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Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

smithsonianmag.com

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Re: Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

#21

Post by RandomInteger4 »

RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #12

For everyone talking about the benefits of glass bottles, they have their own dangers. This study from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia showed that broken glass bottles accounted for 15% of all lacerations in children (the largest single cause) and broken glass bottles most frequently inflicted injuries resulting in functional impairment or hospitalization https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-ab…

Not to mention that glass also has harmful chemicals that leach into the contents of the glass containers. Same goes for metal.

Re: Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

#22

Post by jdietrich »

dahfizz wrote: post #13

Do we know much about the impact this has on our bodies? This is certainly something to be concerned about, but without that context it's hard to know what this really means. The article says a "microplastic particle" is any peice of plastic smaller than 5mm. That's bigger than some pills - I would definitely notice chewing on something that size. So how big are these really and what are they doing to me? For referen…

>So how big are these really and what are they doing to me?

According to the paper, a) they're mostly microscopic pieces of lint from synthetic textiles and b) we don't know. Given the amount of research that has looked for health harms related to plastics exposure, I operate on the assumption that if it was a big deal, we would have found something by now.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.9b01517

Re: Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

#23

Post by tfha »

jdietrich wrote: post #18

So? To quote the results of the paper, "the effects of consuming MPs on human health are largely unknown". I'm just not concerned about ingesting tiny quantities of something that might possibly be harmful, even though we've been looking really hard for harms for quite a long time and haven't found anything of note. My environment is full of stuff that we know to be definitely harmful - could we fix that please, befo…

It's good to know that modern practices are having wide reaching contamination. The sources of ingestion may not be from where you expected and may indicate that other more harmful things are being ingested as well.

Re: Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

#24

Post by youeseh »

vuln wrote: post #6
youeseh wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They could pilot it and charge a little extra.

But you’re still packing it cardboard and air filled plastic bags. It’s fragile has to be handled differently. Which means it’s more of a risk. Think of the robot that pierced the bear mace in a factory.

Hey, I'm not saying it'd be easy. When I lived in the middle East the cola truck would deliver to residences and take away the empties each week.

Re: Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

#25

Post by tfha »

vuln wrote: post #4
staunch wrote: post #3

I'd be happy to buy virtually all my packaged food in recyclable glass containers. I buy milk in bottles and return them for a refund and it's easy enough. Amazon could make this move happen pretty quickly with amazon.com and Whole Foods. I'm sure there would be difficulties involved but they don't seem insurmountable.

>shipping glass ... “difficulties” Yeah I’m sure they’d lose a ton of money. Glass is heavy and expensive plus the added liability of it breaking and a consumer reaching their hand inside.

You'd only need to use glass for the last mile of the process for many items. Ship the bulk items in big metal containers and then switch to bottling at the stores.

Re: Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

#26

Post by PakG1 »

jdietrich wrote: post #18

So? To quote the results of the paper, "the effects of consuming MPs on human health are largely unknown". I'm just not concerned about ingesting tiny quantities of something that might possibly be harmful, even though we've been looking really hard for harms for quite a long time and haven't found anything of note. My environment is full of stuff that we know to be definitely harmful - could we fix that please, befo…

Nothing wrong with trying to fix both. Often, the obstacles to most problem solutions are political and economic, not technological or scientific. It's feasible to work on many problems if the political will is there. Doesn't have to be a mutually exclusive choice scenario.

Re: Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

#27

Post by tfha »

chrisco255 wrote: post #15
bencollier49 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have milk delivered in glass bottles on our doorstep each morning. No difficulties.

They still do this in some cities?

They do it in Boston, I'm sure most other major cities have access to glass bottle milk delivery as well.

If I recall correctly, it's $2.50 extra per bottle for the glass but you get $2.00 back if you return it on the next delivery.

Re: Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

#28

Post by dahfizz »

kccqzy wrote: post #20
dahfizz wrote: post #13

Do we know much about the impact this has on our bodies? This is certainly something to be concerned about, but without that context it's hard to know what this really means. The article says a "microplastic particle" is any peice of plastic smaller than 5mm. That's bigger than some pills - I would definitely notice chewing on something that size. So how big are these really and what are they doing to me? For referen…

Well for one, a microplastic particle is certainly much bigger than an atom.

If you like, we could divide all our arsenic atoms into 'microparticles' that each contain: ~100000000000000 atoms. At that point your arsenic particle and plastic particle intake would be the same.

My whole point is that we are dealing with crazy big and crazy small numbers. Without more context they are all meaningless.

Re: Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

#29

Post by rockinghigh »

RandomInteger4 wrote: post #21
RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #12

For everyone talking about the benefits of glass bottles, they have their own dangers. This study from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia showed that broken glass bottles accounted for 15% of all lacerations in children (the largest single cause) and broken glass bottles most frequently inflicted injuries resulting in functional impairment or hospitalization https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-ab…

Not to mention that glass also has harmful chemicals that leach into the contents of the glass containers. Same goes for metal.

Do you have any links on the chemicals you're referring to and their danger?

Re: Americans May Be Ingesting Thousands of Microplastics Every Year

#30

Post by remarkEon »

Somewhat unrelated, but I really wish we could find a way to not be so reliant on plastics.

I try to shop at local farmers markets (I'm willing to pay a small premium for knowing exactly where my food is coming from), and even in those cases the guy behind the table reflexively reaches for a plastic bag nearly every time. I always bring my own canvas bags or a backpack, but this has become so culturally ingrained in this country. Is it like this in Europe? I used to poo poo attempts at restricting the use of straws and plastic single-use containers, but now I'm warming up to the idea of outright dropping the ban hammer. These things are gross and they end up in the gutters, and make cities look dirty and poorly managed. We survived without them for a long time. We should figure out a way to do so again.

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