Plastic Pollution, Microplastics & The Mess We’re In – with Dr Olga Pantos

There have been a few big news stories circulating, claiming that microplastics have reached such a level that 5% of our brain is now made up of them.
While that data is… questionable, it’s undeniable that plastic pollution is a major concern. That’s why, in this episode, we’re digging into the scientific evidence to separate fact from fiction.

In what might be a slightly bleak but necessary conversation, I’m joined by Dr Olga Pantos to help clear things up about plastics and microplastics.

Dr Olga Pantos is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research and co-lead of the MBIE-funded project Aotearoa Impacts and Mitigation of Microplastics.
Her background is in marine biology - she completed her undergraduate degree in Marine and Environmental Biology at St Andrews University in Scotland and her doctoral studies at The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. In this episode, she shares:

• Why and how she got into marine biology

• How she came to focus on pollutants in marine ecosystems
• When plastic pollution first entered public awareness
• What microplastics actually are
• Why the term microplastic can be misleading
• The major issues plastics pose in the environment
• Are plastics making their way into soil or water more?
• Why plastic always ends up in the environment, no matter what
• Whether there are any perfect solutions
• Whether PLA and PVH cause as much damage as conventional plastics
• Why our understanding of microplastics is far too simplistic
• What we can actually do about microplastic pollution
• Practical steps she takes to reduce exposure to plastics

Key Quotes

“Even if we turn the tap off now to plastic use, we’ve got a huge amount in the environment that is going to break down.”

“Wastewater treatment plants have never been designed to deal with microplastics.”

“We just need to reduce what we use, and its essential, reduce what we demand, because these companies will continue to make them.”

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