Where are Microplastics From? How can we Reduce Their Prevalence?

Microplastics are found all over the world. In modern times, almost every single house will contain multiple sources of microplastics. Even the clothes you are wearing right now could be contributing microplastics to the environment. If you are wearing polyester, each time you move or brush something off your shirt, hundreds of microplastics would float off into the air. However, there are still plenty of clothes that are plastic-free; 100% organic fiber clothing, such as cotton, does not contribute any plastics.

Clothing is one of the main sources of microplastics, with the other being tire wear. As you drive your car or ride a bike, the friction between the tires and the road will release microplastics into the air. While most believe bicycling is an environmentally-friendly activity, look into the tires you use because there is a chance they could be contributing to pollution. Transportation’s contribution to environmental damage is not just limited to energy sources and gas pollution. We must also look towards plastic pollution.

But the question we should be asking is: “How can we reduce these microplastics?” The best way to start is inside your own home. Switching towels and clothing to 100% natural fibers will play a large role in eliminating your contribution of microplastics. When purchasing items from the grocery store, always be mindful of items with microbeads. While some countries have banned the usage of microplastics in rinse-off cosmetics as a direct effort to limit their introduction into water systems, they are still found in other items and countries.

If you are interested in participating in a community-level activity, look for local environmental cleanups. These could be in creeks, on hikes, at local parks, or wherever else the environment needs help! By picking up plastic litter and abandoned pieces of clothings in these natural environments, you will be helping reduce microplastic pollution one step at a time.