Love, Hate and Plastics

What you need to know before you commit

June 27th, 2012

Me - international teacher - my travels I have spent the past four years teaching high school environmental science and biology in locations around the globe from Wisconsin to Korea to Venezuela. My experiences traveling and teaching, continuously bring to light for me the issues facing our planet and human survival. I have seen the bad: Overpopulation and pollution in Bangalore. Plastic waste rolling in with every wave on the shores of Kauai. Smog hanging perpetually over Seoul and Los Angeles. Incredible consumerism dominating our culture in places such as Hong Kong, London, New York and Kuala Lumpur. Pesticides dumped by the plane-full over the fields of eastern Wisconsin. Desertification across the landscape of China and Venezuela. Declining Andean Bear populations in Quito. I was there when Sri Lanka experienced unprecedented flooding and when Seoul was hit by a hurricane. From across the Sea of Japan, I witnessed the incredible results of the earthquake that rocked Japan and the subsequent nuclear emergency. I have come of age in a time of incredible environmental, economic, and technological challenges. But I have also come of age in a time of hope. The people I have met and the students I have taught show me that we have the potential for change. We learn, understand, grow, and care. We take action. And thats exactly what Im trying to do today My goal what spoke to me, what changed my life, and maybe it will affect you too awareness, think about plastic and what we do with it, hope Please, ask questions along the way! Dont worry about writing anything down if you dont want to. Email list, send everything out

For me, change really started with this group you see here. I always think Im striving to change my students, but they always end up changing me instead. Here we are on the pacic coast in Lima, Peru. These 7 students, a co-worker and I attended the rst ever Global Issues Network of the Americas conference. As the name implies, the conference addressed a multitude of Global Issues (mainly environmental) and brought in experts from around the globe.

Here is one of those experts, that I can say in no uncertain terms, changed my life. Manuel Maqueda. Presenter from the Plastic Pollution Coalition. - I thought I saw, but I didnt - What comsumerism is doing - How plastics are changing our planet.

The plastic problem is big and I only have an hour or so with you. Let me begin by showing you a bit of what he showed me. Vice Media - Toxic: Garbage Island Documentary Great Pacic Garbage Patch My experience in Hawaii

5 of these gyres or vortexes Tangible way to see the build up of plastics and associated chemicals Where does it come from? everywhere. Only about 20 percent comes from ships at sea, and an even smaller fraction comes from beach users. The majority comes from urban centers into their storm drainage systems and "runs off" during rain events. The major contributors are Pacific Rim countries like the US, China, Japan, Mexico and on and on. The truth is, we are all responsible, as plastic packaging and waste have become so ubiquitous that none of us are able to properly dispose of it all, much less recycle it.

Midway Island atoll North west of hawaii. Farthest island from a continent. Very near the n. pac garbage patch. Nearly three million birds, each with specific site on the atoll in which to nest. Seventeen different species of seabird can be found, the rarest of which is the Short-tailed Albatross, otherwise known as the Golden Gooney. Fewer than 2,200 are believed to exist due to excessive feather hunting in the late nineteenth century. Its also home to 70% of the world's Laysan Albatross population, and 34% of the global Black-footed Albatross (as seen in pic) The critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals raise their pups on the beaches. Green sea turtles, another threatened species, occasionally nest on the island. A resident pod of 300 spinner dolphins live in the lagoons and nearshore waters.

documentary being filmed by photographer, Chris Jordan Journey to Midway. Of the 1.5 million Laysan Albatrosses that inhabit Midway, nearly all are found to have plastic in their digestive system. Approximately one-third of the chicks die. So this is the kind of rude awakening I got to the realities of consumerism and plastics. And it left a mark.

Effect this weekend had on myself and my students one student shown here at the beach in lima picking up garbage on her free time while surfers walk around her

The Beginning

Origins of plastic as a consumer commodity

Life Magazine - August 1, 1955

Coined the term throwaway living consumerism and convenience

And plastic was revolutionary. can be hard or exible and molded into anything produce items in real abundance, keep prices low, available to everyone. new products while expanding opportunities for people of modest means to become consumers.

