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2024-11-11

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Microplastics Found In 88 Percent Of Sampled Food, From Sirloin Steaks To Plant-Based Burgers (www.iflscience.com)

submitted 10 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/science@lemmy.world

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It isn’t just seafood that’s loaded with microplastic pollution. In a new study, scientists found microplastics in nearly 90 of sampled meats and meat-like alternatives – including seafood, chicken breasts, beef steaks, tofu, and plant-based burgers.

It’s become well-documented that seafood is often tainted with the presence of microplastics due to the shockingly high quantities of plastic in the planet’s oceans. For instance, a 2017 review found that regular eaters of fish and shellfish could be ingesting up to 11,000 microparticles a year.

However, until now, there’s been relatively little research into the prevalence of plastic in terrestrial protein sources, like beef and chicken.

To pry into the issue, scientists at Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto sampled 16 protein types, including highly processed protein products and minimally processed "fresh" products.

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[–] rowrowrowyourboat@sh.itjust.works 63 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

Nearly half (44 percent) of the identified microplastics were fibers, while a third (30 percent) were plastic fragments. This is in tune with other studies that have shown plastic fibers from clothes and other textile products are the most prevalent form of microplastic in the environment.

More important than single-use plastics seems to be synthetic clothing.

[–] blanketswithsmallpox@lemmy.world 35 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

And even worse than that? Tires. Now if only we could connect a bunch of cars together and put them on some kind of metal rail with metal wheels instead...

2020 report found tyre dust contributes 78% of the total mass of microplastics

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/land-use-biodiversity/rising-microplastics-seas-puts-pressure-tyre-industry-2023-07-17/

The report says that tires generate 6 million tons of particles a year, globally, of which 200,000 tons end up in oceans. According to Emissions Analytics, cars in the U.S. emit, on average, 5 pounds of tire particles a year, while cars in Europe, where fewer miles are driven, shed 2.5 pounds per year. Moreover, tire emissions from electric vehicles are 20 percent higher than those from fossil-fuel vehicles. EVs weigh more and have greater torque, which wears out tires faster.

https://e360.yale.edu/features/tire-pollution-toxic-chemicals

[–] Tyfud@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

You're spot on. Tires are the biggest contributor to micro plastics.

[–] arin@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

It's in the air you breathe as well, goes straight from your lungs to your blood and everywhere in your body

[–] Aux@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Quality synthetic clothing is actually great. You can wear the same t-shirt 10 years in a row and it will look and feel like a new one. But cheap ones tend to fall apart faster than cotton variants.

[–] time_lord@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

You know what else lasts 10 years? Quality cotton t-shirts.

[–] Aux@lemmy.world -1 points 10 months ago

They don't really.

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Thrift stores throw away most of the clothing they get. $5 shirts on Shein are obviously garbage, but even the stuff sold in malls is basically single use.

Know tons of people who’d rather toss/“donate” something than sew a button back on.