Plastics have become indispensible in many areas of modern life, used for clothing, storage, transportation, packaging, construction and a host of consumer goods. One of plastics’ greatest properties, its durability, is also one of the main reasons that plastics present a threat to the marine environment. The risk increases as long as plastic continues to enter the ocean. The term microplastics was introduced within the last decade to describe small pieces of plastic found in the ocean, commonly defined as < 5mm in diameter.