production process : Sun drying
#33 polystyrene / Object size 0.75mm 2021.04 Sea salt / Raw material : Seawater / Production process : Sun drying
Microplastics in human stool
#34 polypropylene, polyethylene 2021.11 Human Stool / Kikoh Matsuura
WORKS
WORKS
Microplastics
‘Microplastics’
Scanning Electron Microscope Photography
Scanning Electron Microscope Photography
| Microplastics
Plastics, which are highly durable and can be easily produced at low cost, are used in every aspect of our lives. The total amount of plastic waste in the world's oceans today is estimated to be 150 million tons (*1), with an estimated annual inflow of 8 million tons (*2). It is predicted that the volume of plastics in the ocean will exceed the volume of fish by 2050. (*3)
Degraded, fragmented plastics are known as microplastics, which range from millimeters to nanometers in size, invisible to the eye (nano = 1 billionth). Unlike natural organic matter, plastics do not easily decompose and are likely to remain in the sea for nearly 1,000 years (*4). Plastics have already been incorporated into marine ecosystems, raising concerns over the impacts. (*5)
*1. Conservancy, Ocean. "Stemming the tide: Land-based strategies for a plastic-free ocean." Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey Center for Business and Environment (2015)
*2. Jambeck, Jenna R., et al. "Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean." Science (2015)
*3. Neufeld, L., et al. "The new plastics economy: rethinking the future of plastics." World Economic Forum (2016)
*4. UNEP. SINGLE-USE PLASTICS: A Roadmap for Sustainability (2018)
*5. Juliana A Ivar do Sul, Monica F Costa. "The present and future of microplastic pollution in the marine environment." Environmental pollution (2014)
AWARD:
■ Tokyo International Foto Awards 2021
[ 銀賞・Silver prize - Science category / Professional division ]
■ Budapest International Foto Awards 2021
[ 銅賞・Bronze prize - Science category / Professional division ]
■ 16th Annual Black & White Spider Awards
[ Nominee - Photojournalism category / Professional division ]
■ London International Creative Competition 2021
[ Official Selection - SHOOT (Photo/Video) category / Professional division ]
#2 Polyethylene / Object size 1.1mm 2019.05 Tokimeki beach, Tannowa, Sennangun Misakicho, Osaka, JAPAN
#8 Polyethylene / Object size 1.8mm 2019.05 Tokimeki beach, Tannowa, Sennangun Misakicho, Osaka, JAPAN