article thumbnail

Microplastics: Six surprising everyday things that contain and release them

Envirotec Magazine

Microplastics have become so widespread that they have been discovered in fresh Antarctic snow. Microplastics are minute pieces of plastic – less than five millimeters in length. Microplastics are minute pieces of plastic – less than five millimeters in length. Just imagine how many microplastics they consume by chewing toys.

article thumbnail

Microplastics are in human testicles. It’s still not clear how they got there.

Grist

No human organ is safe from microplastic contamination, it seems — not even the testicles. Researchers at the University of Mexico recently tested 70 samples of testicular tissue — 47 from dogs and 23 from humans — and found microplastics in every single one. So how do the microplastics get into people’s bodies?

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Recycling charity expands laboratory analysis and other capabilities

Envirotec Magazine

New laboratory capabilities include microscopy techiques to better support the examination of microplastics. RECOUP currently test members’ plastic packaging samples for sortability at a Materials Recovery Facility, free of charge to members as a benefit of membership.

Recycling 273
article thumbnail

Study points to microplastics’ greater presence in faeces of IBD sufferers

Envirotec Magazine

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET, used in bottles and food containers, was one of the most common sources of microplastic identified in the study (image caption: Kevin Doncaster , CC BY 2.0 A potential link between microplastics and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been flagged up by a scientific study released in late December.

article thumbnail

Sustainable Food and Eco-Friendly Food Packaging

Green Business Bureau

Conventional food production of the modern day, along with packaging and distribution, has been tied to environmental, societal and financial burdens in different parts of the world. Food miles, the distance food is transported, and eco-friendly food packaging materials are also important variables of the sustainable food equation.

Packaging 148
article thumbnail

Sustainable Food and Eco-Friendly Food Packaging

Green Business Bureau

Conventional food production of the modern day, along with packaging and distribution, has been tied to environmental, societal and financial burdens in different parts of the world. Food miles, the distance food is transported, and eco-friendly food packaging materials are also important variables of the sustainable food equation.

Packaging 133
article thumbnail

Plastic pollution is growing relentlessly as waste management and recycling fall short, says OECD

Envirotec Magazine

Most plastic pollution comes from inadequate collection and disposal of larger plastic debris known as macroplastics, but leakage of microplastics (synthetic polymers smaller than 5 mm in diameter) from things like industrial plastic pellets, synthetic textiles, road markings and tyre wear are also a serious concern.

Plastics 242