Paula Sobral interviewed by Greensavers - “There are no signs of a slowdown in this environmental crisis”

In an interview with sustainability magazine Greensavers, MARE researcher Paula Sobral talks about the environmental crisis that is marine pollution by microplastics. 

Researcher at MARE, Professor at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa and Founder of the Portuguese Marine Litter Association (APLM), Paula Sobral is one of the country's leading experts on microplastics and marine litter. For this reason, in celebration of International Coastal Cleanup Day, the researcher was interviewed by Greensavers to raise awareness of the growing problem of ocean pollution.

As Paula Sobral explains, “as plastics degrade, they form microplastics and potentially nanoplastics, the effects of which can be devastating for both marine ecosystems and human health. In addition, many of these plastics are contaminated with toxic substances, which accumulate in the food chain,” causing problems at all trophic levels. This accumulation is revealed mainly through endocrine problems and infertility.

Despite this, “the direct link between exposure to micro and nanoplastics in the environment and the effects on human health is still not fully understood”.  According to the MARE researcher, there are “laboratory studies (which) have shown that nanoplastics can induce inflammatory processes in human cells, such as those of the lung and intestine, which can lead to the development of more serious diseases”, but “much more research is needed to determine their concrete impact and make a risk assessment”.

Where does this debris come from? Paula Sobral replies: “The origin of marine litter is diverse, and in order to improve the situation from a technological point of view, efficient waste management is essential, especially in countries where it is still non-existent. One of the biggest problems is that in many countries, especially the less developed ones, there is no infrastructure to treat the waste, leading people to burn it in the open or dump it in canals and rivers, which ends up taking it to the ocean.”

The solution to this growing environmental crisis lies not only in science but also in education. “Science is crucial to understanding and quantifying the negative impacts of marine litter. Through research, we can prove the adverse effects of plastics and other waste on the marine environment and human health.” “On the other hand, education is equally important, as it is an essential pillar for promoting awareness and changing behavior.”

For MARE researcher Paula Sobral, “the combination of science and education is essential for tackling the challenge of marine litter and creating lasting solutions for a cleaner and healthier environment”.

To read the interview in full click HERE