"Just one word: Plastics!"

Here are 27 companies switching away from plastics in materials, packaging, etc. How about a beach clean-up cruise?

The GuppyFriend is pretty lame - it collects microfiber debris from your washing machine so it doesn't go down the drain; but doesn't discourage the proliferation of the fibers in our environment.

I'm gonna check out the Bee's Wrap for food storage.

And the edible beer rings is interesting.

Ice cream in re-usable aluminum containers? Now that is chic!

Companies trying to rid the world of plastic waste

As part of the movement away from plastic squeeze bottles~

An honest reflection on solid beauty bars:

https://ecocult.com/ethique-solid-beauty-bar-review-shampoo-conditioner-deodoran...

Why biodegradables won’t solve the plastic crisis (BBC)

"Green" alternatives to throwaway plastics don’t always break down in sea water. But could they help to fix our food waste problem?

There's a variety of waxed cloth/paper products around. They sort of work in some situations, less good in others. Do tend to leave a honey smell on some food!

With all these 'solutions' a critical issue is that they don't have a higher CO2 emission than the product they're replacing. Food bags are one such - paper bag needs to be re-used more than 4x before it becomes a 'better' alternative than a 1off plastic bag. If you normally re-use your plastic once, then that would be 8x for paper. I have yet to meet a bag this strong.

>3 John5918:
Interesting - plastic has done a vast amount to prevent food waster, by stopping spoilage especially the hidden waste en-route to the shops. Any alternatives have to be at least this good.

Dumped fishing gear is biggest plastic polluter in ocean, finds report
Sandra Laville | 5 Nov 2019

Greenpeace calls for global action over nets, lines and traps that are deadly for marine life...

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/06/dumped-fishing-gear-is-bigge...

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Freshwater turtles, fish, birds, too, are killed by discarded monofilament fishing line and gillnets, which can take as long as 600 years to degrade!

Monofilament in the Ocean
Alexis Rudd | September 11, 2013

...Monofilament fishing line is made of a single plastic line, and has been popular for fishing since the 1950s (although the first plastic fishing lines were introduced in 1939). This type of fishing line is useful for fishermen because it is strong, durable, and virtually invisible underwater.

These same characteristics make it particularly deadly to wildlife; because it is strong, ocean animals can't break free, because it is invisible, they can't avoid it, and because it is durable, lost monofilament lines and nets can take as many as 600 years to degrade. These lost nets continue to catch fish, turtles, sharks, seals, whales, and scuba divers for many years. They are called "ghost nets." The name conjures up two types of ghosts in my mind; first, the invisible fishermen holding the net, and second, the ghosts of the many animals who have been trapped in it.

In addition to trapping animals, plastic lines get tangled around reefs and damage the coral and other creatures living on the ocean floor. Even a small amount of lost fishing line can get tangled in a coral head, killing the polyps of the coral.

Discarded monofilament lines can even wreak havoc out of the water. It is almost as hard to see monofilament in the air. I've gotten tripped up on invisible fishing lines on the beach several times, where they can be very hazardous to marine birds.

So what can we do about the dangers of plastic lines in the ocean?

First of all, we can reduce the amount of lines and nets that are left behind and lost. This means that recreational fishermen, snorkelers, and other beachgoers should pick up lines from the shores, and commercial fishermen should take measures not to lose nets. Many places now offer monofilament-recycling stations for this purpose. But even more important, plastic lines should be replaced by a material that degrades more quickly. Fortunately, fishing lines that degrade in five years (or about 0.8% of the time it takes traditional plastic line) are starting to become available. These lines are more expensive, but their environmental cost is much less.

https://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/saltwater-science/monofilament_in_the_ocean...

It's not really about the environment, it's about the money.
Joining Marriott, IHG and Hilton in this initiative.

Hyatt is eliminating travel-sized plastic toiletries

Portable tubes of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel will be replaced with bulk-sized toiletries across Hyatt's global chain of 220,000 rooms beginning in June 2021.
…
Businesses are facing disruption from climate change and customers are increasingly demanding that products and services are environmentally friendly. Cost-cutting is another reason why hotels are doing this because they can spend less on replacing the portable products.

Kenyan scientist uses throw-away plastics to build homes (Al Jazeera)

The scientist manufactures roof tiles and other construction materials from plastic and glass waste in Kenya

MEALWORMS COULD GOBBLE UP OUR BIG PLASTIC PROBLEM (Futurity)

New findings suggest mealworms could be the solution to our big plastic problem.

