The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on Friday appealed to researchers in the country to conduct a deeper probe on the effects of microplastics in fisher following a recent study by the Department of Science and Technology’s National Research Council of the Philippines that showed the presence of microplastics in extracted particles from 30 milkfish in Mindanao.

BFAR spokesperson Nazer Briguera said that they are taking steps on getting more information about the discovery of microplastics in bangus harvested in Mindanao and its effects.

“We at BFAR, we really urge our research institutions, even international partners, to conduct extensive studies on microplastics,” said Briguera, as he cited that even the World Health Organization has not yet issued standards on microplastic toxicity and its impact on human health.

Briguera added that microplastics are not visible to the naked eye and urged fish consumers to buy fresh fish and thoroughly wash them before cooking.

“Microplastics come from pollution, so there really needs to be a comprehensive promotion to prevent the dumping of waste in our nature,” he said. “Let’s keep our environment clean because, once again, microplastics are in the environment.”

A DoST-NRCP-funded study reported that 235 of the 383 extracted particles from 30 bangus from a selected site in Mindanao were confirmed to have microplastics, a manifestation of plastic pollution’s presence in the country’s aquaculture.

“When microplastics with attached toxic substances are ingested, they pose a potential threat to human health,” science researcher Mary Hope Banda said, stressing that while microplastics may not be inherently toxic, their chemical nature attracts and accumulates other toxic substances on their surfaces.