Microplastics, macro-problem

Monarch Explains

MICROPLASTICS, MACRO PROBLEM

Monarch Explains

Monarch Explains

Our macro-problem: An introduction “One source of microplastics – which no one ever expects – is actually a standard domestic clothes wash.”

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nless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, chances are you’ll have heard about the plastics gradually filling up our oceans, being eaten by sea creatures, and eventually wending their way into humans’ digestive systems. We’re all familiar with large plastic litter such as plastic bags, bottles, and the countless other aforementioned items.

These are relatively easy to spot bobbing in the sea, or to find washed up on the beach. Most of these plastics are buoyant, allowing them to float for thousands of miles, affecting animals half a world away from where the littering took place. Something not so easy to see, however, are microplastics. These are pieces of plastic smaller than 5mm, and usually come from the breakdown of larger plastic items. However, one source of microplastics – which no one ever expects – is actually a standard domestic clothes wash. This is something everyone does on at least a weekly basis, and is one of the biggest microplastic polluters going. When your clothes are washed and thrown around inside the machine, they release thousands of tiny synthetic fibres – even up to 700,000 in a single wash. The fibres are too small to be caught in the filters in the washing machine and at the water treatment plants, and so then escape into our rivers and oceans.

Monarch Explains

“There are twice as many plastic fibres in bottled water”

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f course, once these tiny pieces of plastic are in the water, they are mistaken for food by sea creatures. Studies have shown that these animals then eat less real food, have lower fat reserves, and are less fertile. The consequences of microplastics for the future of sea life could be dire. With fewer fish and other smaller animals breeding, there’s obviously less food for larger creatures. This, in turn, travels all the way up the food chain, potentially creating an imbalance and leading to fewer animals on all levels of the hierarchy. Further to this, the results of tiny pieces of plastic being ingested by smaller fish, who are eaten by larger fish, who are eaten by bigger animals like dolphins, are as yet unknown. The plastic in animal digestive systems could have disastrous consequences, but only time will tell.

Microplastics in humans?

It’s time to change.

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) stepped in earlier this year, commissioning a review into the amount of microplastics in bottled water. They found that there are twice as many plastic fibres in bottled water than tap water. This is likely due to plastic bottles releasing tiny particles over time which are then consumed by people, making their way through the digestive system. 259 brands of bottled water were tested and only 17 of them were free of microplastics. Chances are, whenever you’re drinking bottled water, you’re ingesting tiny pieces of plastic too.

The microfibres can also be airborne, coming into factories through fans or air vents and polluting the bottled water that way. This revelation, however, suggests that plastic particles could end up in our food in the same way, either in factories or in everyday life.

Reducing the amount of plastic we let into our lives will contribute to tackling the microplastic problem too. Use reusable drinks receptacles where you can, take canvas bags into shops rather than buying 5p plastic bags, and ask supermarket deli counters to fill up your Tupperware from home. If we all make simple changes like this, it could go a long way. Each of us has a responsibility to dispose of our rubbish correctly and make environmentally friendly packaging choices.

ecently, horrifying studies have come to light which show microplastics in humans’ digestive systems. Stool samples of eight participants from seven countries were tested, with an average of 20 microplastic particles found in every 10 grams of stool. This suggests that the plastic comes from food that participants eat – but two participants didn’t even eat seafood. Does this mean that the issue is bigger than people initially assumed?

Given that the same results were found for participants from multiple countries, it’s clear to see that that microplastics in human digestive systems is a widespread problem.

here are lots of things that we can do to reduce the amount of plastics, both big and small, in our oceans. Starting with our clothes washing in the home, we can use products designed to catch microfibres and place the contents in the household bin once the wash is finished. That’s not to say that landfill is a sustainable method of disposing of rubbish, but at least the microplastic particles won’t make their way to the sea or into the stomachs of sea life. There does, however, need to be a new solution for household waste disposal, as we can’t rely on landfill forever – but that’s a story for another article. We can also buy clothes made from natural fibres, as opposed to synthetic, to reduce the number of plastic fragments coming out of our domestic washes. To go along with this, manufacturers should begin to think about the rate at which fibres are shed from the clothes that they make and, if anything can be done to tackle this, begin to make some changes.

Monarch Explains

Different types of plastics

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Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) a plastic resin and form of polyester.

Often used to package cosmetics, household cleaners, water, juice, and cooking oil. It was used the first plastic bottle to cope with the pressure of carbonated liquids. However, it’s only intended for one-time use as a toxic chemical, antimony, has been found to leak out from water bottles which are used repeatedly over an extended period. This also happens when the plastic is heated. PETE plastic can be recycled so make sure to do so!

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High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) - a polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum. HDPE is used to manufacture toys and is often the packaging use for milk jugs, laundry detergent, and folding garden furniture. It’s considered a low-hazard plastic and has a low rick of leaching chemicals as it can withstand high temperatures. This means its perfect for reuse, and it’s also the most commonly-recycled plastic!

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Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) - a thermoplastic polymer. PVC is a plastic which can be made softer to be used for shower curtains, condiment bottles, and cling film. It releases toxic chemicals when heated which have been found to interfere with hormonal development.

PVC is widely unrecyclable, so please dispose of it responsible and keep it out of our oceans.

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Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) - a thermoplastic made from petroleum.

LDPE is a flexible but tough plastic used for juice and long-life milk cartons. It’s also what most shopping bags are made from, so we’re encouraged to reuse this plastic where possible.

It’s not widely recyclable yet but things are changing. For now, disposing of it properly is crucial to minimise effects on the evironment.

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Polypropylene (PP) - a thermoplastic polymer. PP is a strong tough plastic which is resistant to high temperatures, making it a popular choice for microwavable containers and other kitchenware. You might also find it used in yoghurt packaging, plastic cups, and baby bottles. There are no health risks associated with PP. It’s not as widely recycled as PETE and HDPE, but more recycling centres are beginning to accept it, so check with your local services or council.

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Polystyrene (PS) - a petroleum-based plastic. PS can either be a hard plastic, or processed to become Styrofoam. In its hard form, expect to find PS in disposable cutlery, CD cases and egg cartons. Styrofoam, on the other hand, is used for disposable foam cups and takeaway food packaging. There are numerous health risks that come with PS and it’s classed as a possible human carcinogen. It’s also rarely recyclable and often breaks into small pieces, posing a huge risk for marine life.

Making a difference How much do you inspect your plastic products? If the answer is “quite closely”, you might have noticed that some products feature small numbers tucked inside a three-arrowed triangle. You would be forgiven for not knowing exactly what it means and, unless you know what you’re looking for, it can often by quite hard to spot. By checking the number on your plastic product and reading the information on the opposite page of this guide, you should be able to find out if it’s easily recycled, and what products might be made from it.

If the product can’t be recycled, then it has to go to landfill. Flushing plastic products down the toilet, or littering near bodies of water, is how we end up with microplastics in our oceans, killing our marine life. Responsible disposal is key in ensuring that we look after our planet.

Further to this, we also need to be more mindful about the types of plastics we let into our lives, as creating less demand for the material leads to less being produced. To begin operating more sustainably in your business, get in touch with our Sustainability Manager on David.Carlyon@monarchpartnership.co.uk, or call 020 8835 3535 and we’ll see how we can start working together.

Monarch Explains

Contact The Monarch Partnership Monarch House 7-9 Stafford Road Wallington Surrey SM6 9AN T: 020 8835 3535 savings@monarchpartnership.co.uk

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