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Local environmental group shares concerns over plastics

June 8, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Louise Montague

The following article was submitted by Louise Montague of Greys for Green.

Science will eventually answer the question of just how harmful plastic is to humans, but we believe it can’t possibly be having a positive effect on us. We eat, drink and breathe microplastics every day. Plastic is in our clothes, our phones, our cars, our personal care products, even our toothpaste. It’s everywhere, and it never dies!

There are arguments to be made that we can’t live without plastic. It is a valuable resource in many ways. Because it is cheap, extremely durable, and sterilizable, it has revolutionized the health-care industry with catheters, capsules, syringes, masks, and much more. It has allowed the automotive industry to significantly reduce the weight of vehicles. But despite its benefits, plastic is harmful to our health and our planet.

Most plastic is made from fossil fuels. Based on our appetite for plastic, the current trajectory for plastic consumption is only projected to grow, and by 2050, plastics will account for 20% of oil production. (World Economic Forum). And according to Plastic Oceans International, of the 380 million tons of plastic produced annually, less than 9% of it is recycled, and up to 50% is for single-use purposes – used for a few moments but on the planet for many hundreds of years. An estimated 10 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans yearly, potentially making its way into the fish we eat and the salt we use.

Plastic poses distinct risks to our health. In addition to the particles themselves, plastic products contain chemical additives, many associated with serious health problems such as hormone-related cancers, infertility, and neurodevelopment disorders. Plastics and microplastics attract micro-organisms such as harmful bacteria, increasing the risk of infection.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a known hormone disruptor, was declared a toxic substance in Canada and banned from baby bottles in 2010 but can still be found in plastic food storage containers, can liners, thermal paper receipts, and food packaging not labelled as BPA-free.

One-third of all plastic waste ends up in soils or freshwater. Most of this plastic disintegrates into small particles known as microplastics that ultimately enter the food chain. Eighty percent of the plastic particles contained in sewage sludge, which is often applied to fields as fertilizer, end up in our soils each year. When plastic is heated, in the microwave, for example, it sheds microplastics and leaches chemicals. A study by the University of Victoria and Fisheries and Oceans Canada found that people consume between 40,000 and 50,000 microplastic particles per year in food and drink. People who drink bottled water exclusively, which contains a large number of plastic particles, might be consuming double or triple that. And they calculated that we’re probably breathing in another 30,000 to 70,000 particles from the air around us. According to Plastic Oceans, the average human consumes over 40 lbs of plastic in a lifetime.

Microfibers, a form of microplastic, are sneaky and persistent. Even if you don’t search for them, they will find you. They are already in our food, water, beer, and veggies.

Every time we do laundry, our clothes, not just our fleece jackets, shed microfibers in the amount that equals the surface of a pack of gum (which also contains plastic!).

Let’s agree that we can’t eliminate all plastic, but we can reduce our use of single-use plastics and be more mindful consumers. While I fight my addiction to the convenience of Zip-Loc bags and saran wrap, here are some simple actions to consider to improve your health: Don’t microwave food in plastic, don’t put any type of plastic in the dishwasher; drink tap water instead of bottled water, change your laundry routine (use laundry strips, dryer balls, air-dry clothes, install a fibre-catching filter if you can), buy clothing made of cotton, wool or linen; cut out takeaway cups, use plastic-free cosmetics, use reusable coffee filters, ditch the nylon tea bags, and put those green beans in a reusable produce bag at the grocery store. 

Join the Greys for Greens for their webinar – Ditch The Plastic In Your Life – June 13, 2023, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Register at  contactus@greysforgreen.org

Louise Montague is a founding member of Grey’s for Green in New Tecumseth. She is on a journey to reduce her carbon footprint and is interested in helping others learn how to take meaningful steps to live a sustainable lifestyle.

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