Teeny Plastics, Big Problems
FALL 2020 boatingmagli.com 13
GREEN
UP
Eco-conscious boaters do all we can to keep plastic bottles,
straws, and bags from ending up in our waterways. But
have you given much thought to disposing of used contact
lenses and where the fibers that wash out of clothing end up?
Along with the risks we see and recycle, such as water bottles,
there are miniscule plastic pollutants escaping the filters in
our wastewater treatment systems. Known as microplastics,
these pellets cause harm by joining together to form floating
trash heaps that in turn trap even more objects and toxins
such as pesticides. They also endanger critters that think
whatever floats by is food — and the creatures that eat those
critters.
According to earth911.com, a study from the University of
Arizona looked at the effects of flushing used contact lenses
down the drain or toilet. They found about 15 to 20 percent
of wearers dispose of their lenses this way, resulting in about
1.8 billion to 3.36 billion lenses swirling into wastewater
plants. Since they are too small to be effectively filtered out,
the contact lenses accumulate with other microplastics into
sewage sludge.
What can be done by the estimated 45 million contact lens
wearers in the U.S. to keep their discarded eyewear from
ending up as sludge? The easy solution is to toss them into
garbage cans instead of flushing. The better long-term solution
is to recycle them (and those blister packs, too) through a
participating optical shop or directly to the Bausch and Lomb
recycling program www.bausch.com/our-company/theone
by-one-recycling-program-faqs. They take all types of
lenses, not just their own brands.
Clothing created from synthetic materials such as polyester,
acrylic, and nylon contain microfibers (microplastics). While
too small to see in the overall garment, the agitation of
the washer shakes these microfibers loose — thousands of
them may be rinsed out of each load of synthetic clothing.
When you consider the daily boatload of washing machines
churning and draining, a staggering amount of microfibers
are voyaging to the oceans.
Stopping the microplastic migration into waterways and
marine ecosystems requires swapping synthetic clothing for
natural fiber fabrics such as cotton, wool, and silk. There is a
downside to this exchange, however — synthetic fabrics often
require a smaller water and energy footprint than natural
fabric production, so buying vintage natural fiber clothing
addresses both concerns. Other proposed solutions include
designing synthetic textiles that don’t shed their fibers as
readily and creating better filtering systems for washing
machines and municipal wastewater treatment plants.
By recognizing that our eyewear, wardrobes, and washing
machines contribute to pollution problems, we can make
better choices and support companies working on solutions.
FALL 2020 boatingmagli c
Contact lenses accumulate into
sewage sludge
The agitation of the washer shakes
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