This Fjord Shows Even Small Populations Create Giant Microfiber Pollution By Jessica Leigh Hester, Sept. 28, 2021 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/28/science/microfiber-pollution

Microplastic researchers found considerable amounts of microfibers deposited in the fjords of Norway, presumably produced by the tiny village of Svalbard’s (a Norwegian archipelago) unfiltered sewage system. The volume of waste, roughly 18 billion microfibers, presents dangerous implications for surrounding waters and sea life in the Arctic. The researchers continue to gather evidence to support policy changes regarding sewage management, fundamental filtration changes at the city level, and waste clean-up, including efforts by individual communities. Scientists hope to introduce a more timely solution, a filtration system to capture large debris, also preventing smaller bits of microplastics from entering the waterways. 

It is unbelievable that a village with a population of fewer than 3,000 people has the potential to cause this much destruction to the environment. Svalbard alone is not equipped with the resources to handle a mess of this size, and people in power, such as Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in this case, need to be held accountable for environmental crises occurring off of the mainland. As one of the most eco-friendly nations in the world, it is their responsibility not only to monitor and manage water pollution but also to encourage and provide everyone with the resources to prevent situations like these.