Comments on: Anthony Andrady says plastics in ocean biodegrade slowly http://earthsky.org/water/anthony-andrady-%e2%80%98plastics-in-ocean-biodegrade-slowly%e2%80%99 A Clear Voice for Science Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:27:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dan http://earthsky.org/water/anthony-andrady-%e2%80%98plastics-in-ocean-biodegrade-slowly%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-568457 Dan Thu, 12 May 2011 19:24:45 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=14387#comment-568457 If we continue to pollute the oceans, will this will eventually lead to fish that we can't eat ? If we continue to pollute the oceans, will this will eventually lead to fish that we can’t eat ?

]]> By: Travis http://earthsky.org/water/anthony-andrady-%e2%80%98plastics-in-ocean-biodegrade-slowly%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-56647 Travis Sun, 25 Jul 2010 23:16:06 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=14387#comment-56647 Mr. Andrady talked about microbes that have evolved to eat crude oil spills, or the naturally occurring spillage. He thinks in given time they will also evolve so they can eat the plastic. Andrady is in the top of his field and to call his ideas far fetched or ignorant, well, one should do a little better research and they will understand what he has stated. Also, look up Alan Weisman, Charles Moore ( Algalita Research). Mr. Andrady talked about microbes that have evolved to eat crude oil spills, or the naturally occurring spillage. He thinks in given time they will also evolve so they can eat the plastic. Andrady is in the top of his field and to call his ideas far fetched or ignorant, well, one should do a little better research and they will understand what he has stated. Also, look up Alan Weisman, Charles Moore ( Algalita Research).

]]> By: Beth L. http://earthsky.org/water/anthony-andrady-%e2%80%98plastics-in-ocean-biodegrade-slowly%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-15188 Beth L. Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:42:22 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=14387#comment-15188 Thank you all for your comments. Love the plastic magnet idea, Lisa! :) Sharon, I don't believe it's the plastic that's buried deep in landfills that presents the major problem for oceans (and, as far as I know, it does not float to the surface). Julia, you might be interested in looking at this article: http://earthsky.org/interviewpost/water/pacific-ocean-gyre-filled-with-plastic-trash Sometimes our pieces do contain bias - that's probably inevitable for any news organization. So you might view this other article as counterpoint to the one you commented on. However, the gasoline idea isn't that preposterous. Most plastic is made from petroleum. Conceivably, when you break it down, you get - along with other possibly nasty bi-products - petroleum. Best, Beth Thank you all for your comments. Love the plastic magnet idea, Lisa! :)

Sharon, I don’t believe it’s the plastic that’s buried deep in landfills that presents the major problem for oceans (and, as far as I know, it does not float to the surface).

Julia, you might be interested in looking at this article:
http://earthsky.org/interviewpost/water/pacific-ocean-gyre-filled-with-plastic-trash

Sometimes our pieces do contain bias – that’s probably inevitable for any news organization. So you might view this other article as counterpoint to the one you commented on.

However, the gasoline idea isn’t that preposterous. Most plastic is made from petroleum. Conceivably, when you break it down, you get – along with other possibly nasty bi-products – petroleum.

Best,
Beth

]]> By: Julia http://earthsky.org/water/anthony-andrady-%e2%80%98plastics-in-ocean-biodegrade-slowly%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-15167 Julia Sun, 17 Jan 2010 11:06:38 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=14387#comment-15167 I am sadly disappointed with the bias of this article. It seems to suggest plastics can and eventually will be a perfectly natural part of the workings of the world, if only that pesky mother nature would just keep up and evolve a way to handle it! What?! Plastic is, and always will be, poison. That is it. Bottom line. Even if you refine it into "valuable raw materials." GASOLINE?! Come on folks. Plastic does not break down! Even in landfills, it is chemically proven that it doesn't "biodegrade," it merely breaks down into smaller and smaller and smaller pieces. To the extent that now, every human on the face of this planet has it in their bodies. It's in our water. In our food and soil. It's not going away and claiming it is any less of a crisis than it actually is will not help the matter. Suggesting we find some way to adapt the system, so we can go ahead and keep producing more and more of it, is extremely short sighted and ignorant. I am sadly disappointed with the bias of this article. It seems to suggest plastics can and eventually will be a perfectly natural part of the workings of the world, if only that pesky mother nature would just keep up and evolve a way to handle it! What?! Plastic is, and always will be, poison. That is it. Bottom line. Even if you refine it into “valuable raw materials.” GASOLINE?! Come on folks. Plastic does not break down! Even in landfills, it is chemically proven that it doesn’t “biodegrade,” it merely breaks down into smaller and smaller and smaller pieces. To the extent that now, every human on the face of this planet has it in their bodies. It’s in our water. In our food and soil. It’s not going away and claiming it is any less of a crisis than it actually is will not help the matter. Suggesting we find some way to adapt the system, so we can go ahead and keep producing more and more of it, is extremely short sighted and ignorant.

]]> By: SHARON http://earthsky.org/water/anthony-andrady-%e2%80%98plastics-in-ocean-biodegrade-slowly%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-15165 SHARON Sun, 17 Jan 2010 07:40:58 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=14387#comment-15165 In a flood all the plastic stuff we have buried in landfills will float to the surface? In a flood all the plastic stuff we have buried in landfills will float to the surface?

]]> By: Lisa Dupill http://earthsky.org/water/anthony-andrady-%e2%80%98plastics-in-ocean-biodegrade-slowly%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-15082 Lisa Dupill Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:25:55 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=14387#comment-15082 That is an excellent idea. The next excellent idea would be to figure out way to harvest the plastic already in the water and add that to the fire. Maybe we could invent a plastic magnet? That is an excellent idea. The next excellent idea would be to figure out way to harvest the plastic already in the water and add that to the fire. Maybe we could invent a plastic magnet?

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