Plastic: Toxic for You and Our Planet

We ingest plastics everyday.

Studies have found microplastics in our blood including PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) , polystyrene and polyethylene. Humans may be consuming and inhaling up to 121,000 microplastic particles each year. Some of these chemicals have been linked to health problems such as metabolic disorders, cancers, and reduced lung capacity.

To say this is an alarming amount of microplastic would be an understatement. These tiny particles don’t break down, and eventually make their way into our bloodstream which scientists say could be detrimental to our health.

We’ve all seen photos of plastic soda bottles, water cups, and six-pack-rings littering our beaches – causing obvious harm to ocean wildlife. What you might not have considered is the carbon footprint of shipping this “mainly water” concentrate to stores (or your doorstep).

So what can you do? Do-it-yourself flavoring made from fruit or concentrates are often healthier, storable, and just as easy to find.

Choosing products packaged in aluminum vs. plastic is also a great move, because unlike plastic, aluminum can be recycled infinitely.

And the best thing you can do is to skip the bottled water entirely and use a reusable water bottle!

While materials made from recycled water bottles are a better option than material made from virgin plastics, any fiber made from a plastic material can become a source of microplastics. From laundry to landfills, these materials break, leeching their way into our ecosystems and into our bodies.

Consider purchasing clothing made from natural products like organic cotton and hemp or even better, shop second hand and give that used garment a second life.

Examining our own behavior is a valuable step we can take to protect our health and the health of the planet.

Plastic production is extremely energy intensive, resulting in the burning of a tremendous amount of fossil fuels. All this plastic is primarily disposed of in landfills, incinerated, or else polluted directly into the environment. When broken down, it releases methane and ethylene—two powerful greenhouse gasses that drastically worsen climate change impacts.

Landfills and trash incinerators have a severe impact on the health of frontline and surrounding communities. Landfills create health hazards, contaminating groundwater and releasing toxic gasses. 79% of trash incinerators are located in low-income and BIPOC communities, and release toxic heavy metals (including lead and mercury) directly into the air.

Help Surfrider hold the producers of these forever chemicals responsible.

Help Surfrider hold the producers of these forever chemicals responsible.

People who drink only plastic bottled water could be ingesting an additional 90,000 microplastic particles each year.

People who drink only plastic bottled water could be ingesting an additional 90,000 microplastic particles each year.

What we see is only a fraction of what is out there…

Together, we can end single use plastic by 2035.

Together, we can end single use plastic by 2030.