How can you help reduce microplastic pollution?
Where do microplastics come from?
Microplastics come from a variety of sources. Some are purposefully manufactured to be small, so they are already smaller than 5 millimeters when they enter the environment. Microspheres and fragments are often incorporated into facial cleansers, toothpastes, cosmetics, and used in industrial processes.
Some microplastics are the result of wear and tear from plastic products. Wear and tear from tires significantly contributes to the accumulation of microplastics in the environment. One comprehensive study on the sources of microplastics in the San Francisco Bay suggests that almost half of the plastic particles come from tires. Additionally, synthetic fabrics such as nylon, fleece, spandex, and polyester shed plastic microfibers during washing. Fun fact: the majority of microplastics that our lab has found are in the form of microfibers!
Microplastics from cosmetics, tires, and fabrics enter the wastewater treatment system through stormwater and household sewage. Around 98% of these particles are removed during treatment, but the remaining 2% are released into streams, rivers, and coastal waters. Given the large volume of treated wastewater that is released every day, it is considered a significant input of microplastics into aquatic environments. The particles that are removed during the treatment process are concentrated into sewage sludge, which is often sold to farmers for use as fertilizer. This releases microplastics into agricultural ecosystems.
Another common source of microplastic pollution results from the physical deterioration of larger plastic items. Plastic bags, bottles, and fishing gear make their way into oceans, where they are exposed to UV light from the sun and wave action. The UV light causes plastics to become more brittle, and the wave action speeds up the rate of breakdown.
How can you help reduce microplastic pollution?
Drive the speed limit and avoid fast braking and acceleration. Driving the speed limit reduces wear and tear on your tires, with the added benefit of increasing fuel efficiency.
Buy clothing made with natural fibers like cotton, viscose, rayon, silk, and wool. If you don’t want to get rid of your synthetic clothes, consider purchasing a mesh washing bag, which prevents microfibers from entering wastewater and allows them to be scraped into the trash.
Avoid single use plastics when possible. Consider bringing reusable bags, water bottles, and cutlery with you to make it easy to say “no” to single use plastics
Participate in a plastic-free challenge. Participating in a 30-day plastic-free challenge is a great way to examine your personal relationship with plastic. Even if you slip up, you’ll learn a bit each time. If 30 days seems like a big commitment, try keeping a log of every plastic item that you touch over the course of 24 hours.
You may find it difficult to completely get rid of plastics in your life. The goal is to examine how much plastic you use each day and try to make small changes. If we all make small changes to our plastic consumption, together we can make huge progress towards reducing plastic pollution.
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