They can not only consume various forms of plastic, but also Styrofoam containing a common and toxic chemical additive. And even after that meal, they can serve as protein-rich feedstock for other animals.

The study is the first to look at where chemicals in plastic end up after being broken down in a natural system—a yellow mealworm’s gut, in this case. It serves as a proof of concept for deriving value from plastic waste...

Fun, quick video on re-using single-use plastics:
https://www.facebook.com/FirstMediaBlossom/videos/1546071352211816/

There are some good ones there. The bent toothbrush is genius

Due to tireless research by National Public Radio (NPR) and others, here are all the dirty little truths about the plastics industry. The chief one is that due to the aging of the ingredients in plastic (such as resin), it can only be recycled a few times, if that. Here's the link:

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-beli...

Science: "A Mess of Plastic. It is not clear what strategies will be most effective in mitigating harm from the global problem of plastic pollution. Borrelle et al. and Lau et al. discuss possible solutions and their impacts. Both groups found that substantial reductions in plastic-waste generation can be made in the coming decades with immediate, concerted, and vigorous action, but even in the best case scenario, huge quantities of plastic will still accumulate in the environment."

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Global Group of Scientists Sound the Alarm on Plastic Pollution
National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center

New study estimates that even if governments around the world adhere to their ambitious global commitments, and others join in efforts to curb plastic pollution, annual plastic emissions may increase to 53 MT of plastic waste to oceans, lakes, and rivers by 2030.

For release: September 18, 2020
Contact: communications@sesync.org
https://www.sesync.org/news/fri-2020-09-18-1903/global-group-of-scientists-sound...

(Scroll down to Summary Results Infographic)

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Winnie W. Y. Lau et al. 2020. Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution. Science 18 Sep 2020: Vol. 369, Issue 6510, pp. 1455-1461 DOI: 10.1126/science.aba9475 https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6510/1455
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a pervasive and growing problem. To estimate the effectiveness of interventions to reduce plastic pollution, we modeled stocks and flows of municipal solid waste and four sources of microplastics through the global plastic system for five scenarios between 2016 and 2040. Implementing all feasible interventions reduced plastic pollution by 40% from 2016 rates and 78% relative to “business as usual” in 2040. Even with immediate and concerted action, 710 million metric tons of plastic waste cumulatively entered aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. To avoid a massive build-up of plastic in the environment, coordinated global action is urgently needed to reduce plastic consumption; increase rates of reuse, waste collection, and recycling; expand safe disposal systems; and accelerate innovation in the plastic value chain.

(No paywall.)
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Stephanie B. Borrelle et al. 2020. Predicted growth in plastic waste exceeds efforts to mitigate plastic pollution. Science 18 Sep 2020: Vol. 369, Issue 6510, pp. 1515-1518. DOI: 10.1126/science.aba3656 https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6510/1515
Abstract

Plastic pollution is a planetary threat, affecting nearly every marine and freshwater ecosystem globally. In response, multilevel mitigation strategies are being adopted but with a lack of quantitative assessment of how such strategies reduce plastic emissions. We assessed the impact of three broad management strategies, plastic waste reduction, waste management, and environmental recovery, at different levels of effort to estimate plastic emissions to 2030 for 173 countries. We estimate that 19 to 23 million metric tons, or 11%, of plastic waste generated globally in 2016 entered aquatic ecosystems. Considering the ambitious commitments currently set by governments, annual emissions may reach up to 53 million metric tons per year by 2030. To reduce emissions to a level well below this prediction, extraordinary efforts to transform the global plastics economy are needed.

(Paywall?)

From researchers at three US universities, here is a genuine recycling solution for 1/3 of the plastic now produced each year:

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/plastic-recycling-process-high-value-mole...

US and UK citizens are world’s biggest sources of plastic waste – study (Guardian)

The US and UK produce more plastic waste per person than any other major countries, according to new research. The analysis also shows the US produces the most plastic waste in total and that its citizens may rank as high as third in the world in contributing to plastic pollution in the oceans. Previous work had suggested Asian countries dominated marine plastic pollution and placed the US in 20th place, but this did not account for US waste exports or illegal dumping within the country...

SINGLE-USE PLASTIC IS BEING TURNED INTO COLOURFUL PAVEMENTS IN KENYA (EuroNews)

Young engineers in Nairobi, Kenya found a way to make good use of the mounting single-use plastic the country has no capacity to recycle. They make bricks out of it...

