The Green Page:

Plastic Is Everywhere. Now What?

The headlines are full of plastic these days. From black plastic kitchen utensils to microplastics, it’s all a bit alarming. Maybe you’re looking around your home, clocking all the plastic, and wondering what to do about it. Overwhelming? Of course. Hopeless? Not necessarily.

“Systemic change across the entire life cycle of plastics is required to eliminate plastic pollution,” Kate Whitman, a research fellow at the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth, told me over email. “But individuals can also take steps to reduce both their own contribution to plastic pollution and their own exposure to microplastics.”

Over the next three weeks, we’ll walk you through some expert-backed steps you can personally take (the first of which is below)! To decide what to do as individuals — and know what we can and can’t control — it helps first to understand the systemic scale of the global plastic problem and how we fit into it.

WhAt’s The Problem?

In recent years, the conversation around plastics has shifted to the less obvious plastics swimming through our environment: microplastics and nanoplastics. Pervasive and seemingly everywhere, microplastics are plastic particles less than 5 millimetres long (smaller than the width of a #2 pencil). At the same time, nanoplastics are even smaller and invisible to the eye. These tiny plastic bits are shed from larger pieces or threads of plastic, or they may be made small to begin with (like plastic microbeads).

Microplastics and nanoplastics originate from a range of sources, including synthetic clothes, car tyres, paints, and plastic packaging. And because plastic contains a range of chemicals that are added to improve performance, flexibility, and durability, scientists are concerned that plastic bits may also leach potentially harmful chemicals, including bisphenols, phthalates, flame retardants, and PFAS.

Scientists have been developing the ability to detect and measure micro- and nanoplastics in more and more places — from snow-capped mountains to the deep sea, as well as in our food, drinking water, and bodies. Brains, blood, beer, broccoli — you name it. Look, and you probably shall find. We’re still learning what impact all this plastic has on ecosystems and our own health, but some experts say there is cause for concern.

If all this sounds like a lot, let me share my best distilled advice, the North Star that’s remained true through all my reporting: Try to shop slowly and buy less. Most of the time, when you prioritise durability, repairability, and intentionality in your purchases, you’ll accomplish three goals: You’ll start to shrink your plastic footprint, you’ll begin to lower your plastic exposure, and you’ll start to reduce your carbon footprint, too.

One Small Change You Can Make Today: Cool Your Laundry

Polyester, nylon, and other synthetic fibres shed off our clothes all the time. Still, research has shown that laundry is a significant source of microplastics to wastewater, and those microfibers can end up in natural waterways, potentially impacting aquatic life. Research also suggests that tumble dryers may release significant amounts of microplastics into the air.

These laundry tips may help reduce microplastic shedding into your air and wastewater. And they’ll certainly help you use less energy, save money, and prolong the life of your clothing.

Go cold. “The majority of energy used by a washing machine occurs during hot water cycles,” writes Andrea Barnes, Wirecutter’s senior staff writer who covers all things laundry. “Washing clothes in cold water saves energy and is ultimately one of the most environmentally impactful things you can do in the laundry room.” Use a detergent (like one of these) that performs well in cold-water washes.
Line dry when possible. While research is ongoing, this 2022 study suggests that dryer cycles may be a significant source of airborne microplastics. If you wash mixed loads, pull out lightweight items and delicates for line drying. Splitting your dryer load can also be less taxing on your clothes over time.
Wash less often. Some things do need regular laundering, but others, like jeans, you can get away with washing far less frequently.