{"id":30152,"date":"2023-04-05T06:30:56","date_gmt":"2023-04-05T06:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/?p=30152"},"modified":"2023-07-07T06:50:48","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T06:50:48","slug":"how-to-reduce-microplastic-pollution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/cospedia\/how-to-reduce-microplastic-pollution","title":{"rendered":"How to Reduce Microplastic Pollution and Consumption in Your Daily Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"30152\" class=\"elementor elementor-30152\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-16e3d41 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"16e3d41\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7a339a3\" data-id=\"7a339a3\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-02f4c7f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"02f4c7f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">Microplastics are everywhere, from the products we use, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">the <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">clothes we wear, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">and <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">the food <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">and water we consume<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">. <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">Microplastics are small plastic particles that are less than <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">5mm <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">in size and are found in the oceans, waterways, and the air we breathe.<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\"> Approximately two-thirds of all plastic ever produced is still present in the environment, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">most of<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\"> it in the form of microplastics, tiny toxic particles that pollute the air, soil, and rainwater.<\/span> <span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">According to an international team of researchers, the top foot of the ocean <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">contains<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\"> between 82 and 358 trillion plastic particles, or over 1.1 to <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">4.9 billion kilograms of microplastic<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW164871694 BCX0\">\u00a0floating around the world.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84093e6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"84093e6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Microplastics can be divided into three types based on their origin:<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7ff8bfa elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7ff8bfa\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b3d263d\" data-id=\"b3d263d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d032f3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2d032f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><strong><span lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\">Primary microplastics: <\/span><\/strong><span lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\">These are small plastic particles manufactured for use in a variety of products such as cosmetics (microbeads used for exfoliation), personal care products, and industrial abrasives. Microbeads in exfoliating scrubs, glitter, and plastic pellets used in plastic production are examples of primary microplastics. <\/span>In a study conducted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the main sources of microplastics found in the world&#8217;s oceans were synthetic textiles (35%), <span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-size: 1rem; background-color: var( --e-global-color-6758e1c ); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 \/ 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000;\">tires (28%)<\/span><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-size: 1rem; background-color: var( --e-global-color-6758e1c ); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 \/ 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000;\">, city dust (24%), road markings (7%), marine coatings (4%), personal care products (2%), and plastic pellets (0.3%).<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; background-color: var( --e-global-color-6758e1c ); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 \/ 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; color: #000000; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap; line-height: 21.5833px; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif;\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40a08e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"40a08e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><strong><span class=\"TextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">Secondary Microplastics: <\/span><\/span><\/strong><span class=\"TextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">These are larger plastic items <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">like plastic bags, bottles, fishing nets, and straws that decompose into smaller and smaller pieces <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">over <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">years <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">(this could take up to 500 years)<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">, but <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">remai<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">n<\/span> <span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">in <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">our<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\"> waterways and landfills <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW162658742 BCX0\">forever.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW162658742 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2e38415 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2e38415\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><strong><span class=\"TextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW237064970 BCX0\">Microfibres<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\">:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><span class=\"TextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\"> These are the invisible plastic <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\">fibres<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\"> shed by synthetic fabrics such as polyester in our shirts. <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\">According to a 2015 Environmental Science &amp; Technology report, just one <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\">500g<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\"> fleece jacket can produce a staggering 250,000 <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\">fibers<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW237064970 BCX0\"> in just one wash!<\/span><\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-19bfecd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"19bfecd\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1534d9a\" data-id=\"1534d9a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2880c7c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2880c7c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Microplastics can also be classified based on their size:<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9921904 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9921904\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-64e87c6\" data-id=\"64e87c6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4988c9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a4988c9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Large microplastics:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Ranging from 1 to 5 mm.<\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Small microplastics:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Ranging from 100 nm to 1 mm.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nanoplastics:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Less than 100 nm in size.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3ecbb68 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3ecbb68\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0fac4bd\" data-id=\"0fac4bd\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29363f7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"29363f7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Health Impacts of Microplastics on Marine Life and Humans <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0841ca0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0841ca0\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ed8f1c2\" data-id=\"ed8f1c2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d43cafa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d43cafa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fish, seabirds, and whales are just a few of the marine animals that mistake microplastics for food. When plastic is ingested into their body, it can build up in their digestive tracts, leading to blockages and internal damage that can lead to fatalities.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">According to a 2019 study published in the journal of Environmental Science and Technology, the average human consumption of microplastic ranges between 39,000 and 52,000 each year. Microplastic chemicals can have a wide range of health consequences for humans, resulting in developmental, reproductive, and hormonal issues. Microplastics can also act as a carrier for pathogenic bacteria, which is transmitted to humans through ingestion.