EU BANS PLASTIC WASTE FROM BEING SHIPPED TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (EuroNews)

The European Union has banned all non-recyclable plastic waste being shipped to developing nations from 1 January. The large quantity of plastic sent to the Global South is often not being properly treated. A lot of this waste ends up either in landfill, the ocean, or being incinerated because these countries often don’t have the capacity to sustainably treat the waste. Under the new rules, only ‘clean plastic waste’ which can be recycled is allowed to be exported to non-OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries. In addition, stricter measures have been adopted on the export of plastic waste from the EU to OECD countries and intra-EU shipments of plastic waste...

Apologies for the capital letters, incidentally. I'm not "shouting", that's just how EuroNews presents its headlines.

Water pods made of algae

https://www.livekindly.co/london-marathon-edible-water-pods-plastic-bottles/amp

A group of Canadian students designed a machine to vacuum micro plastic particles from beaches. Seems a backward, slow and piecemeal strategy, but it does seem to work improving the view.
Hoola One is the brand.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-48562800

They do acknowledge their work as a “ Sisyphean task.”

I pick up trash from a L Ontario beach, but I've seen beaches where I wouldn't have known where to begin, e.g., a non-groomed beach on the Maya Riviera was primarily plastic (particles to recognizable articles).

In time, once we stop releasing it, plastic will be buried by sediment, I hope. There is so much mercury buried in the sediments of the St Clair R, for example, that a mining company proposed extracting it! (Denied: safer left where it was.)

>15 John5918:. Bumped into this group again today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbZKP4UAtL8

It’s good to find a long term use for this waste; and hope the casting process encapsulates the plastic effectively. I’d rather the product was for vertical construction instead of pavers which are more subject to wear and breakage. But the ultimate goal should be not producing plastics at all, since we now know the health and environmental costs of them in our ecosphere.

Loop Reusable/Returnable Packaging Platform Launches in Canada with Retail Partner Loblaw
Anne Marie Mohan | Feb 1st, 2021

Loop’s global expansion continues, bringing waste-free shopping for a range of food and household products, including Loblaw own-brand items, in reusable packaging to Canada

...Initially rolling out to residents in most of Ontario, customers can shop for a wide variety of food and household products in refillable packaging, such as ice cream, sauces, snacks, pet food, and toothpaste from some of the country’s most popular brands, including Loblaw’s President’s Choice. With the launch, Canada joins the U.S., the U.K., and France as the Loop platform continues to expand around the world...

https://www.packworld.com/issues/sustainability/article/21259204/loop-launches-i...

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Save the River hopes new tech could help keep St. Lawrence River trash-free
ALEX GAULT | 12/17/2021

CLAYTON (NY)—According to John Peach, executive director of Save the River and the Upper St. Lawrence Riverkeeper, last year the organization collected three large truckloads of trash from the river during their annual “Trash Free River Cleanup” along the shoreline in Clayton.

Mr. Peach said the group is looking to install SeaBins and LittaTraps in and around the village to catch most of the litter that ends up in the water.

SeaBins are floating plastic garbage traps, Mr. Peach said.

“They float in the water of the river, and they have a small pump that circulates water, so trash flows over the top and gets trapped inside in some mesh netting,” he said.

LittaTraps, Mr. Peach explained, are essentially nets that can be installed in storm water runoff drains along the street. The netting catches any trash that washes into the grate before it can make it into the sewer system or the river. They can also be installed in the sewage pipes in an area where the water flows directly into the river.

Mr. Peach said Save the River has already received some interest from local businesses, including a number of marinas, and from the village to have the devices installed...

https://www.nny360.com/news/jeffersoncounty/save-the-river-hopes-new-tech-could-...

Loblaws! We used to have one in the Pittsburgh area back in the 60s. Hadn't known they still exist. Good for them! Looking forward to the practice expanding elsewhere, eh.

Though after reading the article, some of those Loop containers don’t look at all practical. They need better design.

Microwaves could be the future for plastic recycling
Could microwave technology help cut down on new plastic production?
Marc Fawcett-Atkinson | March 13,2021

...French tire giant Michelin. Last year, the company announced a partnership with Pyrowave to build a microwave recycling system for tires...

Pyrowave’s technology...uses high-powered microwaves to break clean polystyrene — a common plastic used to make everything from yogurt cups to keyboards — into molecular components, or monomers, that manufacturers can use to create entirely new polystyrene plastic.