It was even heralded as environmentally friendly. 1867 - NY times dispatch; warned elephants were in grave danger of being numbered with extinct species because of demand for ivory

Ivory used for many things button hook comb piano keys boxes and especially billiard balls In some cases, plastic decreased our dependence on scarce resources. We had cheaper alternatives that everyone had access to.

hawksbill turtle also beneted. supplier of shell used to fashion combs was now replaced by celluloid. After the creation of celluloid the NY Times; As petroleum came to the relief of the whale, so has celluloid given the elephant, the tortoise, and the coral insect a respite in the native haunt; and it will no longer be necessary to ransack the earth in pursuit of substances which are constantly growing scarcer.

Film - another celluloid product amazing transformation of reality into illusion - 3d into 2d Also a powerful social leveling effect. A new kind of entertainment, available to and shared by the masses. a dime brought anyone an afternoon of drama, romance, action and escape. Plastic has dramatically altered our culture.

Its also created incredible things like this Teon pan. Imaging surfaces to which nothing would stick was unheard of

Or fabrics that could stop a bullet. like this kevlar vest.

It even changed the way we play. plastic is the medium of play today. making creativity, learning stimulating and safe at young ages

But nothing is more amazing than the ways plastic has revolutionized medical care. Neonatology, like much of modern medicine, owes a huge debt to the advent of plastics. This baby... plastic pacemakers (my grandmother) kidney-dialysis machine replacement hips and knees synthetic veins and arteries plastic scaffolding used to grow new skin and tissues plastic implants change our shapes housing components of sophisticated imaging devices supply bedpans, bandages, gloves, syringes shift to disposables signicantly lowered costs and made it possible for more patients to be cared for at home. Medicine is plastics good news story. although it only consumes less than 10% of all the polymers produced in the US. compared to packaging 33%, consumer products 20%, building and construction 17%.

But, what is plastic?

Essentially hydrocarbon molecules, derived from the rening of oil and natural gas. (some natural sources) have the capacity to be shaped thanks to their structure; long exing chains of atoms or small molecules bonded in a repeating pattern in one large molecule. Small changes or additions to this structure create the different types of hard or exible, clear or colored plastics we see. For Example; Add in Chlorine - get Polyvinyl chloride, PVC Add in Fluorine - get Teon (nonstick)

What else is in plastic products?

Stabilizing additives Fillers Plasticizers Coloring

Stabilizing additives - including re retardants that lower ammability of the material Fillers - inert and inexpensive and make the plastic cheaper by weight Plasticizers - organic polymers are too rigid - plasticizers are added to increase exibility Some of these additives are not chemically bonded to the structure of the plastic polymer and thus can readily leech out. This is the main cause for concern.

Additives of the most concern

BPA Phthalates

BPA: Used to make Polycarbonate plastic, which is clear and nearly shatter-proof, is used to make a variety of common products including baby and water bottles, sports equipment, medical and dental devices, fillings, and sealants, CDs and DVDs, household electronics, and eyeglass lenses. Epoxy resins that are used as coatings on the inside of almost all food and beverage cans. PHTHALATES: Soften PVC, the 3rd most widely used plastic - Phthalates are found in many types of plastic and other materials too, in food packaging and food-processing equipment, in construction materials, clothing, household furnishings, wallpaper, toys, personal-care products, shampoos, perfumes, adhesives, insecticides, waxes, inks, varnishes, lacquers, coatings, paints. They are even used in the time-release coating for medications and nutritional supplements.

