An employee of a small business in Australia couldn't help but be outraged by their company's lack of procedures to prevent microplastics from contaminating the planet.
What's happening?
The worker shared their frustrations in Reddit's r/extremelyinfuriating community, expressing concern about breathing in the tiny toxic plastic particles. The poster also shared a photo of a large bundle of plastic headed straight for the landfill.
"My workplace has no procedure in place to stop all the microplastics we make, so it's all over the place for us to breathe in and pollute the planet," they wrote. "We 'grind' most of it to recycle, but outside where it goes, there's nothing to stop it from going on the ground."
Other Redditors were surprised by the business practices.
"I'd have thought there would be some government rules about this sort of thing," one person wrote, to which the OP responded: "I'm sure there is. Small businesses like to cut corners."
Why is this concerning?
The business might have believed it was helping to reduce the growing problem of plastic pollution by grinding the larger pieces of the material into microplastics (particles around the diameter of a pencil top eraser or smaller).
However, introducing more microplastics into the world isn't doing the planet any favors. According to analysis by Australia's University of Newcastle, people could be ingesting around a credit card's worth of plastic every single week on average.
"That stuff is in our blood," one commenter pointed out.
And while microplastics may not be an immediate choking or drowning hazard for marine and wildlife, research suggests they can still cause significant harm.
One study found that ingestion of microplastics impacted the nervous systems of pigs, whose digestive systems have some similarities to those of humans. Scientists have also linked the particles to cancer, dementia, and reproductive issues.
Is Australia doing anything about plastic pollution?
Without more information, it is unclear why the OP's place of employment would choose to grind the plastic (and seemingly not repurpose it) or which regulations may have been ignored.
For its part, Australia has passed legislation aimed at reducing pollution from plastic, which is typically made from dirty fuels like motor oil and gasoline. For example, per the Australian Retailers Association, territories and states are phasing out single-use plastics.
The timing varies depending on each jurisdiction, but actions include banning plastic-stemmed cotton buds, plastic microbeads, and disposable plastic grocery bags.
What can I do to limit exposure to microplastics?
Even though microplastics are just about everywhere, new scientific breakthroughs show promise in filtering the particles. Choosing plastic-free alternatives for everyday products can also help limit your exposure.
As Beyond Plastics points out, microwaving food in plastic can cause microplastics to chip into your meal. Investing in microwave-safe silicone containers is a better option. Another easy swap is using shampoo and conditioner bars rather than plastic-packaged products.
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