...Pyrolysis is a chemical process that burns carbon-based materials like wood or plastic without oxygen to remove the material’s hydrogen and oxygen molecules, leaving nothing but carbon. It’s ancient — Egyptians used pyrolysis to make charcoal.

...(Jocelyn Doucet, Quebec-based engineer and founder of Pyrowave, a company pioneering microwave-based plastic recycling technology)’s microwave process uses electric energy instead of heat, dramatically reducing the amount of energy and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) needed to produce polystyrene plastic... According to a forthcoming life cycle assessment by Pyrowave, producing polystyrene using microwave pyrolysis recycling is 40 percent more energy efficient than virgin oil production...

https://grist.org/business-technology/microwaves-could-be-the-future-for-plastic...

A few advances in microplastic removal:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/18/microplastics-oceans-environ...

Just removing it from the air and water are not enough though, because it is still a disposal question. Where do you put the sludge?

Go Canada! Plastics ban

https://www.waste360.com/legislation-regulation/comments-canada-and-us-canadas-p...

The Canadian legislation on plastics does also call for increased recycled material, with a target of at least 50% recycled content by 2030, which it has said is intended to drive investments in recycling infrastructure and in innovations to boost a circular economy. Legislation also calls for mandating extended producer responsibility policy, requiring manufacturers and brands to pay to manage their packaging and products at the end of life.

Coca-Cola and McDonalds plastic pollution dominates UK coastline
Hannah Westwater | August 11, 2021

Just twelve companies make up two-thirds of the brands found strewn across the UK’s beaches, according to new research into packaging and plastic pollution.

Coca-Cola, McDonalds and Tesco were among those responsible for 65 per cent of packaging picked up across the country...

https://www.bigissue.com/latest/environment/coca-cola-and-mcdonalds-plastic-poll...

Single-use plastic plates and cutlery to be banned in England (Guardian)

Single-use plastic plates and cutlery, and polystyrene cups will be banned in England under government plans, as it seeks to reduce the plastic polluting the environment. A public consultation will launch in the autumn and the ban could be in place in a couple of years. The move was welcomed by campaigners, but they said overall progress on cutting plastic waste was “snail-paced”, with the EU having banned these items and others in July...

Consumer goods makers to sharply reduce ‘virgin’ plastics use by 2025
Judith Evans | Nov 15, 2021

...data from multinational companies — including Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever — showed their total use of virgin plastics had fallen for the second year running in 2020.

The 65 consumer goods groups and retailers involved in the project are set to cut their use of non-recycled plastics by almost a fifth by 2025 overall, compared with 2018 levels, said the (Ellen MacArthur Foundation). It collects annual data from organisations that signed a global commitment to cut plastic waste led by the foundation and UN Environment Programme.

This will save 8m tonnes of virgin plastics from being produced annually by 2025, equivalent to 40m barrels of oil remaining in the ground, the foundation said.

About a fifth of the world’s plastic packaging is used by consumer goods makers and retailers such as Walmart that signed the commitment, which includes targets for plastic use. Packaging providers can also sign up.

https://www.ft.com/content/523969b3-b785-4a20-aa5b-74c9cf9c57fe

Two years ago, Amsterdam installed a Great Bubble Barrier to capture plastics in the canals.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/07/bubble-barrier-launched-to-keep-pl...

Hope success of 2024 plastics treaty will prove closer to 1987 Montreal Protocol (ozone) than 2015 Paris Accord (climate)...

'Biggest green deal since Paris': UN agrees plastic treaty roadmap
Reuters | Mar. 3, 2022, 1:16 PM

...a legally binding plastic pollution treaty, which is due to be finalised by 2024.

The resolution, which UNEA calls "the most significant environmental deal since the Paris accord", is written in broad strokes and an intergovernmental committee is now tasked with negotiating a deal that will have ripple effects on businesses and economies around the world.

Any treaty that puts restrictions on plastic production, use or design would affect oil and chemicals companies that make raw plastic, as well as consumer goods giants that sell thousands of products in single-use packaging.

It would also affect the economies of major plastic-producing countries, including the United States, China, India, Saudi Arabia and Japan.

Although U.N. officials were united in celebrating the agreement to have a plastic treaty, disagreements remain over what should be included in a final pact...

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/climate/solutions/biggest-green-deal-s...

Microplastics from European rivers spreading to Arctic seas, research shows
Helena Horton Environment | 16 Mar 2022

...The scientists used modelling to predict how many microplastic particles would be in certain parts of the ocean, and compared it with water samples from these places. Their analysis suggests microplastics have been circulating in the Arctic for at least a decade.

