This is excellent from USPIRG
When it comes to plastic, what goes around comes around. And not in a good way.We like to think plastic is gone for good after we throw it in the recycling bin or trash can. But plastic doesn’t just disappear. Instead, it finds its way back to us in the food we eat, in the water we drink, and even in the very air we breathe.The more we learn, the more concerned we become about plastic. It’s not only trashing our environment, it’s also getting into our bodies. That’s information you should be aware of and might want to pass on to your friends and neighbors.Let’s take a look at the ways in which the plastic we throw out eventually comes back to haunt us: Believe it or not, plastic particles called microplastics have been found in countless food items. Marine animals routinely mistake tiny microplastics for food. When we eat fish, shrimp or shellfish, we may eat the plastic these animals once consumed.1Plastic isn’t only in seafood. Microplastics are contaminating soil, and plants may absorb them through their root systems. This means that plastic may be finding its way into carrots, lettuce, potatoes and other common vegetables that we eat.2 Microplastics are tiny. So tiny, in fact, that they can easily bypass standard water filtration systems. Studies have detected microplastics in tap water samples from cities all over the world.3If you think bottled water is plastic-free, think again. A single liter of bottled water may contain an average of 240,000 detectable plastic fragments, largely shedding from the bottle itself and the capping process.4 Because microplastics are lightweight, wind easily sweeps up plastic fibers from car tires, degraded trash and even polyester clothing. These airborne plastics can travel thousands of miles, settling in city streets, parks and everywhere in between. And when they’re airborne, people unknowingly inhale them.5We already have plenty of plastic. But they keep making more and more.If current trends hold, 1.2 billion tons of plastic could be manufactured each year by 2050. To put this number into perspective, the cumulative total would be enough to completely cover the U.S. in a layer of plastic that’s ankle-deep.6At PIRG, we refuse to let this become our future.We’re urging grocers to reduce unnecessary plastic packaging and petitioning the Environmental Protection Agency to enact meaningful limits on microplastics in drinking water. And by raising public awareness of plastic’s problems, we’re working to generate the groundswell of support that’s necessary for meaningful change.But we can’t do it without you. Our work relies on the dedication of members like you who refuse to let the plastics industry dictate the health of our families and the future of our planet.Thank you for standing with us,Faye ParkPresident P.S. Problems this big demand all hands on deck. You can help us reduce plastic waste and pollution with a donation today. 1. Lisa Frank, “New study finds microplastics in commonly eaten seafood,” Environment America, January 27, 2025. 2. Kate Peterson, “There is an alarming amount of microplastics in farm soil–and our food supply,” Civil Eats, January 27, 2021. 3. Tao Sun, Yuefa Teng, Chenglong Ji, Fei Li, Xiujuan Shan and Huifeng Wu, “Global prevalence of microplastics in tap water systems: Abundance, characteristics, drivers and knowledge gaps,” Science of the Total Environment, June 15, 2024. 4. Vicki Contie, “Plastic particles in bottled water,” National Institutes of Health, January 23, 2024. 5. Ally Hirschlag and Martha Henriques, “The air throughout our homes is infused with microplastics. But there are things you can do to breathe less of them,” BBC, April 11, 2026. 6. Leslie Kaufman, “The climate impact of our insatiable plastic addiction,” Bloomberg, December 30, 2022.Your donation will power our dedicated staff of organizers, policy experts and attorneys who drive all of our campaigns in the public interest, from banning toxic pesticides and moving us beyond plastic, to saving our antibiotics and being your consumer watchdog, to protecting our environment and our democracy. None of our work would be possible without the support of people just like you. |
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