PLASTIC & THE GREAT LAKES
The Great Lakes Have Become A Dumping Ground For Millions Of Pounds Of Plastic - Huffington Post
The amount of plastic that enters Lake Michigan alone each year is equivalent to 100 Olympic-sized pools full of plastic bottles, a study finds.
22M Pounds Of Plastic Pollute The Great Lakes Each Year - Wisconsin Public Radio
Their research is the first estimate of the total plastic pollution entering the Great Lakes system each year and builds on site surveys of plastic contamination previously conducted in areas around the lakes.
Scientists warn of health impacts as great lakes plastic pollution grows - bridge michigan
Plastic Pollution Robs Fish of Nutrients - Great Lakes Echo
Tens of millions of pounds of tiny pieces of plastic called ‘microplastics’ enter the Great Lakes each year. Now plastic exposure is being linked to learning and memory issues in animals, smaller larvae, and thinner egg shells due to depletion of proper nutrients. Experts wish for minor policy changes surrounding the Great Lakes area.
PLASTIC & HEALTH
PLASTIC & HEALTH: THE HIDDEN COSTS OF A PLASTIC PLANET - CIEL.ORG
Despite being one of the most pervasive materials on the planet, plastic and its impact on human health is poorly understood. Yet exposure to plastic are expanding into new areas of the environment and food chain as existing plastic products fragment into smaller particles and concentrate toxic chemicals. As plastic production increases, this exposure will only grow.
PLASTICEMIA: MICROPLASTIC ACCUMULATION IN THE HUMAN BODY AND ITS HEALTH IMPLICATIONS - SGIM Forum
Dr. Zachary G. Jacobs, MD. breaks down the growing evidence of the potential harm from plastic to humans, as well as recommendations for reducing exposure and risk, and the institutional actions that need to take place to avoid our overall dependence on plastic.
ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS OF PLASTICS - ECOLOGYCENTER.org
Every stage of plastic production and use is harming human health: Report - environmental health news
At every stage, plastic is harming human health. In addition to creating safety problems during production, many chemical additives that give plastic products desirable performance properties also have permanent human health effects: “the bottom line is that plastic is not nearly as cheap as we thought it was, it’s just that the costs have been invisible,” Dr. Philip Landrigan.
Book Excerpt: The Unknown Risks of Microplastics in Indoor Air - undark.org
Plastic can be found in almost every inch of our home - from our carpets, pillows, and furniture to the clothes on our backs or the packaging around our food. Unfortunately by Soltani’s estimate, we inhale 13,000 microfibers a year based on the air we breathe in our homes; affecting our health more than we are aware.
What will it take to give babies a phthalate-free start in the world? - environmental health news
Since the late 1960s research has shown that a plastic additive in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), leaches from medical devices and is toxic to multiple organs, especially for premature infants. Phthalates mimic the body’s hormones and can disrupt important processes during an infant's rapid development. Yet despite more than two decades of evidence, advocacy and education around the issue, PVC products containing this harmful phthalate chemical still dominate the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
PLASTIC & CLIMATE
The Climate Impact of Our Insatiable Plastic Addition - bloomberg
Plastic was responsible for 1.8 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. That’s 3.4% of the global total... Researchers project that the emissions from plastic will exceed 2.5 billion metric tons by 2050, if the current pace of growth and manner of production continue: “Oil majors have explicitly said they expect it [plastic production] to help make up for declining revenues from fuel sales as countries shift to clean energy.”
Single-use plastics a serious climate change hazard, study warns - The Guardian
Production must end now, says first ever estimate of plastic’s cradle-to-grave impact
Plastic Has A Big Carbon Footprint — But That Isn't The Whole Story - NPR.oRG
Plastic waste gets a lot of attention when photos of dead whales with stomachs full of plastic bags hit the news. Pieces of plastic also litter cities, and tiny plastic particles are even floating in the air. Largely overlooked is how making plastic in the first place affects the environment, especially global warming.
WASTE ONLY How the Plastics Industry Is Fighting to Keep Polluting the World - THe INtercept
Once regarded mostly as an eyesore or a nuisance, plastic waste is now widely understood to be a cause of species extinction, ecological devastation, and human health problems.
Plastic & Racial Justice
Environmental JUSTICE FOR PFJ: BIPOC COMMUNITIES BEAR THE BURDEN OF PLASTIC POLLUTION - Davis food co-op
What is environmental racism, what are its causes, and why BIPOC communities bear the highest burden of plastic pollution.
Insight: Plastic Pollution is an environmental justice issue - bloomberg law
A consequence of environmental racism, plastic pollution requires an environmental justice response.
Plastic pollution is an environmental injustice to vulnerable communities, new report - UNited nations environment programme
Marginalized communities and communities in close proximity to plastic production sites are disproportionately affected by plastic pollution.