...They found that most simulated particles drifted along two main pathways after being released from rivers, with 65% drifting along the Norwegian coast towards the Laptev Sea, north of Russia, before going to the Arctic Ocean, across the north pole, then exiting the Arctic Ocean via the Fram Strait east of Greenland. Thirty per cent went in another direction, travelling across Greenland then farther south along the north-east coast of Canada...

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/16/microplastics-from-european-...
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Mats B. O. Huserbråten et al. 2022. Trans-polar drift-pathways of riverine European microplastic. Scientific Reports volume 12, Article number: 3016 (17 March 2022) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-07080-z

Abstract
We report widespread dispersal along the Eurasian continental shelf, across the North Pole, and back into the Nordic Seas; with accumulation zones over the Nansen basin, the Laptev Sea, and the ocean gyres of the Nordic Seas. The equal distribution of sampled synthetic particles across water masses covering a wide time frame of anthropogenic influence suggests a system in full saturation rather than pronounced injection from European sources, through a complex circulation scheme connecting the entire Arctic Mediterranean. This circulation of microplastic through Arctic ecosystems may have large consequences to natural ecosystem health, highlighting an ever-increasing need for better waste management.
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Scientists Use Stereochemistry to Create a Sustainable Plastic Alternative
The sugar-based polymers could possibly replace petrochemical-sourced plastics.
Olivia Rosane | February 28, 2022

...Sugar alcohols are good building blocks for plastics in part because they exhibit a trait called stereochemistry. This means they can form chemical bonds that have different three-dimensional orientations but the same chemical composition, or the same number of different component atoms. This is actually something that sets sugars apart from oil-based materials, which do not have this trait.1

In the case of the new research, scientists made polymers from isoidide and isomannide, two compounds made from sugar alcohol, a University of Birmingham press release explains. These compounds have the same composition, but different three-dimensional orientations and this was enough to make polymers with very different properties. The isoidide-based polymer was both stiff and malleable like common plastics while the isomannide-based polymer was elastic and flexible like rubber...

https://www.treehugger.com/scientists-create-sustainable-plastic-alternative-522...
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Sugar-Based Polymers with Stereochemistry-Dependent 2 Degradability and Mechanical Properties is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, and is available at: https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.1c10278

28%!

Invention Aims to Capture Plastic Pollution From Tires (0:58)
Now This | Apr 30, 2022

Up to 28% of microplastics in the ocean are from tires —
watch how this invention could help ecosystems around the world

https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1520327849663680514

I read the statistic and shared with my daughter. It was probably just an Instagram post , but it motivated her to clear some plastic stuff from her kitchen, including a cutting board.
Americans now ingest a credit card’s worth of plastic a week!

Chemists cook up way to remove microplastics using okra

https://phys.org/news/2022-03-chemists-cook-microplastics-okra.html

They found that polysaccharides from okra paired with those from fenugreek could best remove microplastics from ocean water, while polysaccharides from okra paired with tamarind worked best in freshwater samples.

Overall, the plant-based polysaccharides worked just as well or better than polyacrylamide. Crucially, the plant-based chemicals are both non-toxic and can be used in existing treatment plants.

Hemp plastic

https://saifood.ca/single-use-plastics-hemp/

Not a complete discussion, but some distinction of biodegradable and degradable. I’ve seen elsewhere that hemp plastics still present a hazard of microplastics in water.

Mostly wanted to post this graphic:

Antonio Ragusa et al. 2022. Raman Microspectroscopy Detection and Characterisation of Microplastics in Human Breastmilk. Polymers 2022, 14, 2700. https:// doi.org/10.3390/polym14132700

Abstract:
...for the first time, MP {microplastic} contamination was found in 26 out of 34 {human breastmilk} samples. The detected microparticles were classified according to their shape, colour, dimensions, and chemical composition. The most abundant MPs were composed of polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene, with sizes ranging from 2 to 12 μm. MP data were statistically analysed in relation to specific patients’ data (age, use of personal care products containing plastic compounds, and consumption of fish/shellfish, beverages, and food in plastic packaging), but no significant relationship was found, suggesting that the ubiquitous MP presence makes human exposure inevitable.