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4fb043b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4fb043b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-256e6b5\" data-id=\"256e6b5\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d82e6e4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d82e6e4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Tips for Reducing Microplastics in your Everday life:<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3c62e4f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3c62e4f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ab6e7e5\" data-id=\"ab6e7e5\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9153e0b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9153e0b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">1. Reduce single-use plastic bottled water<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Microplastic is present in both tap water and bottled water, but researchers have found that bottled water has twice as many microplastic particles as tap water. In 2018, a State University of New York study examined 259 water bottles from 19 different locations across nine different countries and discovered that 93% of the samples contained microplastics. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It is highly recommended to use reusable water bottles made of alternative materials, such as glass or stainless steel, to reduce exposure to microplastics from bottled water. Or look for a reliable water filtration system that can remove contaminants from tap water. There are many options available on the market, including under-sink filters, countertop filters, and pitcher filters. Make sure to choose a filter that can effectively remove microplastics from the tap water.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f724eff elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f724eff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">2. Cut out takeaway cups<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In Australia, over 1 billion disposable coffee cups are used every year, adding up to 2.7 million per day. A Chinese research team led by Sichuan University discovered that drinking a single cup of takeaway coffee per week can expose a person to over 90,000 microplastic particles per year.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Although many takeaway cups are made of paper, they are coated with a thin layer of plastic, such as polythene or polypropylene to make them leak-proof. This plastic coating has the potential to degrade into microplastics over time, especially if the cups are exposed to heat or moisture. If you drink coffee every day in a takeaway cup, chances are you might be consuming microplastic daily. Most of these paper cups have linings made of HDPE grade plastic, which is regarded as &#8220;safe,&#8221; but has been shown to leak estrogenic chemicals. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Invest in a<strong> <a title=\"reusable coffee cup\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/search?searchTerm=&amp;productCodes=CUPS2002%7CCUPS2003%7CCUPS2000%7CCUPS2001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reusable coffee cup<\/a><\/strong> made of recycled material, stainless steel or glass to use at your preferred coffee shop. Bringing your own mug helps reduce waste, and many cafes offer discounts to customers who use their own reusable cups.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-91a5e83 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"91a5e83\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">3. Dispose of waste correctly<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Plastics that are not properly disposed of can end up in our oceans and waterways, where they degrade into microplastics over time. Remember that putting your recyclables in a plastic bag will prevent them from being recycled! To properly dispose of them, simply toss everything into the recycling bin. Avoid purchasing products with excessive packaging to reduce your waste output. Purchase products with minimal packaging or packaging that is easily recyclable.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-edea573 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"edea573\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">4. Opting out plastic food containers<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">According to a study by the Journal of Hazardous Materials, hot plastic food containers release more than 10 million microplastics per ml of water. In the study, it was also observed that plastic food packaging constantly releases micro- and nanoplastics.<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Individuals who order takeout food five to ten times a month are calculated to be consuming anywhere between 145 and 5,520 microplastic pieces as a result of atmospheric sediment or fragments from the inner plastic container surface. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">To limit your exposure to harmful chemicals, avoid microwaving food in plastic containers and use microwave-safe glass, <a title=\"biodegradable\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/search?searchTerm=glass%20container&amp;categories=105532%7C105538&amp;brands=&amp;symbols=&amp;sortBy=Popularity_ASC&amp;fromPrice=0&amp;toPrice=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>biodegradable containers<\/strong><\/a>, <a title=\"ceramic bowls\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/search?searchTerm=&amp;productCodes=PLAT6850%7CPLAT6880%7CPLAT6885\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>ceramic bowls<\/strong><\/a>, or paper towels to cover the food. Another option is to order your takeout food from sustainable vendors who provide eco-friendly or reusable containers. You can also reduce your overall exposure to microplastics by avoiding single-use plastics and choosing reusable alternatives whenever possible.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-25ad8db elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"25ad8db\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">5. Choose eco-friendly cleaning products<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You can help promote a healthier workplace environment and reduce the risk of microplastic exposure for both employees and the environment by using <strong><a title=\"eco-friendly\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/search?searchTerm=eco%20friendly%20cleaning%20products&amp;categories=40&amp;brands=&amp;symbols=refsymb_pf&amp;sortBy=Popularity_ASC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eco-friendly<\/a><\/strong> cleaning products in the office. Microbeads and other microplastics that are harmful to the environment and human health are typically not found in eco-friendly cleaning products. <\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Choosing eco-friendly cleaning products made from natural, biodegradable ingredients that degrade quickly and do not pollute the environment can also help in promoting ethical and sustainable business practises. Moreover, eco-friendly cleaning products are packaged in recyclable or biodegradable materials, which can help reduce waste and keep plastic out of the environment.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class='watch-action'><div class='watch-position align-left'><div class='action-like'><a class='lbg-style3 like-30152 jlk' href='javascript:void(0)' data-task='like' data-post_id='30152' data-nonce='ec1dc7ca44' rel='nofollow'><img class='wti-pixel' src='https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/plugins\/wti-like-post\/images\/pixel.gif' title='Did you find this useful?' \/><span class='lc-30152 lc'>+3<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class='action-unlike'><a class='unlbg-style3 unlike-30152 jlk' href='javascript:void(0)' data-task='unlike' data-post_id='30152' data-nonce='ec1dc7ca44' rel='nofollow'><img class='wti-pixel' src='https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-content\/plugins\/wti-like-post\/images\/pixel.gif' title='' \/><span class='unlc-30152 unlc'>0<\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <div class='status-30152 status align-left'><\/div><\/div><div class='wti-clear'><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to research, the top foot of the ocean contains between 82 and 358 trillion plastic particles, or over 1.1 to 4.9 billion kilograms of microplastic floating around the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":30154,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,62],"tags":[368,1352,375,644,1574,2884,2893,2895,2894,376,1140,1369,2261,2886,2321,166],"class_list":["post-30152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cospedia","category-social-responsibility","tag-beatplasticpollution","tag-environment-protection","tag-environment-sustainability","tag-environmental-responsibility","tag-learning-enviornment","tag-microplastic","tag-microplastic-consumption","tag-microplastic-pollution","tag-plastic-alternatives","tag-plastic-bag-alternatives","tag-plastic-pollution","tag-plastic-waste","tag-reduce-single-use-plastic","tag-reusable-cups","tag-single-use-plastic-2","tag-sustainable-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30152"}],"version-history":[{"count":52,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30152\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32458,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30152\/revisions\/32458"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}