PPC Webinar – Washed Up: The Invisible Threat of Plastic Microfibers

83 percent of drinking water samples worldwide tested positive for microscopic plastic fibers.

Tiny plastic fibers or “microfibers” have been found in the far corners of the world – in the oceans, in remote lakes and rivers, in fish, salt, and honey, and in the air we breathe. But until now one research area – our drinking water – remained unexamined.

According to new research published today by Orb Media, tap water and plastic bottled water in cities on five continents is contaminated with microscopic plastic fibers. Scientists say they don’t know how these fibers reach household taps, or what their health risks might be, but experts suspect plastic fibers may transfer toxic chemicals when consumed by animals and humans.

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“The contamination defies geography: The number of fibers found in a sample of tap water from the Trump Grill, at Trump Tower in Manhattan, was equal to that found in samples from Beirut,” reads the Orb report. Orb also found microfibers in bottled water, and in homes that use reverse-osmosis filters. 83 percent of samples worldwide tested positive for microscopic plastic fibers.

“This is frightening information; it’s time for all of us to wake up,” said Plastic Pollution Coalition co-founder and CEO Dianna Cohen of the new research. “Microfibers are insidious. If we’re finding them in everything around us, the obvious solution is to go to the source, to refocus our energy, and to move away from toxic plastics.”

What does the new report mean for our drinking water? Jane Patton, Managing Director of PPC advised contacting officials to make your voice heard. “We believe access to clean water is a human right. Make sure your city government knows that you expect them to keep your drinking water safe. Stand up and say ‘I rely on this resource.’ Remember that we have a structure in place to influence the cleanliness of our tap water and that is not the case with the plastic bottled water industry.”

We believe access to clean water is a human right. Make sure your city government knows that you expect them to keep your drinking water safe. Stand up and say ‘I rely on this resource.’ Remember that we have a structure in place to influence the cleanliness of our tap water and that is not the case with the plastic bottled water industry.

— Jane Patton, Managing Director of PPC

Microfibers in Our Food

The news about plastic microfibers in our drinking water comes on the heels of a study by Plastic Soup Foundation (PSF) published in May 2017, showing microfibers in plankton, both farmed and wild mussels, sea salt, and even honey.

According to PSF, microfibers can enter our water supply through machine washing synthetic clothing such as fleece, polyester, and nylon. “It appears that 34.8 percent of primary microplastics released by machine washing synthetic clothes ultimately ends up in the environment,” explained Maria Westerbos, director of Plastic Soup Foundation.

Clothing fibers are often too small to be filtered out at wastewater treatment plants and are discharged into streams, rivers, lakes, and eventually the ocean. “Plastic particles smaller than 5 mm pose a massive environmental and human health risk when they enter our waterways,” said Abby Barrows, a marine research scientist with Adventure Scientists and College of the Atlantic, who has analyzed thousands of water samples from around the world for microplastics.

This is a collection of material that was found in the strainer/aerator of a home kitchen faucet. It illustrates clearly how much material makes its way into the municipal water supplies. Photo by Robert Simmons

Blue microfibers from clothing interwoven with an oyster shell. Photo by Robert Simmons.

Orb Media found approximately 16 fibers in the tap water at the visitor’s center in the U.S. Capitol, home to both houses of Congress. Laboratory filter paper is dyed with a substance that turns it pink to better identify plastic fibers.

This image shows some of the fibers and particles left behind after filtering 100 grams of a dissolved sea salt product from California. Photo by Robert Simmons

This planktonic arrow worm, Sagitta setosa, has eaten a blue plastic fibre about 3mm long. Plankton support the entire marine food chain. Photo by Richard Kirby/Courtesy of Orb Media

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Microfibers in our waterways are consumed by fish and other marine animals. They are one component of a growing list of plastic pollution causing more than 1,220 animal species to suffer, said Westerbos. “It can have myriad consequences: ranging from a worsened condition and internal wounds to starvation and dehydration.”

