ZCZC
BSS-13
MICROPLASTIC-HEALTH-THREAT
Microplastics causes many fatal diseases: Research
DHAKA, June 8, 2018 (BSS) – Research shows that many of the microplastics
in our bodies come from the air can be inhaled and may induce a wide range of
diseases including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as
cancer, according to an article of World Economic Forum (WEF).
More than 300 million tons of plastic are produced each year. Half of that
plastic becomes trash in less than a year. Out of the plastics produced, only
9 percent is recycled; the remaining 91percent enters the air, land and water
as waste. Parts end up in our lungs. And they stay in the lung tissue or
enter the blood stream as the body is not able to rid itself of the tiny
plastic particles.
Babies who crawl on the floor are the most vulnerable, and children more
generally are most at risk as their respiratory systems are still under
development, according to the article written by Kevin Luo, PhD, Particle
Deposition in the Human Respiratory System, Royal Institute of Technology,
Sweden.
Concentration of airborne microplastics higher in indoor air Microplastics
have been found in both indoor and outdoor air. However, the concentration in
indoor air is higher than outdoors, according to research presented in 2018
by Ecole Nationales des Ponts et Chauss,es.
Microplastics in the indoor air result from the fragmentation through
friction, heat or light of plastic objects found in our homes. These include
toys, furniture, plastic bags, cosmetics, toothpaste and scrubs. Showering
with a body scrub alone may flush 100,000 microplastic beads into the
wastewater system and on into the air, says the Environmental Audit Committee
in Britain, which banned microbead use in January 2018, following the lead of
the US, Canada and New Zealand.
The majority of microplastics found in the indoor air, however, come from
plastic fibers released from synthetic clothing and textiles used in home
furnishings. These microplastic fibers tend to be longer and therefore more
harmful when inhaled. Today, synthetic materials, such as acrylic, nylon,
polyester, make up some 60% of global textile production.
When washing these textiles, microplastic fibers are released and end up
in the wastewater due to lack of good filtration. Washing a fleece jacket,
for instance, releases up to 250,000 microplastic fibers into the wastewater,
according to a 2016 study by the Bren School of Environmental Science &
Management at the University of California Santa Barbara. Sadly, most
wastewater treatment facilities do not have filters to remove microplastics
from so-called ‘treated’ water either.
High human health risks
The full health effects of breathing microplastics are not yet entirely
understood. But research proves that the threat to human health is high. Once
inhaled, these tiny particles go into the deep lungs where they may induce
lesions in the respiratory systems. The smallest particles can also pass into
the bloodstream and cause cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, induce
cancer and affect the human immune and nervous system. Microplastics found in
lung tissue indicate that the body is not able to rid itself of all particles
– i.e. that the microplastics are bio-persistent.
Airborne microplastics may also carry other toxic pollutants found in the
air, from bacteria to traffic emissions, into the bloodstream from the lungs.
Children most at risk
Children are more active and breathe more rapidly than adults, taking in
more air in relation to their body weights. This makes them more vulnerable.
Children are also more at risk as their respiratory system are still
developing.
Babies and toddlers spend more time playing on the floor, where
microplastics settle in the form of dust. Moreover, small children play with,
and may even chew on plastic toys, putting them at a higher risk. Researchers
studying Tehran’s urban dust found that children may swallow as many as 3,200
plastic particles a year. A baby’s first exposure to these particles may,
however, already take place before birth, as microplastics have been found in
the placenta.
More research is needed to better understand the impact of airborne
pollution on human health. In December 2017, the United Nations signed a
resolution to stop the flow of plastic waste into the oceans. Its next – and
perhaps greater – challenge is to persuade member nations to sign a new
resolution to stop the flow of plastic waste into the air.
BSS/PR/TAN/FI/ 1645 hrs