In this post, I wanted to get back to the issue of plastic pollution since there are still some major areas that have not been covered in prior posts. A topic that had been discussed previously, but that deserves added attention, is the role of microplastics (i.e., plastics less than 5 mm in length) and what we can do to reduce our own contribution to microplastics in the environment. The reason I bring this up is because, while there are a lot of ways in which plastic pollution has visibly affected the planet, there are what may be considered more dangerous impacts caused by plastic pollution that is less visible, namely microplastics. This article from WebMD provides a lot of great information on this topic regarding causes and ways to reduce.
The main issue here is that we are consuming a large amount of plastic on a daily basis, which amounts to approximately the size of a credit card every week. Microplastics, as a result, are especially concerning as they have been measured in significant concentrations in the packaged food, as well as the meat and seafood, we eat, the tap and bottled water we drink, and the air we breathe. Once ingested, their small size allows microplastics to easily move from the digestive system into the bloodstream where they are transported throughout the body to all critical organs.
Microplastics can come from a number of sources, including plastic pellets used to make larger items or microbeads that were typically used in a lot of beauty and personal care products; there are referred to as primary microplastics. Secondary microplastics come from the breakdown of larger plastic items, such as those we drink or eat from on an almost daily basis. Secondary microplastics also come from plastic microfibers that are released from your clothing containing polyester or nylon during normal wear and washing and drying. Pieces of tire that break off when you are driving also represent a significant source of microplastics in the environment. Refer to this brief but very informative article by NOAA for more information; links to other informational resources are also provided on this page.
You may have heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which an area in the Pacific Ocean where much of the plastic disposed of along the various Pacific Coasts collects due to the overall circulation of the ocean. This patch has been mistakenly referred to as continent of plastic that is very visible as you move through it. As NOAA explains, though there many large items in the patch, it is primarily made up of microplastics that can go all the way down to the ocean floor. The fact that these plastics are small does not make them any less dangerous to the environment; I would argue that their size increases the danger because they are so difficult to clean up.
There is a bright side to all of this in that you can substantially reduce your consumption of plastic by following two simple rules (though I am not asking you to become vegetarian if you are not already):
1. Consume as much unpackaged food (e.g. fresh fruits and vegetables) as possible. This will also contribute to what is referred to as a circular economy (more on this in a future article). 2. Use water bottles, dishware, and food storage containers made from glass, ceramics, metals, and other non-plastic materials.
3. Try to purchase clothing that has a minimal amount of polyester, nylon, and other synthetic fibers.
Objective: The objective for this week is to identify only one plastic item you use regularly for drinking or for eating or storing food (e.g. cups, bottles, dishware, storage containers) and to replace it with a non-plastic alternative. We will cover some of the other sources of microplastics mentioned above in future articles.
Thank you for bringing this again. Action is needed to ban plastic containers, bags and bottles. Nano plastic is also found in most of our bottled water and beverages. Worth to talk about it as well.