Micro plastics and where they are found

dipat2005

Microplastics have been found in every waterway in Oregon.

https://ktvl.com/news/local/microplastics-found-in-crater-lake-and-several-other-oregon-waterways

"The report notes that Americans generate more than 35 million tons of plastic waste every year and less than 10 percent of it is recycled. The remaining plastic becomes litter or gets sent to landfills or incinerators where it will release microplastics that can get carried by wind or rain into the environment."

Do you have things in your state that affect your waterways?

judsoncarroll4

Microplastics are a major cause of declining birthrates as well - the chemicals in plastics reduce sperm count and can act like estrogens. Yes, we have a huge plastics problem, hog waste and fertilizer run off... oh and GenX contamination.

Tave

I was researching the Mariana Trench and saw pictures of plastic trash at the bottom. That's sad.

Torey

I don't think it matters where you live, there is contamination being created everywhere.

Here in BC we have a lot of resource pollution. I am embarrassed to say we were the site of one of the worst sources of metal pollution in North America at the Britannia Copper Mine which emptied its runoff into the ocean at Howe Sound. It is being cleaned up (at taxpayer's expense, not the mine owners) and life is returning to the area but it has taken a massive effort and over $75,000,000.00.

7 years ago, Mount Polley Mines had a breach on their tailings pond and an environmental disaster was created with 24,000,000 cubic meters of chemical waste thundering down a creek bed into Quesnel Lake. Quesnel Lake is home to several major salmon runs as well as other fresh water species.

Fracking in Northern BC continues to contaminate ground water.

But we are doing our share of plastic pollution, too. A couple of years ago there was a news story about spills of plastic pellets used in the manufacture of single use plastic items (water bottles, plastic bags, etc.). These pellets can be found all along the lower Fraser River (where the manufacturing is) and from there all along the south coast of BC.

Its more than past the time to make the manufacturers pay the price. And not just for cleanup. They need to take responsibility for preventing the mess to start with. And we all need to do our part by not consuming so much and not just plastic. A lot of the mining waste is supplying our constant need for new, upgraded technological gadgets.

SuperC

@dipat3005 Many lakes in Minnesota have elevated levels of phosphorus caused by contaminated runoff, erosion, and sediment. Some lakes are also polluted with chloride, which comes from road salt and water softeners.

Not certain about plastic in the waterways yet the Minnesota River has the highest rate of pollution at 57%.

Also, on many beaches in Central America, there are many size varieties of plastics on the shores that seabirds have eaten these plastic fragments thinking they are food, and then are no longer in flight since it was not food so they starve. Many tiny plastic items have been found inside seabird stomachs found on beaches.