Human health concerns

We all thought plastics were inert, safe. We didnt have to worry about it. endocrine-disruptors in our bodies. (hormones that dictate how an individual develops, reproduces, ages, fights disease, and even behaves.) - phthalates can block production of testosterone and other hormones - BPA can mimic estrogen - leading to birth defects, neurological disorders, and other effects we dont yet understand Found workers in PVC plants were developing skin lesions, circulatory problems, deformation of finger bones. Studies showed carcinogentic in rats. Hard to study - act differently - Instead they produce subtle, long-term effects that dont show up for years or appear only in our offspring. And the worst - we found that the chemicals added to PVC were leeching out of widely used products. Why? Lipid solubility... Harmful chemicals leached by plastics are present in the bloodstream and tissues of almost every one of us, including newborns.

More from documentary Toxic; Garbage Island Talking about our exposure and effects

PVC still used for blood bags today! Evidence seen in studies of neonatology

Conicting evidence? difficulty in studying proponents of plastics

In research, Phthalates are linked to...

Abnormal sexual development

ADHD Low birth weight Allergies Damage to liver and testes

Many types of Cancer

Obesity

Insulin resistance

Asthma

We are all exposed to it! Bag it is a documentary What started as a one mans documentary about plastic bags evolved into a wholesale investigation into plastics and their effect on our waterways, oceans, and even our bodies. experiment - 2 days of exposure to supposedly safe consumer products and food. exposure to plastic, and chemicals present in the body

PLASTIC IS FOREVER
Plastic is a material that the Earth cannot digest. Plastic in the environment doesn't go away. sun breaks it down into brittle little pieces, the pieces stay. Garbage patch: 6 times the mass of plankton. animal that tries to eat the plankton, like a whale, is swallowing tons of plastic instead. In addition, plastic fragments become weighted with algae, barnacles, etc, they sink. Here there is no chance of photodegradation. The impact of of all this plastic covering the ocean floor is still unknown. Experts fear a seabed covered in plastic could reduce oxygen levels in the ocean depths, choke organisms that live in sediment, and even upset the exchange of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases between water levels that is fundamental to the ocean chemistry.

Plastic Poisons our Food Chain

These particles are ingested by wildlife on land and in the ocean, contaminating the food chain. In a 2008 return trip to the pacific gyre, Moore harvested hundreds of lantern fish. He found 37% of the fish sampled had plastic in their guts. These ingested plastics contain BPA and Phthalates, but they also may contain much more. Japanese researchers have found pellets and fragments of plastics act as sponges, sopping up toxic chemicals that are widely present in the oceans, including PCB, DDT (banned, carcinogens) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as BPA, fire retardants, and phthalates. When organisms consume these microplastics, they take in the absorbed chemicals as well. Researchers fear that these mocroplasticts represent tiny time bombs that could be getting into the marine food chain and working their way back up the long ladder to us.

And as we saw with the albatrosses, plastic physically affects animals that get caught in it or choke on it. This turtle has been like this since he was very small.

Or this seal

And especially birds

Disposable Plastics are the main source of Plastic Pollution

Its not a mystery at all why this is happening! Consumption of disposable plasticsbags, bottles, straws and so forthhas spiraled out of control. These items are used for seconds, hours or days, but their remains last forever. We in the US go through 2 million plastic bottles every 5 minutes, only 1 in 4 of which get recycled. And more incredibly, we go through 60,000 plastic bags every 5 seconds.

SOLUTIONS?

The Recycling Myth

Collecting plastics at curbside fosters the belief that, like aluminum and glass, these will be converted into new similar objects. This is not the case with plastic. The best we can hope for plastics is that these will be turned into other products such as doormats, textiles, plastic lumber, etc. These products will still end at some point in the landfill and do not stem the need for more virgin petroleum product. This is not recycling, but down-cycling. But not even down-cycling is happening. In the US, 93% of plastics are NOT recovered (put in plastic recycling bins). These go straight to landfills. (EPA data 2008). Even those recovered are not recycled. expense, separation, etc. china... Plastic pollution will not be solved by encouraging recycling. Perpetuating the myth of plastic recycling delays the adoption of effective and sustainable solutions, such as extended producer responsibility and the elimination out of single-use plastics.

