A Canadian study analyzed the plastic particles in the Arctic, finding that 73% of them are polyester from clothes used worldwide. The researchers have analyzed some samples collected between 2 and 8 meters deep in 71 sites in North America, in Northern Europe and directly in the polar region. In some cases, such as in the Beaufort Sea, between Alaska and Canada, sampling has gone up to 1,000 meters below the surface of the ocean. The data indicate that in each cubic meter of water there are 40 particles of microplastic. Thanks to an infrared spectrometer, it was therefore possible to analyze the composition of these particles. In 92.3% of cases it is precisely plastic fibers, and 73.3% polyester.
The abundance of particles is related to longitude. In the eastern Arctic is present a quantity three times more important than the western portion. Analyses indicate that homes and water treatment stations release microfibres that end up polluting the Arctic. There’s plastic all over our lives. In order to tackle the problem, each of us could install a filter in our washing machines, capable of reducing the loss of polyester fibers by 95%. We can also choose more robust clothes, which do not easily lose matter (and which, by the way, last longer in time). However, not only consumer habits but also the production methods and business models of companies must change. (source: lifegate.it)
Each of us can make a difference: choose natural eco-friendly fibers, which are so comfortable to wear and healthy for us and the planet.
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