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Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

bbc.com

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Re: Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

#21

Post by mistrial9 »

Arbortheus wrote: post #16
csmeder wrote: post #4

Something I don’t understand: Patagonia's stated mission is to save the earth and microplastics entering the oceans is a major environmental concern. However, it is also true that many of Patagonia's clothes are made from synthetic materials such as plastic. The use of synthetic materials in clothing (and each washing) greatly contribute to the problem of microplastics in the oceans. I’m I missing something? Is the a…

Saving the earth is a complex aim with so many different areas to prioritise. Synthetics may produce micro plastics, but then natural fibers like cotton require huge amounts of pesticides and water, viscose or bamboo requires a shit load of chemicals. Carbon footprints for almost all textiles are big. Recycled plastic is a low carbon, no pesticide, low impact material with one downside - micro plastics. Polyester is…

agree and good post BUT "Saving the earth isn’t profitable" is too simple, and gives ammo to those with different agendas

Re: Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

#22

Post by sampo »

andrewstuart wrote: post #12

(reposted comment) I’ve got a bee in my bonnet about “plastic roads”. Many countries, desperate to make use of the gargantuan flow of waste plastic, and desperate to avoid it going into landfill, are putting the waste plastic into roads. This is called “recycling”. Sounds like a great idea until you realize that cars and trucks drive on the roads and grind them into dust - dust containing microplastics. The microplas…

> Sounds like a great idea until you realize that cars and trucks drive on the roads and grind them into dust - dust containing microplastics.

Car tires themselves wear down and produce microplastics. I would guess the tires wear down more than the road, so the contribution from road would be minuscule, comparing to the contribution from the tires.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/tires...

Re: Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

#23

Post by majjam »

suyash wrote: post #13

Wow, so no even vegetarian diet is safe from micro plastics anymore. Anyone know if organic food soil is treated with this nasty 'sewage sludge' ?

The article says so: “ Sewage sludge is the byproduct left behind after municipal wastewater is cleaned. As it is expensive to dispose of and rich in nutrients, sludge is commonly used as organic fertiliser in the US and Europe.”

Re: Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

#24

Post by Arbortheus »

mistrial9 wrote: post #21
Arbortheus wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Saving the earth is a complex aim with so many different areas to prioritise. Synthetics may produce micro plastics, but then natural fibers like cotton require huge amounts of pesticides and water, viscose or bamboo requires a shit load of chemicals. Carbon footprints for almost all textiles are big. Recycled plastic is a low carbon, no pesticide, low impact material with one downside - micro plastics. Polyester is…

agree and good post BUT "Saving the earth isn’t profitable" is too simple, and gives ammo to those with different agendas

Yeah, I did debate not including that part. I think I would elaborate by saying…

Saving the earth isn’t profitable for companies in the business of making consumer products (in most cases).

But for companies that make essential sustainable products/technologies and services like wind farms, or various green technologies, or electric car infrastructure, or waste-to-energy plants, or recycling plants, or any number of things we will need to reach net-0 carbon, there will be a lot of jobs and profit to be made while also advancing humanity and helping solve this big problem.

Re: Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

#25

Post by nonethewiser »

sampo wrote: post #22
andrewstuart wrote: post #12

(reposted comment) I’ve got a bee in my bonnet about “plastic roads”. Many countries, desperate to make use of the gargantuan flow of waste plastic, and desperate to avoid it going into landfill, are putting the waste plastic into roads. This is called “recycling”. Sounds like a great idea until you realize that cars and trucks drive on the roads and grind them into dust - dust containing microplastics. The microplas…

> Sounds like a great idea until you realize that cars and trucks drive on the roads and grind them into dust - dust containing microplastics. Car tires themselves wear down and produce microplastics. I would guess the tires wear down more than the road, so the contribution from road would be minuscule, comparing to the contribution from the tires. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/tires...

The contribution from the road is independent of the contributions from the car.

By your reasoning, if the micro plastics from cars increased, so could the micro plastics from the road, even to astronomical levels, so long as it's less than the cars.

Re: Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

#26

Post by nonethewiser »

csmeder wrote: post #4

Something I don’t understand: Patagonia's stated mission is to save the earth and microplastics entering the oceans is a major environmental concern. However, it is also true that many of Patagonia's clothes are made from synthetic materials such as plastic. The use of synthetic materials in clothing (and each washing) greatly contribute to the problem of microplastics in the oceans. I’m I missing something? Is the a…

What's more sustainable than using fur from an animal that needs to be sheared of it for it's own health?

Patagonia uses synthetics because they're cheap.

Re: Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

#27

Post by LarsAlereon »

csmeder wrote: post #4

Something I don’t understand: Patagonia's stated mission is to save the earth and microplastics entering the oceans is a major environmental concern. However, it is also true that many of Patagonia's clothes are made from synthetic materials such as plastic. The use of synthetic materials in clothing (and each washing) greatly contribute to the problem of microplastics in the oceans. I’m I missing something? Is the a…

The flawed premise is that synthetic clothing significantly contributes to microplastic pollution, particularly in the ocean. Plastic pollution in the ocean comes primarily from fishing gear like nets, debris unintentionally released by major storms and wave events, and countries that use rivers leading to the ocean as primary waste disposal. If you want to make a difference to plastic pollution, advocate for sustainable fishing practices, end shipping waste overseas for fake recycling (Patagonia really recycling helps this), and support programs to establish waste collection and disposal in countries that don't have it.

Standard sewage treatment processes also capture most microplastic with the solid waste, if you live somewhere with sewage treatment.

Re: Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

#28

Post by nonethewiser »

finikytou wrote: post #7

Im getting really worried about the impact this will have on our kidneys. I had a tap water filtering on very dusty tap water and the filter was supposed to last 1 year it lasted 3 weeks. I believe it might be a good analogy to how those microplastics are destroying our kidneys

What is dusty tap water? And what kind of filter did you have? I really wouldnt expect much from something you just bolt onto the faucet.

Re: Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

#29

Post by 8note »

andrewstuart wrote: post #12

(reposted comment) I’ve got a bee in my bonnet about “plastic roads”. Many countries, desperate to make use of the gargantuan flow of waste plastic, and desperate to avoid it going into landfill, are putting the waste plastic into roads. This is called “recycling”. Sounds like a great idea until you realize that cars and trucks drive on the roads and grind them into dust - dust containing microplastics. The microplas…

I'm not sure if it's environmentalists pushing for that, or the plastics industry, in response to complaints about the amount of plastics waste. The alternative that environmentalists actually want is reduced production of plastics, and less making of single use and short lived items

Re: Microplastics are finding their way into fruit and vegetables as they grow

#30

Post by dang »

andrewstuart wrote: post #12

(reposted comment) I’ve got a bee in my bonnet about “plastic roads”. Many countries, desperate to make use of the gargantuan flow of waste plastic, and desperate to avoid it going into landfill, are putting the waste plastic into roads. This is called “recycling”. Sounds like a great idea until you realize that cars and trucks drive on the roads and grind them into dust - dust containing microplastics. The microplas…

Please don't copy-paste comments on HN. It lowers the signal/noise ratio of the site.

If you want to refer to something you wrote elsewhere (e.g. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34153694), a link is great. Even better, if possible, would be a link along with new information drawn from the specifics of the new discussion.

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