GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Oct. 24,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Small pieces of plastics
are widely spread all over the world's oceans and ingested by
living creatures. Microplastics are found in zooplankton, fish,
seabirds, whales, seals, and also in humans. Yet, the long-term
effects of this plastic pollution threat are still largely
unknown. Three scientists, Richard
Thompson, Tamara Galloway,
and Penelope Lindeque, that have
conducted ground-breaking research in understanding the impact of
microplastics on humans and the environment are this year's
laureates of the Volvo Environment Prize.
With the help of winds and ocean currents, microplastics have
spread all over the planet. The laureates have reported them in the
Arctic deep sea and the snow on Mount Everest in the Himalayas. The
definition of microplastics is that they are no more than 5
millimeters in size; some are significantly smaller and only
visible under a microscope. The microplastics found, even in the
world's most remote areas, result from a break-down from litter
from the 360 million tons of plastic produced annually, used for
packaging, cosmetics, car tyres, and numerous other items. Now
microplastics in the marine environment are spread in the food
chains, and intensive research is underway on environmental effects
and how to prevent the spread of plastic waste through legislation
and changes in design, production and disposal.
It may sound strange at a time when environmental issues are so
dominant that the knowledge of the spread of microplastics is
relatively new. While a marine biology student, Richard Thompson began to think about all the
rubbish he saw on beaches in England. He started to map, systematize and
dig deeper into the issue. His 2004 Science article, Lost at Sea:
Where is all the Plastic? gained global attention and ultimately
led to the establishment of an entirely new field of research. The
three scientists collaborate extensively. Today, Richard Thompson heads the International Marine
Litter Unit at the University of Plymouth. Tamara
Galloway, is Professor of Ecotoxicology and leads the
plastics research team at University of Exeter and Penelope
Lindeque, is Professor and Head of Science: Marine Ecology
and Biodiversity at Plymouth Marine Laboratory. The trio's research
is seen as world-class.
The jury for the Volvo Environment Prize points out that the
three scientists have conducted extensive research collaboration
"that has been instrumental in providing societal awareness of
plastic pollution as an emerging global challenge and triggering
policy actions." Scientists are still unsure whether consuming
microplastics harms marine life and human health. But the effects
are there, says Professor Tamara
Galloway, University of Exeter. "For many organisms at the base of the
marine food web, the ingestion of plastics stops them from eating
nutritious food and has a knock-on effect on how fast they
grow."
Removing microplastics from the oceans is extremely difficult.
But Professor Penelope Lindeque at
the Plymouth Marine Laboratory has been experimenting with
nature-based solutions using mussels. They are natural filter
feeders that ingest the plastics with their regular food and pass
them into their faeces.
"From our lab-based experiments, we know that 5 kilograms of
mussels can remove a quarter of a million pieces of plastics, per
hour. It's absolutely incredible", she says. Professor Richard Thompson, who was the first to raise the
alarm about how microplastics were spreading in the world's oceans,
is now monitoring and evaluating the actions within organizations
such as the UN, national governments, and industry.
"Plastics are, in many ways, a fantastic material," he says.
"But we need to use them much more responsibly. The business model
we have today is grounded in the 1950s. The linear model, using
fossil oil and gas, via short-lived plastic applications, to a
highly persistent waste, must change!"
The Volvo Environment Prize has for 33 years been awarded
annually to people who have made outstanding scientific discoveries
within sustainability. Three of the laureates have later been
awarded the Nobel Prize. The Prize will be celebrated on
Nov 29, in Gothenburg, with a live-streaming prize
ceremony and seminar.
For more information about the 2022 laureates, the award and
how to attend the online seminar and prize ceremony go to
http://www.environment-prize.com/.
Journalists wanting further information, please
contact:
Claes Eliasson, Volvo Group Media
Relations, +46 76 553 72 29
For more information, please visit volvogroup.com
For frequent updates, follow us on Twitter: @volvogroup
The Volvo Group drives prosperity through transport and
infrastructure solutions, offering trucks, buses, construction
equipment, power solutions for marine and industrial applications,
financing and services that increase our customers' uptime and
productivity. Founded in 1927, the Volvo Group is committed to
shaping the future landscape of sustainable transport and
infrastructure solutions. The Volvo Group is headquartered in
Gothenburg, Sweden, employs almost
95,000 people and serves customers in more than 190 markets. In
2021, net sales amounted to SEK 372
billion (EUR 37 billion).
Volvo shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
The following files are available for download:
https://mb.cision.com/Main/39/3652743/1642507.pdf
|
221024-volvo-group-volvo-environment-prize-winner-2022-eng
|
https://news.cision.com/ab-volvo/i/volvoenvironmentalprize-2022-1860x1050,c3104360
|
VolvoEnvironmentalPrize
2022 1860x1050
|
View original
content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/groundbreaking-research-on-the-impact-of-microplastic-pollution-in-oceans-awarded-the-volvo-environment-prize-2022-301657085.html
SOURCE AB Volvo