Tests in aquatic ecosystem ponds revealed that bio-based plastics have a substantially smaller environmental footprint
Dangerous concentrations of algae such as “red tides” have been consistently emerging in locations around the world. A region in Southern Australia is experiencing a nine-month toxic algae bloom that spans thousands of miles and has caused thousands of deaths across marine species. Such harmful algal blooms (HABs) produce toxins that can force municipalities to close beaches and lakes due to public health risks.
Excess amounts of nutrient input from land sources into aquatic environments, such as agricultural runoff and waste discharge, typically have been blamed as the source of harmful algae blooms. But data from a new study by University of California San Diego researchers reveals that petroleum-based plastic pollution may be amplifying these problems by removing the animals that keep algae in check…