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We're Eating Plastics From Our Own Dirty Laundry (vice.com)

Posted by msmash on from the pushing-the-boundaries dept.

Every time you wash your fleece jacket or other synthetic clothing, microscopic synthetic fibres are released and end up in our food supply and drinking water. From a report: These microfibres are so small -- visible only under a microscope -- that they bypass municipal filtration systems and are consumed by fish and other marine life. A team of women from Waterloo, Ontario is looking to solve that problem. They've designed something that looks a lot like a dryer sheet for your laundry machine. You'd be able to drop this reusable sheet, called PolyGone, into the laundry machine with your dirty clothes. It attracts and traps the microfibres so they can be recycled. They presented their work at the annual AquaHacking conference at the University of Waterloo on Wednesday. "With these fibres entering our food system and ending up on our plates, we are essentially eating polluted laundry," said co-founder Lauren Smith at the conference. The event saw five teams, including hers, compete for tens of thousands of dollars and entry into several local incubators and accelerator centres. Smith has a Masters degree in sustainability management from UW, specializing in water.

3 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. Synthetic Sheep? by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 2, Informative

    > your fleece jacket or other synthetic clothing,

    Fleece's come from sheep.

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    1. Re:Synthetic Sheep? by SlaveToTheGrind · · Score: 3, Informative

      Fleece's come from sheep.

      Traditionally, yes. Here's a more modern type, likely the one TFA is referring to:

      "Polar fleece is used in jackets, hats, sweaters, sweatpants, cloth nappies, gym clothes, hoodies, blankets, and high-performance outdoor clothing. It can be made partially from recycled plastic bottles and is very light, soft, and easy to wash."

  2. Re: okay we get it, we eat plastic by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Informative

    Its cheap calories in the form of junk food.

    Junk food is not a new phenomena. There was plenty of it 35 years ago.

    Good food has gotten so expensive

    Food has gone down in price over the last 35 years, and basic staples are less expensive than junk food. Oatmeal is way cheaper than potato chips. Carrots are cheaper than pretzels. Tap water is more affordable than soda.

    There are a lot of dumb explanations for the obesity epidemic, but the argument that people "had to get fat" out of economic necessity is the most ridiculous.