‘From the City to the Countryside’: Greenpeace Raises Alarm After Microplastic Found in 85% of Hong Kong Wild Mammal Feces Samples

A total of 2,503 microplastics pieces were found in 85% of the 100 samples collected in several countryside areas across Hong Kong between June and August 2022.

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It’s no secret that Hong Kong faces a plastic problem. However, researchers have now discovered evidence that plastic pollution has extended beyond the city, affecting the countryside and the wildlife that inhabits it.

A new study published Monday revealed the presence of microplastics in the feces of five wild mammals – buffalo, boar, macaque, porcupine, and cattle – with the latter having the highest concentration. Greenpeace collaborated with research teams from universities in Hong Kong and Taipei to collect 100 samples of feces in Hong Kong’s countryside between June and August 2022. They found a total of 2,503 microplastics pieces in 85% of the 100 samples collected.

Microplastics are fragments of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters and larger than 1 micron (one thousandth of a millimetre) in length. Common examples include materials such as glitter, microbeads and fragments from larger pieces of plastic debris, as well as from items of clothing. 

According to the United Nations, more than 51 trillion microplastic particles litter the world’s seas, a quantity that outnumbers the stars in our galaxy by 500 times. Since microplastics became a pressing topic among environmental researchers at the beginning of the 21st century, these tiny, toxic particles of plastic have been thoroughly studied. Researchers have found them pretty much everywhere, from inside marine creatures to food and water as well as, not surprisingly, even in human blood.

The Greenpeace investigation revealed that microplastics commonly found in single-use plastic packaging, takeaway containers, and disposable utensils – also known as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) – were the predominant types mammals ingested.

“The findings of this study are important, proving that wild animals can ingest microplastics in the countryside, where it is away from urban areas and human activities,” said Christelle Not, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Hong Kong.

Previous Greenpeace research conducted in 2021 confirmed the presence of microplastics in many of Hong Kong’s countryside streams, though Monday’s study marks the first evidence of microplastics reaching wild animals.

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues affecting Hong Kong. In 2022, plastic made up 21% of the territory’s municipal solid waste, second only to food waste. The city’s beaches and waterways are drowning in plastic, and microplastic levels in the sea are 40% higher than the global average.

The lack of an efficient recycling infrastructure is a major contributing factor in the plastic crisis in Hong Kong. In 2022, less than 13% of Hong Kong’s nearly one million tonnes of plastic waste was recycled. Hong Kong’s consumerism and spending cultures are also considered among the unhealthiest in the world. And with excessive consumption comes excessive waste. According to Hong Kong’s Environmental Protection Department (EPD), Hongkongers throw away an average of 1.5 kilograms per person per day.

More on the topic: Investigation Reveals Plastic in Hong Kong Recycling Bins Sent to Landfills

In April, the government implemented the first phase of a plastic ban, which targets all Expanded Polystyrene tableware, as well as plastic straws, stirrers, forks, knifes, spoons and plates. However, environmental groups worry that several exceptions and the lack of a clear timeline for the implementation of the second phase might compromise the ban’s effectiveness.

“Microplastics are difficult to clean up, leading to their accumulation in the environment and increasing the risk of contaminating the food chain. The government should not allow corporates to produce plastic without proper regulation; otherwise, the entire ecosystem will struggle to escape the plastic pollution,” said Leanne Tam, a Greenpeace Campaigner.

The NGO is calling on the government and corporates to “take the lead” in developing effective plastic reduction policies both on a local level – such as developing a reusable tableware rental system – and globally, by supporting the implementation of a Global Plastics Treaty.

In March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted Resolution 5/14, agreeing to adopt a legally binding Treaty by the end of 2024. Since then, four of five Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) sessions have been held with the last one scheduled to take place in Busan, South Korea, this November.

The most recent session, held in April in Ottawa, Canada, saw the completion of some work, including developing a list of products and chemicals of concern, and standard design requirements to improve recycling capabilities. However, despite calls by several nations, talks did not address the need to reduce production of primary plastic polymers (new plastics). This was likely due to the influence of nearly 200 fossil fuel lobbyists present at the talks, a 37% increase from the third meeting. 

“The world is burning, and member states are wasting time and opportunity. We saw some progress… However, compromises were made on the outcome which disregarded plastic production cuts, further distancing us from reaching a treaty that science requires, and justice demands,” Graham Forbes, Greenpeace Head of Delegation to the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations and Global Plastics Campaign Lead at Greenpeace USA, said in April.

Humans now generate nearly 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, 60% of which end up in our natural environment. If that wasn’t enough, plastic production is expected to increase from today’s 300 million metric tonnes to 33 billion metric tonnes per year by 2050.

Featured image: JJ Tsui/Greenpeace East Asia.