Post: #1

This is potentially a growing concern, especially its implications for endocrine disruption of the human body.

Microplastics have been found in high amounts in seafood and some bottled water brands. The obvious solution would be to avoid seafood and bottled water. But:
- not all seafood contains high concentrations of microplastics
- just because X is not high in microplastics today, doesn't mean it will stay that way

Anyone familiar with this topic care to share more information?

From Wikipedia:

Wikipedia Wrote:Microplastics are small pieces of plastic that pollute the environment.[1] While there is some contention over their size, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) classifies microplastics as less than 5 mm in diameter.[2] They come from a variety of sources, including cosmetics, clothing, and industrial processes.

Two classifications of microplastics currently exist: primary microplastics are manufactured and are a direct result of human material and product use, and secondary microplastics are derived from the breakdown of larger plastic debris like the macroscopic parts that make up the bulk of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.[3] Both types are recognized to persist in the environment at high levels, particularly in aquatic and marine ecosystems. Plastic pellets created for use by manufacturers are sometimes referred to as nurdles.[4]

Because plastics do not break down for many years, they can be ingested and incorporated into, and accumulated in, the bodies and tissues of many organisms.[5] The entire cycle and movement of microplastics in the environment is not yet known, but research is currently underway to investigate this issue.

Post: #2

Many years ago, I read a report about the environmental benefits of all of these water companies switching over to eco-friendly plastics. The new bottles (that almost everyone uses now) are a thinner plastic (often "plant derived") and they have a very shallow cap on them. One of the only reported downsides was an increase in plastic particles in the water.

I have since switched to reusable glass water bottles that I fill using my own, gravity-powered water filtration system. It could be placebo, but I believe that my mood and energy levels increased dramatically once I made the effort to remove as much plastic as possible from my life.

The issue for most is, of course, that it is becoming increasingly inconvenient to reduce intake. Not many people are willing to grow their own food or collect their own water. Most lack the knowledge and ability to do such things. And, it would appear it is getting bad enough (if you are concerned) to necessitate such moves.

Post: #3

100,000 years from now when space aliens are probing the ruins of earth they will dig down into the rubble and declare this the age of plastics. Think about shopping and food storage in the 1930s- no plastics at all- everything glass, paper, and metal. Now look at a grocery store today- nearly 100% of everything you buy is wrapped in plastic. It’s a wonder of the modern world and has transformed our lives forever. However, if you ever go to a dump or a solid waste transfer site you see that shit is everywhere and it doesn’t really go away.

Synthetic clothes leak small fibers into the water every time you do a load of laundry. I think I read somewhere that if you have a load of fleece, you will release about a paper clip worth of micro plastics into the water. Now think about a whole planet doing laundry...

The oceans have been filling up with plastic waste. You hear about islands forming out in the oceans and the plastic “patches” creating dead zones. Sometime around 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Most plastic waste in the ocean has been traced to three very surprising offenders- Philippines, Vietnam, and China. These places have huge populations, border the ocean, and have lax oversight / just don’t give a shit.

Pretty much every water bottle you buy is already contaminated with micro plastics. It isn’t clear if this comes from the bottle caps, the bottles themselves, or the clothes the workers are wearing (your synthetic clothing releases micro plastic fibers into the air).

There hasn’t been a lot of testing on seafood, but the studies that have been done show micro plastics detected in the meat and flesh. I’ve only read about farm raised sea food and haven’t read of tests done on true wild sea food. It probably isn’t as bad as drinking from a plastic water bottle, but every piece of seafood you eat probably has small amounts of micro plastics in it. Imagine the implications if we get to a point where sea food is no longer safe to eat due to micro plastics.

I know people who stopped eating sea food and buy all their meat from local small time farmers.

Post: #4

^nature man breaking it down for us. Nice avatar by the way. very appropriate.