Let's get to the point. Plastics are toxic waste.
New study finds microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, alter behaviour
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Re: New study finds microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, alter behaviour
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
These are great questions. I think it's impossible to say for sure. It is at once a real problem (because they exist and cause problems) and a boogeyman because you never really know where they are and how much is going to be a problem for you. So be completely apathetic. Or always be afraid of everything and perform some purity rituals that give you some peace of mind despite not really knowing anything. Like drinki…
I mean, some things will reduce your plastic exposure without requiring measurements. Glass containers, metal bowls, no non-stick pans. That still leaves open if that results in different health outcomes, but it’s still something you can do without having high-tech measurement devices.
Well I'm talking about water specifically. In theory I agree that we can avoid things we know are harming us. But there is a balance to be struck between avoiding things out of an abundance of precaution and paranoia. Let's not forget that mental health issues including anxiety have skyrocketed the past few decades. At some point it has to be measured or else we wouldn't know its harmful. With microplastics and water, you need to know what comes out of your faucet (or whatever you are drinking). You can't just rely on some study analogous to those finding issues with eating teflon or using it on very high heat. And not drinking out of plastic cups seems firmly in baseless anxiety territory.
Re: New study finds microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, alter behaviour
#73> ‘water, seafood, consumer products (clothes, toothpaste, salt, sugar, honey, beer, anything stored in plastic bottles, plastic wrap, or cans/cartons lined with plastic), and via inhalation from textiles, synthetic rubber tires, and plastic covers’
How true is this? How do microplastics end up in honey, for example? And I thought plastic bottles/wrap etc were stable in the lifespan that they're used for food storage (BPA aside) - is this really claiming that plastic starts to fall apart from the get-go?
Re: New study finds microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, alter behaviour
#74I'm still shocked that there hasn't been more of a regulatory push to eliminate single-use plastics. In the US the closest we've gotten is banning plastic straws and charging for plastic carry bags. Everything I've read about plastic recycling points to it being ineffective and requiring massive amounts of fossil fuel to move the waste around the globe, often with much of it just getting burned or dumped into the env…
The problem of replacing plastic in food is the cost. If you use glass or steel or aluminum, you need new logistics to reuse them.
Also, glass is heavier, and requires a lot of energy to be made, so it would require a production chain that ships back empty containers.
The best silver bullet solution would be to have local canteen, a bit like in the army or at school, where you just get a subscription with a calendar (not on demand, you plan the meals you'll get), so it reduces waste and costs.
We should just stop eating at home, with individual fridges, ovens, kitchens etc, this is highly inefficient.
Yes, this is collectivization, but it's the best solution for an economy of scale. Individualism was never a good solution, individualism is often very wasteful.
Call me a communist or a socialist, I don't really care.
Re: New study finds microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, alter behaviour
#75There are two macro population health trends that suggest we are somehow poisoning ourselves at a large scale. Most people do not relate the two, but I personally wouldn't be surprised if they have related causes.
The first is the Flynn effect, which was rising IQ levels decade over decade, which halted and then reserved for most Western nations around 1990s/2000s and is now declining: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect
The second is the dropping fertility/sperm counts/hormone issues/etc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Male_infertility_crisis
I think microplastics along with forever chemicals/PFAS are two of the likely culprits and are probably fairly easy to deal with.
I wonder what else could be contributing?
Re: New study finds microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, alter behaviour
#76I looked for microplastic test services and it seems like they're all $500+. Wish it was something you could do at home. The local results are all that really matters. Would be interesting to compare bottled water vs. tap water/well water. I've heard bottled water tends to contain more.
> compare bottled water vs. tap water/well water.
Most modern buildings use PEX (cross-Linked Polyethylene) tubing for water in homes no more copper pipes like years ago. Basically plastic so it may not be very good.
Re: New study finds microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, alter behaviour
#77This is the third time this week I've seen a study related to microplastics. Should I be alarmed? If so, what can I even do? If I'm understanding these studies correctly, these microplastics are everywhere. In our bodies, in our water supplies, in our food. And we can't even get rid of them.
See here for some notes on ranking possible concerns plus notes on what I've done about them:
1) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36226432
Re: New study finds microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, alter behaviour
#78I think micro-plastics and "forever" chemicals will be our generation's asbestos/cigarettes controversy.
And Long COVID is shaping up to be our generation’s HIV/AIDS. History rhymes because people don’t ever learn. We deal with one problem or crisis at a time, instead of generalizing what was learned in order to help future generations avoid the same mistakes.
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Re: New study finds microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, alter behaviour
#79This is the third time this week I've seen a study related to microplastics. Should I be alarmed? If so, what can I even do? If I'm understanding these studies correctly, these microplastics are everywhere. In our bodies, in our water supplies, in our food. And we can't even get rid of them.
Seems to me you can either:
- Pick a "Big Cause" and go find a job supporting it
- Accept the things you cannot change, kick back, relax, and live the life you got, whatever happens
You don't really want to be in the middle, where you stress about all the bad things, but don't actually do anything about it.
Re: New study finds microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, alter behaviour
#80This is the third time this week I've seen a study related to microplastics. Should I be alarmed? If so, what can I even do? If I'm understanding these studies correctly, these microplastics are everywhere. In our bodies, in our water supplies, in our food. And we can't even get rid of them.
One thing you can do personally to reduce the amount in your body is to donate blood