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We are living in a plastic world. Yet, most of the plastic that we come in contact with are not the items that you easily see- water bottles, packaging and single use plastic bags. The billions of pieces of plastic debris that we’re exposed to on a daily basis are less than five millimetres long. Known as mircoplastics, these sesame-sized pieces of plastic are found in every crevice of the earth from our oceans to our food supply and even our bodies.
So, what can we do about it? In August 2019, Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health at the World Health Organization explained that one of the organizations’s top priorities is to focus on how to reduce plastic waste. “Microplastics in drinking water don’t appear to pose a health risk at current levels. But we need to find out more. We also need to stop the rise in plastic pollution worldwide,” she said.
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While scientists and government officials work on ways to better understand and minimize our exposure to microplastics, it’s worthwhile for us as consumers to educate ourselves. By learning what microplastics are and how we’re contributing to the problem, we’ll be in a better position to be a part of the solution… and not a contributor to the problem.
What are microplastics?
To say that we use a lot of plastic is an understatement. In 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that 35.7 million tons of plastic was produced in the United States alone. With less than 10% of that plastic waste recycled, that means that millions of tons of plastic are dumped into landfills yearly where they can break down into tiny particles- microplastics.
But, plastic (and microplastic) can also be found in other less than noticeable items like our clothing. Polyester and nylon are two widely-used materials in the fashion industry. However, both are a plastic-based textiles that are made from crude oils. Polyester alone uses an estimated 342 million barrels of oil yearly during production. Being plastic-based also means that tiny plastic particles break off of polyester and nylon clothing. One study found that the average load of laundry can release 700,000 microfibers. That’s about the size of a pack of gum. Now, imagine that pack of mircoplastics traveling into our waste and water systems.
What are the environmental impacts of microplastics?
Just because we’re living in a plastic world doesn’t mean that it’s beneficial for us. While more research needs to be done about the impact of microplastics to our ecosystems, it is known that there is an effect and often times it isn’t positive.
Plastic products were never designed to end up in our oceans.
Plastics Industry Associateion
- When microplastics are in our soil they can disrupt the pH balance of the underground ecosystem. This could pose a problem for farmers and our food supply.
- Marine life can oftentimes mistake microplastics for food. When they ingest them this leads to swelling from the plastics that leads to starvation and eventually death.
- In an independent study microplastics were found in the gastrointestinal tract of the 49% of fish examined. That means that microplastics have made it into larger animals and our food supply either by eating smaller animals who have ingested microplastic or ingesting them directly.
- Microplastics are in our drinking supply. From tap water to bottled water and even drinks like beer, there are microplastics. A study at the University of Minnesota found microplastics in 12 beer brands that used water from the Great Lakes.
Mircoplastics can also impact our health. Plastics are laced with chemicals to help give them certain characteristics that make them ideal for use in packaging, personal care products and clothing. For example phthalates, is used to make plastics more flexible. But, it is also a known hormone disruptor. When chemicals like phthalates are used in plastic produts that can break off into microplastics and wind up in our water supply, they can pose a health threat over time.
How can we prevent microplastics?
How you wash your polyester coat or leggings can make an impact on the number of microplastic particles released. Top-load washing machines are known to release seven times more microfibers than front-loading washing machines. The reason why is that front-loading washing machines use less water. Even if you do have a top-loading washing machine you can help to offset the release of microplastics by placing your clothing in reusable washing bags that collect some of these fibers. One product is Guppyfriend which filters the fibers that break off of items like polyester puffer coats.
One of the best ways that we can minimize plastic pollution is to break up with plastic. Our current lifestyles don’t make it easy to go plastic-free, but even small swaps here and there can make a difference. Why not bring a reusable tote to the grocery store and say ‘no’ to a single-use plastic bags? This could help to minimize the 500 billion single-use plastic bags that we use each year. Or, invest in a reusable water bottle and filter to avoid buying single-use plastic water bottles. Did you know that Americans throw away 22 billion plastic water bottles each year? When it comes to clothing look for biodegradable organic fibers like cotton, linen, and wool instead of synthetic textiles. Did you know that synthetic textiles are the biggest source of microplastic pollution in our oceans? A whooping 35% of microplastic particles come from synthetic clothing.
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If you’re already well into your plastic-free lifestyle, let your local politicians know. You can sign a petition to help eliminate single-use plastic bags or for retailers like Amazon to offer plastic-free solutions. You can also write to your favorite brands letting them know that while you love them you’d like to see a little less plastic packaging.
Minimizing microplastics is a one step at a time process. Living a sustainable lifestyle and being aware of our impact is the first step. Learning small lifestyle changes that we can make is the next step. And, when we put everything together, we can make a positive change towards minimizing pollution and the impacts it has on our health and the planet that we live in.