Ocean Cleanups never enough

Canals cleanup, my students. Hawaii Cleanup, talking to locals. There are no visible islands of trash anywhere, but rather a ocean soup laced with plastic. Any cleanup has the potential to not only remove the plastics but also the plankton, which is the base of the food chain, and is responsible for capturing half of the CO2 of our atmosphere and generating half of the oxygen we need to breathe. We should applaud the efforts of any group inspired by a vision of clean oceans and healthy sealife, and working to put an end to plastic pollution. But we also caution that these efforts would only succeed if we work together to stop the millions of metric tons of plastic that is dumped into the ocean each year.

Turn off the faucet

If the tub is overowing, you wouldnt trip to bail it out with a spoon. Youd turn off the faucet. Stopping our use of disposable plastic is the real, viable solution.

But Disposable Plastic is Everywhere!

Disposable plastic items are so common that its easy to not notice them. But disposable plastic is everywhere the plastic straws delivered in our drinks; the plastic bags offered to us at stores; the plastic cups, bottles and utensils at nearly every social event; the plastic packaging of nearly everything in the supermarket. Me at the farmers market.

Here is an example. I went to a wedding just last weekend of a very dear family friend. They is young and broke and of course tried to save as much money on this wedding as they could. So it became a plastic wedding. And for me, I was disgusted, but couldnt do anything about it. Once you see it for what it isplastic pollutionits simple to just REFUSE. Here are some tips on how to avoid generating plastic waste.

What can you do?

End of Bag it Documentary

Protect yourself, your family, and our planet

Choose plastics with the recycling code 1, 2 or 5.

Best solution is no plastic at all!!! Number 1 Plastics PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) Found in: Soft drink, water and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; ovenable food trays. Recycling: Picked up through most curbside recycling programs. Recycled into: Polar eece, ber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) new containers PET plastic is the most common for single-use bottled beverages, because it is inexpensive, lightweight and easy to recycle. It poses low risk of leaching breakdown products. Recycling rates remain relatively low (around 20%), though the material is in high demand by remanufacturers. Number 2 Plastics HDPE (high density polyethylene) Found in: Milk jugs, juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box liners Recycling: Picked up through most curbside recycling programs, although some allow only those containers with necks. Recycled into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, oor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing HDPE is a versatile plastic with many uses, especially for packaging. It carries low risk of leaching and is readily recyclable into many goods.

Number 5 Plastics PP (polypropylene) Found in: Some yogurt containers, syrup bottles, ketchup bottles, caps, straws, medicine bottles Recycling: Number 5 plastics can be recycled through some curbside programs. Recycled into: Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, trays Polypropylene has a high melting point, and so is often chosen for containers that must accept hot liquid. It is gradually becoming more accepted by recyclers.

Recycling codes 3, 6, and 7 are more likely to contain bisphenol A or phthalates.

Number 3 Plastics V (Vinyl) or PVC Found in: Window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding, windows, piping Recycling: Rarely recycled; accepted by some plastic lumber makers. Recycled into: Decks, paneling, mudaps, roadway gutters, ooring, cables, speed bumps, mats PVC is tough and weathers well, so it is commonly used for piping, siding and similar applications. PVC contains chlorine, so its manufacture can release highly dangerous dioxins. If you must cook with PVC, don't let the plastic touch food. Also never burn PVC, because it releases toxins. Number 4 Plastics LDPE (low density polyethylene) Found in: Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; tote bags; clothing; furniture; carpet Recycling: LDPE is not often recycled through curbside programs, but some communities will accept it. Plastic shopping bags can be returned to many stores for recycling. Recycled into: Trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping ties, oor tile LDPE is a exible plastic with many applications. Historically it has not been accepted through most American curbside recycling programs, but more and more communities are starting to accept it.

