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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

#31

Post by andrewstuart »

dang wrote: post #30
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.

gotcha ..... apologies.

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

#32

Post by garbanz0 »

Microplastics are so pervasive that they're even found in human breastmilk now. Maybe it's fatalistic, but what is the point of worrying about this on an individual level beyond limiting use of certain plastic products? And it's not just microplastics - we're seeing other news about "forever chemicals," hormones in our food, the global drop of average male sperm production by 50% (!!!), etc.

At a certain point, apathy sets in. If this is our generation's mesothelioma, so be it.

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

#33

Post by lnsru »

garbanz0 wrote: post #32

Microplastics are so pervasive that they're even found in human breastmilk now. Maybe it's fatalistic, but what is the point of worrying about this on an individual level beyond limiting use of certain plastic products? And it's not just microplastics - we're seeing other news about "forever chemicals," hormones in our food, the global drop of average male sperm production by 50% (!!!), etc. At a certain point, apath…

I am absolutely with you. Total apathy. I can’t do anything. My 100% waste goes to local recycling system. I pick up thrash when I am in the nature and bring home. Even left by others. I avoid synthetic clothing and wear only when I really need it. And still micro plastic in the air everywhere. How is this happening!?

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

#34

Post by fleddr »

garbanz0 wrote: post #32

Microplastics are so pervasive that they're even found in human breastmilk now. Maybe it's fatalistic, but what is the point of worrying about this on an individual level beyond limiting use of certain plastic products? And it's not just microplastics - we're seeing other news about "forever chemicals," hormones in our food, the global drop of average male sperm production by 50% (!!!), etc. At a certain point, apath…

I do think there's a limit to how much doom and gloom an individual can productively handle and I suppose this also applies to society as a whole.

People seem to accept that it's all downhill from here, and sometimes even cynically applaud it. Like with the male sperm story. It's catastrophic and accelerating, yet got near-zero attention. The few responses to it seem to celebrate it.

Humanity lacks a story for the future. It can't just be "it's going to get so much worse" nor can it be "if we try really hard, we may slow down the decline, but a decline it will be". Those stories just aren't good enough. Nobody invests in a sinking ship.

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

#35

Post by Eisenstein »

Plastics are inert. This is why they don't biodegrade easily. It is the additives in the plastics (to make them softer, or color them, or whatever) that are terrible for you.

By the time these things are 'microplastics' I am having a hard time feeling scared that they are harmful. I'm not saying they aren't, but until someone can tie them to an actual problem, I don't see an issue -- especially since there is nothing we can do about it.

That said, one-time-use plastics are absolutely obscene and need to be removed from society as soon as humanly possible.

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

#36

Post by tomp »

Eisenstein wrote: post #35

Plastics are inert. This is why they don't biodegrade easily. It is the additives in the plastics (to make them softer, or color them, or whatever) that are terrible for you. By the time these things are 'microplastics' I am having a hard time feeling scared that they are harmful. I'm not saying they aren't, but until someone can tie them to an actual problem, I don't see an issue -- especially since there is nothing…

There’s nothing wrong with one-time-use plastics, in countries with good waste management systems.

Paper straws suck.

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

#37

Post by legulere »

Eisenstein wrote: post #35

Plastics are inert. This is why they don't biodegrade easily. It is the additives in the plastics (to make them softer, or color them, or whatever) that are terrible for you. By the time these things are 'microplastics' I am having a hard time feeling scared that they are harmful. I'm not saying they aren't, but until someone can tie them to an actual problem, I don't see an issue -- especially since there is nothing…

Plastics are relatively brittle however without those additives and will break down into harmful micro and nano plastics: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S00489...

There’s a lot we can do about it. Clothes tires and mismanaged waste are leading sources for microplastic that can be reduced.

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

#38

Post by Traubenfuchs »

Eisenstein wrote: post #35

Plastics are inert. This is why they don't biodegrade easily. It is the additives in the plastics (to make them softer, or color them, or whatever) that are terrible for you. By the time these things are 'microplastics' I am having a hard time feeling scared that they are harmful. I'm not saying they aren't, but until someone can tie them to an actual problem, I don't see an issue -- especially since there is nothing…

I always dream about opening a single use plastic shop in the future, for those who just don‘t care and those who are actively opposed to it being removed everywhere.

For example, drinking delicious Coca-Cola Zero Sugar at McDonalds from a paper straw is disgusting. The straw usually disintegrates before I am done and sticks to the lips at the start.

I love single use plastic.

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

#39

Post by radec »

tomp wrote: post #36
Eisenstein wrote: post #35

Plastics are inert. This is why they don't biodegrade easily. It is the additives in the plastics (to make them softer, or color them, or whatever) that are terrible for you. By the time these things are 'microplastics' I am having a hard time feeling scared that they are harmful. I'm not saying they aren't, but until someone can tie them to an actual problem, I don't see an issue -- especially since there is nothing…

There’s nothing wrong with one-time-use plastics, in countries with good waste management systems. Paper straws suck.

What's a good waste management system? Honest question.

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

#40

Post by Traubenfuchs »

garbanz0 wrote: post #32

Microplastics are so pervasive that they're even found in human breastmilk now. Maybe it's fatalistic, but what is the point of worrying about this on an individual level beyond limiting use of certain plastic products? And it's not just microplastics - we're seeing other news about "forever chemicals," hormones in our food, the global drop of average male sperm production by 50% (!!!), etc. At a certain point, apath…

We are doomed. The only conscious choice is not having more children to live on this dying planet. I see this is a fact. All our efforts to "save the climate" or ban some especially dangerous chemicals are lipstick on the pig.
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