Outsmarting the Cycle

TACKLING THE UNKNOWNS AND RISKS OF PLASTIC

WRITTEN BY SIDNEY STIPANOVICH

As people celebrated Earth Day this year, photos of the planet flooded social media. My feed was filled with captivating pictures of remote and serene forests, lakes, lookouts and sunsets. The annual message imposed on this day every year is a necessary one: protect the planet. But, while we continue to remind ourselves and each other to protect our environment and to preserve biodiversity, our actions as humans are counterintuitive. Mass consumption of products contributes to increasing levels of pollution and climate change. One of the biggest threats to Earth’s ecosystems, and to the health of humans, is a material used within products that we see every day: plastic.

Single-use plastics are everywhere – from grocery store bags, to shipping packaging, to utensils and disposable kitchenware. It is predicted that by 2040, 710 million more tons of plastic will be dumped into the environment. This not only threatens oceans and ecosystems, but our health as humans as well. Although there are currently plastic-conscious trends such as #SaveTheTurtles and metal straws, there are still many unknowns when it comes to the risks of plastic.

A growing issue that scientists are continuing to study are microplastics. Microplastics are broken down from larger plastic pieces and manufactured microbeads; they are found in various beauty products and are meant to be an exfoliant. Microplastics are dangerous and difficult to detect as a result of their size. They can also carry toxins and pollutants. Some are able to pass through filtration systems undetected and are consumed by humans and animals – particularly marine life. One study from the scientific journal “Environmental Science & Technology” said the average American citizen will consume more than 74,000 particles of microplastic every year. Because microplastics are a developing study, we still don’t know all of the various ways we are affected by them.

When microbeads are washed down drains, they are released into rivers, lakes and oceans. After the commercial fishing process, these plastics then circulate back to us by consuming seafood. According to University of Michigan professor and Partnerships for Environmental Public Health researcher John Meeker, it is unknown how our bodies process and metabolize the small plastic particles. Researchers still do not know whether or not the particles are able to disrupt certain systems of the body.

There are many remaining questions relating to how much plastic is actually accumulating on the planet. It is difficult for researchers to understand the levels of plastic that exist within the ocean. But, as new evidence and knowledge becomes more apparent, predictions are becoming more accurate. Furthermore, many nations are taking the steps to ban certain plastics. Congress passed the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 to prohibit the manufacturing and distribution of cosmetic products that contain microbeads. Other nations including the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Sweden, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have similar bans. While this is a start, more government action must be taken to reduce the levels of plastic entering the environment.

Some ways to avoid microplastic consumption and single-use plastics are not drinking out of plastic water bottles and not eating foods packaged in plastic. Additionally, aim to store your leftovers in glass containers – not plastic containers or wrapped in plastic wrap, bring a reusable bag to avoid single-use plastic bags from the store and cook more often to avoid take-out containers.

It’s also important to support legislation that aims to limit plastic pollution. In March of 2021, the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021 was reintroduced to Congress. The act aims to break the cycle plastic begins with, and shifts responsibility onto the industries that produce the material.

Though small acts to limit plastic use seem ineffective in the grand scheme of things, they do make a difference. Additionally, you can protect your own health by staying educated about microplastics and microbeads.

DESIGNER COURTNEY SHAPIRO