What does this mean for human health? “I would not be surprised if we start to find microplastics on or in food that we consume daily,” said Barrows of the scope of the problem. According to PSF, consuming fish and shellfish that contain tiny particles of plastic could lead to health risks. The European Food Safety Authority already considers microplastics as a threat to our food safety.

“This should knock us into our senses. We knew that this plastic is coming back to us through our food chain. Now we see it is coming back to us through our drinking water. Do we have a way out?

— Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of Grameen Bank

How do we solve a global problem?

All over the world, grassroots advocates are working to stop microfiber pollution. The international Life+ Mermaids consortium, recently performed research into microfiber loss in washing machines, and conducted successful experiments with bio-based coatings made from shrimp (chitosan) and plants (pectin). These experiments managed to reduce fiber loss by an impressive 50 percent, but how this can translate to households around the world is still unknown.

In the U.S., the Cora Ball is now being produced after a successful crowdfunding campaign. The natural filtration system of coral formed the inspiration for this ball, which filters tiny particles out of the rinse water in the washing machine. Another example is the Guppy Friend, a special bag for the washing machine that traps microfibers and prevents them from reaching the water supply.

Slowing the wastewater treatment process would allow for the capture of more plastic fibers, said Kartik Chandran, an environmental engineer at Columbia University, to Orb Media. This coupled with the fashion industry moving away from synthetic fabrics could stop the flow of plastic microfibers into the environment.

“It is worrying… that so far we have hardly seen any effort from the clothing industry to tackle the problem at the source,” said Westerbos. “Although all the grassroots solutions we have been seeing are fantastic, it is even more important that we see change in the clothes themselves. Instead, the only development we can see is that more and more brands are creating clothing from possibly dangerous ocean plastics, which might disintegrate even quicker.”

“Downcycling used plastics into clothing is not the solution,” agreed Cohen. “This simply continues the cycle, eventually releasing plastic fibers into the environment, animals, our food sources and ultimately, into us. The fact that we’re finding microfibers in bottled water and tap water is a wake up call. On an individual level, if you have the ability to filter your drinking water, please do. On a larger scale, demand that your local water municipality improve their filtration systems to address microfibers immediately. Fashion industry, hear us: if you are making clothing out of synthetics (plastics) you are part of the problem.”

On an individual level, if you have the ability to filter your drinking water, please do. On a larger scale, demand that your local water municipality improve their filtration systems to address microfibers immediately. Fashion industry, hear us: if you are making clothing out of synthetics (plastics) you are part of the problem.

— Dianna Cohen, co-founder and CEO of PPC

Solving the global plastic pollution problem will take collaboration between individuals, companies, and governments working to stop the flow of new plastic being created. A global shift away from a Linear Economy (take, make, dispose)  toward the Circular Economy (make, use, return) will ensure that manufacturers and designers create goods, clothes, packaging, and materials that do less damage to the earth. While incineration or “waste-to-energy” is sometimes hailed as a plastic pollution solution, this method poses considerable risk to the health and environment. Read more on the problems with incineration.

Together, we can take action to stop plastic pollution around the world. “Since the problem of plastic was created exclusively by human beings through our indifference, it can be solved by human beings by paying attention to it,” said Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, to Orb Media. “Now what we need is a determination to get it done before it gets us.”

If outside the United States, use the below letter to mail or email your official.

Dear Official,

According to new research tiny plastic fibers or “microfibers” have been found in our drinking water. Experts suspect plastic fibers may transfer toxic chemicals when consumed by humans. Microfibers enter our water supply through machine washing synthetic clothing such as fleece, polyester, and nylon. Clothing fibers are often too small to be filtered out at wastewater treatment plants and are discharged into streams, rivers, lakes, and eventually the ocean, where they harm our environment and marine life.

I believe access to clean water is a human right. I ask you to keep our drinking water safe, and to explore methods to slow wastewater treatment in our communities to filter out plastic microfibers. Our environment, waterways and oceans, and animal and human health is at stake. 

See also: 15 Ways to Stop Microfiber Pollution Now

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