At the Davos Conference (World Economic Forum) in January 2016, a shocking prediction based on data was presented: "At this rate, by 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean will exceed the amount of fish." This prediction sent ripples through the plastic industry.
If we imagine a fishing boat pulling up a large net and finding half fish and half plastic waste, with someone assigned to sort them out... it might sound ridiculous. However, the reality is far more serious—microplastics are invisible to the naked eye, accumulating inside fish, and ultimately entering our bodies when we consume seafood.
Have you ever heard of the term "biomagnification"?
It refers to the phenomenon where organisms higher up in the food chain are more strongly affected by environmental changes. In other words, small fish and seabirds that ingest microplastics as food accumulate indigestible plastic particles in their bodies. When these organisms are eaten by predators higher up the food chain, the concentration of microplastics in their bodies becomes even higher.
As a Japanese, I cannot imagine life without seafood. That leaves me with two choices—either give up eating seafood or find a solution to the 2050 prediction presented at Davos.
I work for a plastic injection molding company. Simply put, my job is to sell plastic. This creates a dilemma: the harder I work, the more plastic spreads throughout the world, seemingly pushing us further away from a future where we can safely enjoy seafood.
However, as a manufacturer that relies on plastic, we also have unique opportunities to make a difference. Under the name of Watson Bio Lab Brand, we offer products like EcoPack (200 µL, Standard Tip, Graduated, Refill Stack, Sterilized) and EcoRack (Microtube Stand for 96 tubes, Yellow (1 piece)), designed to minimize environmental impact as much as possible.
EcoPack reduces not only packaging waste but also financial burdens for users. By mounting five plates with paper skirts, it eliminates the need for disposable packaging and racks, making it both economical and ecological. EcoRack, on the other hand, is a reusable tube rack made by recycling production waste and sterilizing it through autoclaving.
It is a well-known fact that plastic remains the best material for research supplies and laboratory equipment. Replacing it with alternative materials is not easy—unlike coffee chains that can switch to paper straws, laboratories worldwide heavily rely on plastic consumables. Fortunately, most labs follow strict recycling protocols, preventing direct plastic disposal into the ocean.
It’s highly unlikely that used pipette tips or tubes would ever be dumped into the sea. However, consider this: using 4,800 pieces of 200µL tips means that 1201-705CS (200 µL, Standard Tip, Graduated, System Rack (PP), Sterilized) would generate waste from 50 polypropylene (PP) racks and 50 polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging sheets.
In contrast, using 123R-755CS and Nexty Rack(NEXTY Rack (S) "1298-NTS" (1 piece) – Watson BIO LAB SHOP) would significantly reduce plastic waste. While pipette tips and tubes themselves are irreplaceable, we are committed to reducing plastic usage in packaging and other areas as much as possible.
Additionally, we are working on the long-term research and development of products using biodegradable plastic materials. It may take time, but someday, pipette tips and tubes could be made from biodegradable materials.
By 2050, I will be around 60 years old. I hope that by then, I can still enjoy sushi and sashimi as a proud Japanese citizen. The last thing I want is for 50% of the human body to be made of plastic by then!!