In this episode, we get into the details of the global crisis of plastic pollution. I talk about the first mentions of the Great Pacific Garbage by Captain Charles Moore, and what it looked like to him as someone familiar with traveling on the ocean. I get into the numbers of how much plastic is being produced and where it is ending up - the numbers are going to surprise you!
I talk about what happens to plastic in sunlight - yes, it breaks down, but into smaller bits of plastic. So, these microplastics are now ubiquitous in the environment. They are in animals, in water, in the air, and even in our bodies now! What will this mean for human health? I talk about the top ways to avoid consuming microplastics.
Well, what about some hope? Yes, The New Plastics Economy initiative brings together stakeholders and innovators from all sectors to find a common vision for plastics, one where we reduce the plastics in use, where we innovate to recycle, reuse or compost the plastics that we do need, and where we circulate the plastics that we do use to keep them in the economy and out of the environment.
Finally, I sort out the plastics terminology that can be confusing including. eco-plastics, biodegradable plastics, bio-plastics, and compostable plastics. Be careful! Some of these sound great but are far from it!
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