So we are all good about recycling every plastic container we possibly can, right? And we pick up plastic bags from the roadways and beaches and get those to the plastic bag recycling, right? And those nasty plastic rings around six-packs of beverages get carefully cut up and put safely in the garbage, along with plastic bottle caps, right? Great!
Here are some more nasty plastics we can watch out for: Microplastics. Like the name implies, they are very small, little particles of plastic that are used in many cosmetic products, especially things like facial scrubs or anything that exfoliates your skin, and even some toothpaste.
The companies that use them say it hasn’t been proved microplastics to be harmful to wildlife. But they are of concern. Because they are so small, they will pass through filters in wastewater systems and out to the Puget Sound.
It’s true that no major problems have been reported that can be directly attributed to microplastics. However, it doesn’t seem like a good thing for fish and other creatures to be eating plastic. Mussels can ingest them and the plastic can be incorporated into their tissue. The problem is being studied by Joel Baker, chairman of environmental science at the UW in Tacoma.
The sad thing is that microplastics are not needed at all; many body products contain natural scrubbing materials, such as walnut shells or seeds. Of course, you have to read the label.
If your product contains “Polyethylene,” you likely have microplastics. Many well-known name brands do have them.
Some microplastics end up in Puget Sound from the breakdown of larger plastic items too. Sadly, they are like sponges that soak up the toxins in the water, and they never totally degrade in the ocean.
The best way to get rid of plastics all together, and keep our Sound natural and plastic-free, is to eliminate as much plastic in our lives as possible. And where we can’t eliminate it, to carefully dispose of every piece of plastic we come across — either recycling it or putting it safely in the trash.
Call (360) 297-1226 to join our Sustainability Discussion Group in fall.
