Microplastics and Animal Welfare

Microplastic pollution has reached every corner of the planet, from deep sea sediments to Arctic ice, with documented welfare impacts on marine and terrestrial animals through ingestion, entanglement, and chemical toxicity.

Key Facts

Microplastics have been detected in the blood of 77% of sea turtles tested in one study
Filter-feeding animals such as mussels, oysters, and baleen whales ingest millions of microplastic particles per day
Microplastics have been found in the placentas of unborn humans, indicating trans-placental transfer
Plastic ingestion causes physical blockage, malnutrition, and chemical toxicity in seabirds and marine mammals
An estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean each year, adding to the existing 150 million tonne stock

Welfare Considerations

Microplastics cause direct welfare harm through physical obstruction of digestive systems, creating false sensations of satiety that lead to starvation. Chemical leaching of plasticisers and absorbed pollutants disrupts endocrine function, reproduction, and immune response in exposed animals. Entanglement in larger plastic debris causes drowning, strangulation, and infected wounds in marine mammals, turtles, and seabirds. The scale of impact, affecting billions of individual animals globally, makes plastic pollution one of the most significant welfare issues in the oceans.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic consumption and support extended producer responsibility legislation
Participate in beach and river clean-up events to remove plastic before it degrades into microparticles
Support campaigns for microplastic filters on washing machines to capture synthetic fibre pollution
Choose natural fibre clothing over synthetic materials where possible to reduce microplastic shedding