A bio-plastics start up firm:
https://www.miterro.com/

https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/04/me-terro-seed-funding/

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FlfNrdG_904

I was trying to answer someone’s question about plastic bag recycling at the grocery store. I knew it went to make Trex decking products, and I knew I could add in most other flexible plastic films.
I found their site describing exactly what is acceptable and what isn’t:

https://nextrex.com/view/educate

Florida company makes coffee cups out of coffee grinds (1:29)
https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1643250316593307650

Tiny Polystyrene Particles Detected in the Brain Just Two Hours After Ingestion
U of Vienna | April 21, 2023

Summary: Two hours after ingestion, tiny particles of polystyrene, a widely used plastic commonly used for food packing, can be detected in the {mouse} brain. These plastic particles can increase the risk of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.

The study was carried out in an animal model with oral administration of MNPs, in this case polystyrene, a widely-used plastic which is also found in food packaging...the research team was able to determine that tiny polystyrene particles could be detected in the brain just two hours after ingestion...

https://neurosciencenews.com/polystyrene-brain-23079/
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Lukas Kenner et al. 2023. “Micro- and Nanoplastics Breach the Blood–Brain Barrier (BBB): Biomolecular Corona’s Role Revealed” Nanomaterials 19 April 2023, 13(8), 1404. Open Access; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13081404 https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/8/1404

>40 margd: Forwarding this on to a college student I just met. She’s working on a local proposal to collect and “brick” plastic waste so it can be re-used more safely. She just was awarded a small amount of money for her project.
This certainly ups the argument for reduction of plastics use.

Making soup in plastic grocery bag over open fire??
0:59 ( https://twitter.com/Figensport/status/1655197951205994501 )

And the bag didn’t melt?

The water in the bag keeps it at 100C, which is below the melting point of plastic. Old emergency survival technique! You can even use a paper bag.

Why Patagonia helped Samsung redesign the washing machine
Samsung is releasing a wash cycle and a new filter, which will dramatically shrink microfiber pollution.
Adele Peters | 06-07-23

...fibers from synthetic fabric make up a surprisingly large amount of plastic pollution—35%, by one estimate

(Samsung's solution:) A new filter that can be added to existing washers and used along with a “Less Microfiber” cycle that Samsung also designed. The combination makes it possible to shrink microfiber pollution by as much as 98%.

...fleece which Patagonia makes from recycled plastic, was one particular culprit. It started selling mesh bags that can capture microfibers in the wash

“There are maybe two ways of increasing the performance of your washing machine,” says Moohyung Lee, executive vice president and head of R&D at Samsung, through an interpreter. “Number one is to use heated water. That will obviously increase your energy consumption, which is a problem. The second way to increase the performance of your washing machine is to basically create stronger friction between your clothes . . . and this friction and abrasion of the fibers is what results in the output of microplastics.”

Samsung had already developed a technology called “EcoBubble” to improve the performance of cold-water cycles to help save energy, and it tweaked the technology to specifically tackle microfiber pollution. “It helps the detergent dissolve more easily in water so that it foams better, which means that you don’t need to heat up your water as much, and you don’t need as much mechanical friction, but you still have a high level of performance,” Lee says.

...The new “Less Microfiber” cycle, which anyone with a Samsung washer can download as an update for their machine, can reduce microfiber pollution by as much as 54%. To tackle the remainder, the company designed a filter that can be added to existing washers at the drain pipe, with pores tiny enough to capture fibers.

They had to balance two conflicting needs: They wanted to make it as simple as possible to use, so consumers didn’t have to continually empty the filter, but it was also critical that the filter wouldn’t get clogged, potentially making water back up and the machine stop working. The final design compresses the microfibers, so it only has to be emptied once a month, and sends an alert via an app when it needs to be changed. Eventually, in theory, the fibers that are collected could potentially be recycled into new material rather than put in the trash. (Fittingly, the filter itself is also made from recycled plastic.)

...The filter, which is designed to be easily installed on existing machines, is launching now in Korea and will launch in the U.S. and Europe later this year. The cost will vary by market, but will be around $150 in the U.S. The cycle, which began to roll out last year, can be automatically installed on WiFi-connected machines.

Other companies are also beginning to work on solutions, spurred in part by new regulations. In France, for example, manufacturers will have to include filters on washing machines by 2025. “One of the reasons that I’m so happy to see this progress is that six or seven years ago, we had no fewer than five big appliance makers tell us, ‘That’s the tire companies’ problem,'” says (Matt Dwyer, vice president of impact and innovation at Patagonia). (Tires are another large source of microplastic pollution.) “So to start seeing this activation energy spur movement within these appliance companies is really cool.”

