Plastic threats

This started as looking for bokeh in a photo on a walk but sorry I couldn’t resist this harangue about this form of pollution.  (all the while watching the fabulous Olympic skating)

We all know about how plastic is polluting our oceans and lakes.   They end up in many ways and many forms.   I found this washed up on our beach today…. with wave action and scrubbing on the beach, it could end up as a microplastic, which never goes away, small enough for fish to eat, and so in the food chain.   Plastic microbeads found in personal care products have been prohibited in the US and more recently Britain…for some progress there..

However today I read about a new threat being dealt with.. our clothes!  almost all fleeces and other wickable and breathable products are woven with polyester threads, many of which are made of used plastic bottles or worn out clothing.   The issue now is the little bits of this polyester thread (called microfibers) that break off a garment every time it is washed!   Widely used in athletic clothing today they were actually first introduced as the “leisure suits” of the 60s and 70s.   I read some amazing statistics… 1.7 grams of microfibers are shed every time s synthetic fleece jacket is washed.. the particles make their way into the waterways where they are ingested by fish and other organisms.   BC research has revealed that 25,000 plastic particles and microfibers were contained in one cubic meter of water along the BC coast.  Shellfish and oysters are particularly vulnerable… 

What to do, beside wearing wool and cotton sweaters?  and use cotton cleaning cloths instead of microfiber ones.

Patagonia Outdoor Clothing Co,  one of the biggest manufacturers of these materials is doing research and educating customers about the use of washing machine and filters, among other things.   (top loading machines shed 5 times more microfibers than front loading machines!)  they have developed a bag to wash the garments in which will contain the microfibers  so you can throw them in the garbage.  Other companies are also doing research of ways to take care of them safely.   

So altho it’s so difficult to not use some plastic, I felt that at least they were being recycled  for clothes… well.. not so simple!     I learned something new.