Microplastics are in the oceans, in fish, in everywhere basically, as plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller particles with age. (Hence the need for a precise definition; what size are they anyway?) For example, I was weeding in my back yard on Friday, as the stay-at-home orders have caused a remarkable amount of free time to now spend on other things which heretofore was unavailable due to in-person meetings as opposed to the current Zoom meetings. No time wasted on driving to get there or spending depressing amounts of time squishing myself into my increasingly shrinking jeans! COVID-19 is causing a weight crisis in my life. Anyway, I found an old plastic bag amongst the weeds, and I literally could not pick it up; it kept breaking into smaller and smaller bits!
Now for the equally and more personally scary part, as I have had no time to get used to this idea the way I have with micro plastics. Apparently, polyester, nylon and synthetic fibers shed when you wash clothes made of them and this material winds up at wastewater plants. Now in the video linked below, the interviewee says this does not get filtered out and winds up in discharge waters from the plant. Well, at the moment, we have no discharge waters, our recycled water goes to the Broderson leach field, the golf course, maintaining wetlands at some point, non-existent farmers at the moment, school playgrounds. Up to 40% of the artificial garment material goes down the drain to wind up swirling around in our primary clarifiers!
Well, take a look - go to 17:21 on the video for this ghastly revelation:
Am I clogging up the Broderson with my molting nylon leggings? I have seven pairs! This is depressing. I am feeling guilty. Cotton just does not stretch, which is an especially needed feature right now.
