Another blog about plastic... but hear me out!
It's undeniable that general awareness of the negative impact of plastic on our environment has grown over recent years. But, plastic has become unavoidable. Almost everything purchased, whether wholesale or retail, plastic is involved. You order a new food processor with the wholesome intent of making things from scratch in a sustainable way BUT, the appliance itself is plastic, and every single attachment and part are individually wrapped in plastic bags with the whole thing packaged into a box with polystyrene (plastic)!
Even if you shop in bulk stores, buy your produce in paper bags and choose condiments in glass, I can guarantee that your items arrived to the store with plastic! So for the general consumer, even when making sustainable choices, plastic has 100% been involved somewhere along the way. Plastic use must be reduced further up the food chain for real change to occur and we should feel encouraged that consumer pressure and lobbying has already had an impact.
Plastic has created a convenience that the majority of us rely upon or there are no other options available. Until we decide to slow down and live more sustainably, plastic is here to stay!
And what is the problem?
Well, plastics do not bio-degrade. They maintain their structure for hundreds of years and over that time slowly degrade shedding microplastics and chemicals that can disrupt our own hormone systems. Microplastics are small particles of plastics that are polluting our waterways and initially concern was raised regarding seafood as plastics were found in the guts of fish. Particularly concerning are shellfish as we eat the entire animal, stomach, microplastics and all. For example, it was found in Belgium, that the regular consumption of mussels could lead to consuming up to 11,000 plastic particles in a year. BUT even more concerning is the knowledge that microplastic particles are in the air at all times and so you will likely ingest more plastic through the air in the course of your dinner than you would through seafood. Microplastics are everywhere due to the amount of synthetic materials used in our homes, workplaces and generally wherever humans go.
Recent research has shown microplastics to be present in the cells of the human body and in blood samples. They are so small that they can travel through the body and embed themselves within our organs (found in lungs). This means they can be passed from mother to fetus. In short, wherever researchers and scientists have looked, they have found microplastics.
But, what harm do they do?
Well, plastics are made from a complex mix of materials and chemicals to form their durable and flexible structures that have made them ubiqitious in their use. We know that of the 10,000s of substances used, at least 1/4 are toxic and many more are unregulated or their effects on humans are unknown. In animal studies, since plastics were found in the stomach of seabirds and fish, it has been found that the endocrine disrupting chemicals in the plastics can place stress on the liver and down regulate fertility.
Studying humans is a little harder, as forcefeeding people a diet of plastic in the name of research is not possible however, small group studies have shown in 11 out of 13 people studied, microplastics were present in the lungs and 17 out of 22 blood donors had microplastics in their blood. The clear evidence for harm from the plastic is yet unclear but, we do know that some plastics immediately cause an immune response. For example, it takes one minute of breathing in polyurethane and you could start wheezing, and the plastics found in the lung study are known to be toxic to humans. These particular plastics can cause lung irritation, dizziness, headaches, asthma, and cancer.
For me, the evidence is clear. Reducing plastic use is imperative. This benefits the environment and reduces my personal exposure to plastics. See the previous blog entry for easy ways to reduce your plastic use and support local businesses using sustainable materials.