The Green Desk w/ University of Auckland PhD Student Sam Ladewig: December 7, 2022

The Waitematā Harbour is an intertidal ecosystem inhabited by clams, cockles, crabs, algae, and microscopic worms.

In a recent University of Auckland study on the effects of microplastics in the Waitematā Harbor PhD Candidate Sam Ladewig found that plastic pollution is fundamentally altering the natural cycles of life in the harbour's waters. 

The investigation found that microplastic pollution is altering the flow of oxygen through the systems, and the long-term effects of this are currently unknown. 

This week on The Green Desk, Troy spoke to Ladewig about the study and the harms of plastic pollution on New Zealand’s oceans.