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Nanoplastics: Small material causing huge problems (independentaustralia.net)
submitted 3 years ago* by to c/environment@aussie.zone
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Including this as it's a well-sourced article on an Australian site. Plastic pollution affects us all.

Plastic in agriculture may result in toxic soils that repel water instead of absorbing it, leading to potentially catastrophic problems.

Nanoplastic particles in plant roots can impair growth and development by diminishing their ability to absorb water.

Scientists began exploring human tissues for signs of nano- and microplastic only in the late 2010s and early 2020s.

While the long-term health impacts of plastic on the human body are still unknown, it is known to have toxic effects on laboratory animals, marine wildlife, and human cell lines.

Plastic particles in the soil cause increased erosion, dust, and the dissolution of symbiotic relationships between soil microbes, insects, and fungi crucial for plant and planetary health.

Plastic is present in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink, and has been detected in various parts of the human body including the lungs, bloodstreams, placentas, and breast milk.

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[–] 8 points 3 years ago (1 child)

We’ve got glitter in our blood that’ll outlast our bones.

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    • [–] 8 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    In short: we're fucked, but lets continue as if nothing's wrong, because it's convenient.

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    • [–] 7 points 3 years ago

    It's pretty bad, and it's coming from everywhere, including so many places many people would probably never even think of. Tennis balls, for example.

    Microplastics are just one of the many reasons that EVs are not a good environmentally friendly option for transport. They're marginally better than ICE vehicles, but walking, cycling, and public transport (particularly rail) are where we need to be moving to for the majority of trips—preferably in that order of priority.

    Many of the most common "environmentally friendly" reusable shopping bags produce microplastics. (If you've already got one, it's probably far more environmentally friendly to keep using it. But when buying a new bag anyway, look in to options that won't produce microplastics.)

    Even many of the clothes and shoes we wear produce microplastics through their use and washing.

    It's a bloody tough problem.

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    [–] 4 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    Roads are also polluted with microplastics due to car tires rubbing on the ground. The amount of it from tires is apparently insanely high..

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 3 years ago

    https://phys.org/news/2022-11-unraveling-secrets-microplastics.html

    1. Microplastics originating from tire wear are extensively distributed in various environments, including freshwater bodies, soils, and the atmosphere.
    2. These tire-derived microplastics pose a significant ecological threat to aquatic organisms and ecosystems, potentially disrupting their normal functioning.
    3. The ingestion of tire microplastics by aquatic organisms can lead to adverse health effects, including altered behavior, reduced reproduction, and impaired growth.
    4. Humans may also be exposed to tire microplastics through the consumption of contaminated food and water, raising concerns about potential long-term health risks.
    5. Effective mitigation strategies and regulations are crucial to minimize tire microplastic pollution and protect both the environment and human well-being.
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