Where do most microplastics in waters come from?!⁣⁣

One might ask what’s the point of talking about the reduction of plastic waste and contamination when millions of metric tons of plastic are produced annually with more and more microscopic debris that must end up somewhere. And, according to the latest research, it is, literary, everywhere, even in the remotest waters and shores 🤯! Sadly, it is often ingested by the sea birds and fish and eventually passed to humans, because tiny plastic bits are often found in the seafood we eat.⁣⁣
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I am ok with someone calling it just another ‘how-to-save-the-planet’ blablablaing, but I don’t like ignorance and I don’t like denialism. But this is serious, that microscopic plastic particles in liquid waste from washing machines🧺 Believe me, I know, because I work in a toxicology lab. And I also understand why we usually try hard not to think of it – because we don’t want to feel trapped when there is no easy way out. But the truth is that we need to do something, because nobody will instead of us. To begin with, we can learn a couple of things, like the names of the toxic fabrics, to avoid it.⁣⁣
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Plastic is made of substances called synthetic polymers 🧵 (polyester, nylon, polyamide, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl-alcohol, etc.), made of petroleum oil, that are artificially synthesized in the lab. What is particularly worrying is that these substances do not degrade (!), which means they will stay with us forever, contaminating our freshwaters and the atmosphere 🌊🌲⁣⁣
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To stop microfiber particles from getting there in the first place is the responsibility of the apparel industry. And there are many ongoing global movements, among which is the Fashion Revolution, with hundreds of eco-driven brands and their suppliers. They are focused on developing green technologies, to produce safe, biodegradable fabrics, and plant-based substitutes for synthetic fibers. I think that this is an incredible opportunity for a change, and, perhaps, their last chance to reinvent things and show that our lives and our planet matter 🌍🌈⁣⁣
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And I wonder how often do you read the clothing labels? 🤔