Microplastics Without realizing it, we eat a credit card a week

When we think of a credit card, what do you think? Shopping, fees, specials. But surely, and thanks to a recent study conducted by the University of Newcastle in Australia, we now badociate it with something else:
microplastics. The world has echoed the alarming fact that the investigation had cast and that
An average person could ingest 5 grams per week of these minimal size plastics, ie the equivalent of the weight of a credit card.

But where do microplastics come from and how do they get to our bodies? In principle, we must understand that
they are virtually undetectable to the human eye since they can measure from a few microns to 5 mm wide. They can be primary, ie they are specially manufactured to be added to a type of product (yes, they are also added to the reading, they are added on purpose in cosmetic or hygiene products such as shampoos) or secondary, when they result from normal wear and tear. In this case, they may come from packaging, for example.

The sad reality is that
Today, we can find microplastics in all environments, whether they are terrestrial or marine, in the intestines of many organisms such as fish or in the body of some crustaceans (which we finish by eating and, therefore, we also ingest microplastics). They have also been found in drinking water, especially in water bottles. According to the University of Victoria's study "Human consumption of microplastics", people who drink bottled water could consume 90,000 more microplastic particles than those who drink only tap water (Of course, we should also evaluate we get the water that comes from the faucet). And according to another survey by the State University of New York that badyzed water from 259 bottles of 11 different brands in 9 different countries, it was concluded that 90% of bottled beverages were present in microplastics.

Y. Atenti! They have been found even in beer, sugar, salt and honey. It is estimated that there can also be other foods such as vegetables, rice and meat.

People who drink bottled water could consume 90,000 more microplastic particles compared to those who drink only tap water.

Everything comes back

Plastic is a vicious circle. It is the one that we get rid of and that eventually transforms us, one way or another. The one found in the ocean is present in 80% of cities and 20% directly in the sea (in the form of debris from merchant vessels and fishing vessels).

By the action of waves, organisms, sun, these plastics are fragmented into smaller particles, microplastics, which are too small to be removed by wastewater filtration systems. They end up being driven by rivers or wind or by rainstorms, which are big pipes that allow cities not to be flooded, but which, in turn, carry a lot of waste.

At this rate, according to the World Economic Forum,
if we do not change the situation today, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans. Because the material ingested by the marine fauna remains in the digestive system and causes a decrease in appetite, gastrointestinal blockages and a decrease in enzymes, which leads them to have reproductive and respiratory problems. ;food. And that, obviously, ends up affecting us.

In our case, although there is currently no scientific evidence that microplastics pose a risk to humans when they cross the food chain or enter the skin through cosmetics, we know that they contain toxic agents and therefore the possibility of damage that can be generated raises serious concerns.

Consciousness is the
quid We are responsible … but we are also the solution.

The solutions within our reach?

To avoid any future contamination of the environment by plastic and therefore by microplastics, it is
fundamental reduce your production. Especially for containers and single-use products (in fact, they account for half of all plastic produced).

Although in our country the culture of waste is still predominant, that is to say street waste and a shortage of recycling practices, there are countries where they have a policy concerning these problems and still have a strong presence of plastics and therefore microplastics in their seas.

As a result, some countries are reducing plastic production, increasing recycling and producing only plastics that can be returned to the production system. But these actions end up being voluntary.
At the G20, for example, they agreed to create an international framework to reduce plastic pollution in the oceans, but each country applies it as it sees fit.

Contrary to what one might think, the regulators did not take into account the fact that these elements could be harmful (or yes and decided to ignore them). Therefore, there is no regulation regulating the fact that from a number of microplastics a product can not be used for consumption. And so we end up finding products that incorporate them voluntarily to generate abrasive effects or to increase their volume, for example. In addition, they could be easily replaced by other types of organic particles.

This is why, in our country, a large number of NGOs have partnered to promote a national bill on primary microplastics, with the aim of banning production, importing and the marketing of cosmetics and hygiene products by the end of the year. for oral use containing intentionally added plastic microbeads. These laws already exist in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom; in Denmark and Sweden, they are on the right track.

But we also have to fight the big plastic enemy with small behavioral changes that, by becoming huge habits, have great power. And that means not getting poly bags, buying as few packaged goods as possible in many packages, using glbad bottles. It is also good to consume compromised brands. Many new entrepreneurs offering organic cosmetics such as Dumitié or Al Bosque Bio, but also large companies such as Weleda or Natura, are very committed. And support these bills by trying to educate others. You can do it via social networks or with the clbadic "word of mouth". We are citizens We are powerful One by one, it can be more difficult to make an impact. But the union is strength.

In which products can we find microplastics?

• Toothpaste
• Shower gels
• Bath gels
• Scrubs
• detergents
• Cleaners
• Solar screens
• Synthetic fibers for clothing

gratuities

• Avoid cosmetics or hygiene products that mention the following ingredients on their labels: polyethylene; on the labels, it appears in polyethylene (PE); polypropylene, is generally in the form of polypropylene (PP); polyethylene glycol, generally appears as PEG followed by a number, for example PEG-32; polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA); polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Enter
  www.beatthemicrobead.org to know by country which products contain microplastics.

According to the University of Newcastle study:
The biggest source of plastic ingestion in the world is in the water. In the United States or India, we found twice as much plastic as in Europe or Indonesia. Of the consumables studied, the ones that contain the most plastic are seafood, beer and salt.

Experts consulted: License Verónica García. Coordinator of the marine and plastic waste project of Fundación Vida Silvestre.

IN ADDITION