We believe our study has highlighted the need to reduce the amount of plastic waste including microplastics which enter our seas," says Tamara Galloway of the University of Exeter. "Plastics are enormously beneficial materials. However, if marine plastic pollution continues to increase, impacts such as those demonstrated in our laboratory studies could occur in the natural environment. Therefore, it is important that we prevent the increase of plastic and microplastic debris in marine habitats through better waste-handling practices and smarter choices in the materials we use."