All at sea

Editor's note: In this weekly feature China Daily gives voice to Asia and its people. The stories presented come mainly from the Asia News Network (ANN), of which China Daily is among its 20 leading titles.

As a major plastic polluter, Indonesia has topped the global per capita intake of microplastics that are found mostly in seafood, with fishermen and coastal communities being the most affected, according to latest studies.

However, the communities know very little about the potential health risks haunting them and continue to consume fish as part of their daily diet, prompting experts to urge immediate action from the relevant authorities to minimize the impact, including imposing stricter regulations on single-use plastics.

Microplastics, often invisible to the naked eye, can be particles smaller than five millimeters and usually come from larger plastic pieces that have degraded over time.

As these plastic fragments can end up in ecosystems if not managed properly, microplastics can either be ingested or inhaled by humans.

In recent years, many scientists have discovered microplastics in the human body, including in the lungs, breast milk, placental tissue and bloodstream.

While research on long-term impacts is yet to be conclusive, some recent studies suggested that people who have microplastics identified in their bodies are more likely to experience heart attack, stroke and death from any cause.