Number 6 Plastics PS (polystyrene) Found in: Disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles, compact disc cases Recycling: Number 6 plastics can be recycled through some curbside programs. Recycled into: Insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, vents, rulers, foam packing, carry-out containers Polystyrene can be made into rigid or foam products -- in the latter case it is popularly known as the trademark Styrofoam. Evidence suggests polystyrene can leach potential toxins into foods. The material was long on environmentalists' hit lists for dispersing widely across the landscape, and for being notoriously difcult to recycle. Most places still don't accept it, though it is gradually gaining traction.

Number 7 Plastics Miscellaneous Found in: Three- and ve-gallon water bottles, 'bullet-proof' materials, sunglasses, DVDs, iPod and computer cases, signs and displays, certain food containers, nylon Recycling: Number 7 plastics have traditionally not been recycled, though some curbside programs now take them. Recycled into: Plastic lumber, custom-made products A wide variety of plastic resins that don't t into the previous categories are lumped into number 7. A few are even made from plants (polyactide) and are compostable. Polycarbonate is number 7, and is the hard plastic that has parents worried these days, after studies have shown it can leach potential hormone disruptors.

Minimizing your consumption of canned food and canned beverages, as BPA may be used to line the cans

choose fresh or frozen food and bottled juices instead. Better for your health as well!

Buy only water bottles or baby bottles that explicitly say they are BPA-Free

Use reusable bottles made from stainless steel, aluminum or glass.

Be wary of the term "fragrance," which is used to denote a combination of compounds, possibly including phthalates.

Read the ingredients. You can identify phthalates in some products by their names, or abbreviations:

DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) DEP (diethyl phthalate) DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate) DMP (dimethyl phthalate)

When Shopping...

Bring Your Own Bags!

you dont need a fancy bag made in china! Dont forget bags for produce. Reusing old plastic bags works too! Have a method for remembering to put them back in your car. Always bring your own bags whenever you shop, not just for the supermarket. By bringing your own bag, you alone can save between 400 and 600 plastic bags per year.

Choose glass over plastic, then Reuse!

Buy Fresh! Avoid packaged products

This is good for your health too!

When going out...

To Go Food Containers. Dont take that take-out container!

To-Go Cups.

Bring your own ceramic or stainless steel mug. Keep one in your car. Some coffee shops will even reward your thoughtfulness with a small discount on coffee or tea.

To Go Utensils and Straws

Keep these at work, in your car, in your purse or bag

Invest in a refillable multi-use Lighter

so it doesnt end up here

Rather than buy plastic disposable lighters, consider investing in a rellable multi-use lighters. The oceans of the world and the albatross chicks who are fed these from out in the middle of the Pacic Ocean will thank you.

Choose Paper or Cloth to Wrap

Wax paper is an excellent substitute to the ubiquitous stretch plastic we have been told is essential forcooking and preserving foods. Choose wax paper to wrap sandwiches, place on top of foods warmed up in the microwave, or when storing food in the fridge. Yes, it does not stick to foods like plastic thats exactly whats good about it!

Ready to do more?

The Plastic Pollution Coalition and other organizations provide resources and support to organize and make a real change in our community. how to start a movement to eliminate plastic bags. This is already being done all over the world! http://plasticbagbanreport.com/

Products available Although I caution you from buying products from around the world. Huge ecological footprint. My experience getting into consumerism of plastic-free stuff. Be creative and make solutions with what you have. Its about living on less. Living simply. Consuming less, not more. That said, I brought a few examples of plastic-free products I use.

Beth Terry, Oakland, CA Incredible amount of resources and suggestions

Begin with a Personal Change

Beth Terry from My plastic free life blog, being interviewed in the documentary Bag It. Life changes to almost completely avoid plastic.

Questions?

Resources

Plastic Pollution Coalition Midway Film Project Bag it Plastic; a Toxic Love Story

PLoS Biology NCMI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Phthalate http://www.thedailygreen.com/ green-homes/latest/recyclingsymbols-plastics-460321

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