Plastics on the Half Shell? UK Study Citing Fiberglass in Bivalves May Hold Little Water Here, Local Experts Say

by Alex Garland

A recent surge in studies regarding microscopic particles of plastic, or microplastics, is providing consumers with more news stories about what impact plastic use has had on our food, brains, and environment.

Concern about fiberglass contamination in bivalves has risen after a report from the UK showed a sharp rise in the material detected in shellfish collected near an inlet-based boatyard. This study has sparked discussions among researchers, industry experts, and environmentalists regarding new concerns for local seafood and the broader ecosystem. Local experts say that while stewardship is vital to a healthy ecosystem, the situation may not be as alarming as initially believed.

Dr. Sandra Shumway, a scientist at the University of Connecticut and editor of the Journal of Shellfish Research, expressed skepticism regarding the fiberglass concerns. “I have seen a couple of articles noting fiberglass in the water and speculation beyond that. I am not aware of any data on fiberglass in shellfish,” she stated.

She further explained that shellfish typically respond to contaminants like fiberglass in the same way they do with plastics: “They select against it while filtering or, if ingested, [expel] it quickly. They get rid of it in minutes to hours.”

Dr. Jacqueline Padilla-Gamino from the University of Washington (UW) echoed the resilience of bivalves, noting their remarkable ability to filter their environments.

Researchers, including Julieta Martinelli who studied at UW, have also examined microscopic pollution in bivalves. While finding microplastics at lower levels than expected, she did not observe fiberglass in her samples. “Looking at the images, I can confirm that I didn’t see anything like that,” she said. “A few of us were visually inspecting samples, so it would have been hard to miss.”

However, Martinelli cautioned that not finding fiberglass doesn’t definitively rule out its presence. “It’s a fast-paced field, and for some reason, there was no local information yet.”

Padilla-Gamino said of microplastic contamination, “Right now, I’m not as concerned for the shellfish in Washington, which is what my team has been looking into.” She added, “Of course, the issue [of microplastics] is super important, because you know, the toothbrush of your grandma is still there somewhere.”

The Seattle Aquarium Microplastic Research Program was unable to assist with questions from the Emerald due to preparations for the Ocean Pavilion expansion, but their website provides additional information on their findings, including this section referring to Martinelli’s work. It also addresses how "microparticle pollution in the Salish Sea is likely generated by adjacent cities," with tides, currents, and winds playing roles in their distribution.

Lisa Hoang from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) confirmed that there is currently no data on fiberglass in shellfish from their studies. Scarlet Tang from the Washington Department of Ecology added, “I have checked with a few people at Ecology, and I don’t think we are doing any research on this as an agency.”

Industry representatives have expressed concern about the potential fallout from negative media coverage. Bill Dewey from Taylor Shellfish Farms noted, “As I understand it, it was one study, done next to a boat yard during a time of year with a high level of maintenance activities.” He emphasized that their operations are not located near boat yards and that stringent regulations prevent the discharge of contaminated wastewater. “We have not looked for fiberglass in our shellfish but also would not anticipate finding it,” he concluded.

As discussions around fiberglass and plastic pollution continue, the implications for the industry are significant. One unnamed representative articulated a concern: “The more these articles get published, the more people skip shellfish or seafood, the harder it is to get them to care about keeping [the environment] clean.”

According to Martinelli, the main issue with her study was messaging around microplastics. “The aquaculture industry has very serious concerns about unfair and negative information being associated with them, so navigating that was challenging.” She added, “Oyster growers are environmental stewards of the waterways where they grow oysters because their business depends on it. So having negative messaging around a topic they’re so invested in is difficult.”

Microplastics are everywhere, and the issue plagues many of our consumables, from glacial water to filtered beer to farmed beef and chicken. Seattle has eliminated single-use plastic bags, plastic straws, and Styrofoam containers in an effort to reduce the impact of our consumption. It took science to develop these plastics, and it will likely be the work of young scientists that removes it from our ecosystems.

Editors' Note: This article was updated on Sept. 18, 2024, to correct an editing error.

Alex Garland is a photojournalist and reporter. With a degree in emergency administration and disaster planning from the University of North Texas, Alex spent his early professional career as a GIS analyst for FEMA. Follow him on Twitter.