Microplastics: A Beginner’s Guide

“Much of the plastic dropped in recycling bins isn’t being recycled. In 2014, 22% of PET plastic collected for recycling was exported out of the United States. Plastic production surged from 15 million tons in 1964 to 311 tons in 2014 — an increase of more than 2,000%. Currently, more than 300 million tons of new plastic is produced annually and less than 10% is recycled.” – 5 Gyres

Where does all that plastic go then? Surprisingly, only about 10% of plastic produced each year ends up in the Ocean but, that still equals to about eight million tons alone. Which leads to the same question of does all that plastic end up going? Well, it may just be showing at dinner time on your very own plate.

One of the biggest threats of marine life is the ingestion of plastics which causes many species to become ill and die. Unfortunately, when the many fishing nets get cast out each day, a fish can contain these plastics without showing any visible signs. Which means, those microplastics will eventually be ingested by you.

What if you don’t consume fish, shellfish, etc…? If you prefer consuming bottled water you may be consuming up to 90000 more microplastics annually. With bottled water being the biggest offender when it comes to microplastics. Though, tap water still isn’t safe with more than 80% of water collected from five different continents containing microplasitcs. Beer and salt come in third and fourth place due to their main ingredients/derivatives being water.

How to consume less microplastics:

Begin by decreasing the amount of bottled water you consume or swapping for a reusable bottle. Reduce the amount of shellfish, fish, or another marine life you consume. Instead of using plastic wraps try using beeswax paper, you can even make your own. Instead of beer, try wine or the many other alcohols available! Other ways to reduce the consumption of microplastics include swapping to resuable straws, purchasing loose produce, dust a little more often, and don’t leave it to just yourself to fix the problem. As a community, we can work together to decrease the amount of microplastics we all consume. This is a short explanation and introduction to microplastics to start a conversation.

So, what are your next steps?

Learn More:

You’re eating microplastics in ways you don’t even realise.

8 Everyday Food That Contain Plastic and Safe Alternatives.

Microplastics: what they are and how you can reduce them.

Zero Waste Starter Kit