Patagonia is also continuing to look for solutions. One next step could be clothes dryers, which also release microfibers...

https://www.fastcompany.com/90904159/why-patagonia-helped-samsung-redesign-the-w...

Scientists Find That Microplastics Cause Dementia-Like Symptoms in Mice
"It was actually deep in the brain tissue."
Maggie Harrison | 31 Aug 2023

..."Given that in this study the microplastics were delivered orally via drinking water, detection in tissues such as the gastrointestinal tract, which is a major part of the digestive system, or in the liver and kidneys was always probable," said {study leader Jaime Ross, assistant professor of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Rhode Island's Ryan Institute for Neuroscience and the College of Pharmacy}. "The detection of microplastics in tissues such as the heart and lungs, however, suggests that the microplastics are going beyond the digestive system and likely undergoing systemic circulation."

"The brain-blood barrier is supposed to be very difficult to permeate. It is a protective mechanism against viruses and bacteria, yet these particles were able to get in there," she continued. "It was actually deep in the brain tissue."

..."We want to understand how plastics may change the ability for the brain to maintain its homeostasis," Ross added, "or how exposure may lead to neurological disorders and diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease."...

https://futurism.com/neoscope/scientists-microplastics-cause-dementia-mice
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Lauren Gaspar et al. 2023. Acute Exposure to Microplastics Induced Changes in Behavior and Inflammation in Young and Old Mice. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 1 Aug. 2023, 24(15), 12308; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241512308 https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/15/12308

Abstract
...our group to explore the biological and cognitive consequences of exposure to MPs {microplastics} in a rodent model. Following a three-week exposure to water treated with fluorescently-labeled pristine polystyrene MPs, young and old C57BL/6J mice were assessed using behavioral assays, such as open-field and light–dark preference, followed by tissue analyses using fluorescent immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and qPCR. Data from these assays suggest that short-term exposure to MPs induces both behavioral changes as well as alterations in immune markers in liver and brain tissues. Additionally, we noted that these changes differed depending on age, indicating a possible age-dependent effect. These findings suggest the need for further research to better understand the mechanisms by which microplastics may induce physiological and cognitive changes.

>46 margd: Perhaps this helps explain the madness happening in humanity’s political sphere. Not that it has ever needed another reason.

Canada is banning single use plastics--currently businesses can't buy replacements for their stock. With its fast food, Cdn Costco seems to be offering some kind of wood-pressed utensils and sippy-cup-like additions to plastic lids.

Meanwhile European researchers are finding PFAS in paper drinking straws:
https://twitter.com/scottlincicome/status/1695080942337949701/photo/1

Paper drinking straws may be harmful and may not be better for the environment than plastic versions, researchers warn
Taylor & Francis | 24 Aug 2023
https://phys.org/news/2023-08-paper-straws-environment-plastic-versions.html

Pauline Boisacq et al. 2023. Assessment of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in commercially available drinking straws using targeted and suspect screening approaches, Food Additives & Contaminants (24 Aug 2023). DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2023.2240908. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19440049.2023.2240908

New York sues PepsiCo in effort to hold it responsible for litter that winds up in rivers

https://apnews.com/article/pepsico-buffalo-river-drinking-water-new-york-59bcaa6...

“No company is too big to ensure that their products do not damage our environment and public health. All New Yorkers have a basic right to clean water, yet PepsiCo’s irresponsible packaging and marketing endanger Buffalo’s water supply, environment, and public health,” James said in a statement.
…
Litter from many sources end up in the Buffalo River, but the attorney general’s office said a 2022 survey named PepsiCo as the single largest identifiable contributor to its plastic waste. Of the 1,916 pieces of plastic waste containing an identifiable brand, 17.1% were produced by PepsiCo, according to the survey. McDonald’s came in a distant second, the lawsuit said.

Particle accelerator in the Fermi lab in Illinois is being used to break down PFAs (forever plastics) with no residual problems:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C25X4ZePGn6/?igsh=MWs5Z3Rsd2NrYXZ0bA==

Plastic Found Inside More Than 50% of Plaques From Clogged Arteries
Health
Clare Watson | 7 March 2024

...Following 257 patients {who were undergoing carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery disease} for 34 months, the researchers found nearly 60 percent of them had measurable amounts of polyethylene in plaques pulled from their fat-thickened arteries, and 12 percent also had polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in extracted fat deposits.

