How You Can Reduce Microplastic Pollution
Microplastic pollution is an increasing problem that affects the environment and the food chain. It is important to be aware of how to reduce microplastics both at home and at work to protect our planet. Scientists think that the ocean contains 24.4 trillion pieces of microplastics — fragments of plastic less than five millimetres in length, or about the size of a sesame seed.
Here are 8 tips for avoiding and reducing microplastics and plastic pollution:
- Reduce Single-Use Plastics
This means avoiding items such as plastic bottled water, plastic cutlery, plastic straws and any other single-use plastic items. Switching to reusable items can greatly reduce pieces of plastic entering the environment. At your business, you may decide to scrap single-use plastics across the office. This could involve introducing refillable stations and sustainable materials in the canteen. These steps will help you with avoiding microplastic pollution and push for a greener business.
- Avoiding Synthetic Fabrics
Synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon are made from plastic fibres and can produce plastic particles when washed in a washing machine. Choose natural fabrics such as cotton or linen instead to reduce the risk of microplastic fibres.
- Avoiding Food In Plastic Packaging
Microplastics can be found in many food items that have been packaged in plastic. It is important to choose food that is not packaged in plastic if possible. However, although this creates microplastic pollution, plastic packaging comes with a few benefits. The material used to store products greatly reduces food waste.
- Investing In A Filter
Installing a filter on your tap can reduce the number of microplastics in your tap water, so it is a good investment if you are concerned about drinking microplastics. Examples include TAPP 2 which removes 100% of all known microplastics.
- Choosing Public Transportation
When possible, it is better to opt for public transportation as it produces fewer emissions than driving a car and reduces the amount of plastic pollution.
- Reducing Plastic Production
Reducing the amount of plastic production is an important step in reducing microplastic pollution. This can be done by choosing products made from renewable materials and avoiding plastic items when possible.