Lauryn Hill and Microplastics
I awoke (at 10 AM!) to Lauryn Hill's Lost Ones, my #ThemeSong today. I can't do Ms. Hill's history justice in a couple sentences, but here's a great Rolling Stones article about it, aptly entitled The Mystery of Lauryn Hill: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-mystery-of-lauryn-hill-249020/.
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Then I edited a paper about the ecological impact and human health risks of microplastics in aquaculture ecosystems. My daughter is currently doing microplastics research at Eckerd University, so it was a rare instance where I had a personal interest in the subject matter.
During my subsequent trip down the wormhole, I learned that each time you use a microbead-containing facial or body wash (which, for years, has been most of them), up to 94,000 plastic microbes can be flushed down the drain - each time. Because these particles are too tiny to be captured by conventional wastewater treatment plants, they end up in rivers and oceans. "In fact, a 150-mL tube of facial scrub can contain as many as 2.8 million beads. " Researchers estimate that from the UK alone, this could result in up to 80 tonnes of microplastic waste entering the sea every year." These tiny plastic particles don't degrade, and once they are in our environment, they are nearly impossible to remove, so that they end up in aquatic organisms and the food chain. Not only seafood but chickens, cows, and even the plants we eat contain microplastics. Studies show that humans may consume anywhere from 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles a year. Microplastics are released into the atmosphere as well (by degradation, fuels, etc.); so when we consider the amount of microplastics humans inhale, the number of microparticles we consume annually is over 74,000. These microplastics stay in our bodies indefinitely and have been found in every organ studied.
The US banned microbeads from toothpaste and soaps in mid 2017, and Canada, many EU countries, the UK and it appears China are following suit. But microplastics are still allowed in US deodorants, lotions, make-up, household cleaners, etc. So, while we individuals can minimize our contribution to microplastics pollution, we won't be able to eliminate it entirely until our industries do so. US companies are beginning to give the appearance of phasing out the use of microplastics, but it's going to take time.
In the meantime, we can all do a little research and avoid using products that contain or produce microplastics. A website/organization called "BeatTheMicrobead" has a search engine to help identify which products are microplastic free: https://www.beatthemicrobead.org/product-lists/. (If you use this site more than 3 times, please donate at least a few dollars to help maintain it.)
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Another interesting fact I gleaned from my editing assignment: The risk of human microplastic ingestion is reduced by the removal of the gastrointestinal tract in most commercial aquatic species (i.e., seafood). This suggests that microplastics accumulate in the digestive tract, which makes me wonder how they are linked to GI cancers and other disorders.
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Thanks for checking in! Please leave comments or suggestions (including things you'd like to know more about) below. As much as I hate to admit it, I miss the constant Facebook/Twitter feedback; but my life is becoming calmer, more grateful, and less anxious by the day (fingers crossed).
P.S. If you missed my last post, you can find it here: http://www.melissarooneywriting.com/blog/2021/01/2727/.
P.P.S. Re Facebook and Social Media: https://www.ted.com/talks/cal_newport_why_you_should_quit_social_media?language=en
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