...With microplastics previously found coursing through people's bloodstream, the researchers were reasonably concerned about heart health. Lab-based studies suggest microplastics can trigger inflammation and oxidative stress in heart cells, and impair heart function, alter heart rate, and cause scarring of the heart in animals such as mice...

...In the study, patients with microplastics in their excised plaques were twice as likely to have experienced a stroke, non-fatal heart attack or died from any cause after 34 months than people who had no detectable microplastics in the plaques that surgeons had removed.

...an observational study like this can't definitively conclude that microplastics are causing the downstream heart effects; only that there is an association. The study did not consider other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as smoking, physical inactivity, and air pollution.

https://www.sciencealert.com/plastic-found-inside-more-than-50-of-plaques-from-c...
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Raffaele Marfella et al. 2024. Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events. N Engl J Med 7 March 2024; 390:900-910. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2309822 https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2309822

Abstract
Background
Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease in preclinical studies. Direct evidence that this risk extends to humans is lacking.

...Conclusions
In this study, patients with carotid artery plaque in which MNPs {microplastics and nanoplastics} were detected had a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause at 34 months of follow-up than those in whom MNPs were not detected.

Originating in NY's Adirondack Mtns, the Raquette River empties into the St Lawrence River at the NY / Quebec border.

Addrita Haque et al. 2024. Distribution and risk assessment of microplastic pollution in a rural river system near a wastewater treatment plant, hydro-dam, and river confluence. Scientific Reports volume 14, Article number: 6006 (2024) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-56730-x

Abstract
... The overall objective of this pilot study was to evaluate our hypothesis and advance our understanding of microplastic dynamics in rural river systems, elucidating their introduction from a point source (wastewater treatment plant), transit through an impediment (hydro-dam), and release into a vital transboundary river (confluence of Raquette-St. Lawrence Rivers).

Conclusion
This pilot study involved a brief investigation of microplastic pollution of the Raquette River at three distinct sites:
the Potsdam wastewater treatment plant (WWTP),
the Norwood hydro-dam (NHD), and
the Raquette-St. Lawrence River confluence (R-STL-Con).
The general findings reveal that these sites not only influence the presence and types of microplastics but also bring changes in the ecological risk assessment in the river system. From 11 water samples and 10 sediment samples, the maximum concentration of microplastics was found in R-STL-Con site and WWTP-DS site for water (34 items/L) and sediment (300 items/kg) sample respectively, which signifies that the presence of potential sources along the river increases the microplastic concentration in water sample but for sediment sample high concentration of microplastics is more likely to be found close to the source. Furthermore, the presence of Norwood hydro-dam has contributed in increasing microplastic concentration in the upstream site, which implies that the presence of an obstacle significantly impacts the movement of microplastics. Therefore, our hypothesis was partially proved that downstream of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), upstream of a hydro dam, and river confluence have higher microplastics concentration for a river system. The color, size, shape, and polymer type of the microplastics found in this study indicates that these plastics are coming from the daily used products. Moreover, even in a rural river system the presence of microplastics poses a high ecological risk for the environment. For future research, it is encouraged to test the hypothesis of this study in changing environment scenarios (e.g., flow rate, seasonal impact, rainfall events, etc.). The general observation from this study is that to reduce the amount as well as ecological risk of microplastics in environment, with proper treatment and policy making, reduction of plastic product should be adopted in our daily life.

Scientists make concerning finding while studying contents inside human gallstones: 'This underscores the need for greater awareness'
Mike Taylor | April 17, 2024

"Our data demonstrated that exposure to microplastics aggravates gallstone formation."

...microplastics were present in the gallstones of all 16 patients and that younger subjects (under 50 years old) featured significantly higher levels of the toxic substances. In mice, microplastics accelerated gallstone formation and altered gut microbiota...

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/microplastics-gallstones-human-study/
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Deyu Zhang et al. 2024. Microplastics are detected in human gallstones and have the ability to form large cholesterol-microplastic heteroaggregates. Journal of Hazardous Materials
Volume 467, 5 April 2024, 133631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133631 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389424002103

Highlights
• Microplastic were present in gallstones, with significantly higher levels observed in younger cholelithiasis patients.
• Microplastic ingestion accelerated the formation of gallstone in mice.
• Microplastics exhibited strong affinity for cholesterol and formed cholesterol-microplastic heteroaggregates.
• Microplastic ingestion altered the composition of the gut microbiota in mice fed a high-cholesterol diet.