Michaelangelica Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Environmental Damage PDF Print E-mail The environmental damage caused by plastic bags is enormous. Plastic makes up 80% of the volume of litter on roads, parks, and beaches and makes up 90% of floating litter in the ocean (BEC). In every square mile of ocean there are over 46,000 pieces of plastic. This puts an enormous strain on the environment.. . .The little pieces of plastic act as a sort of sponge for chemicals. They soak up a million fold greater concentration of such deadly compounds as PCBs and DDE (a breakdown product of the notorious insecticide DDT), than the surrounding seawater (Reusablebags.com). Marine life then eats these pieces and dies. It is estimated that over a 100,000 different birds, seals and whales die every year (Reusablebags.com)Plastic Bags: Friend or Foe? - Environmental DamageScientists issue warning about chemical in plasticBy Marla Cone, Times Staff Writer6:49 PM PDT, August 2, 2007 ConcernConcernclick to enlargeRelated- Reports from Science Direct (paid subscription)In an unusual effort targeting a single chemical, several dozen scientists on Thursday issued a strongly worded consensus statement warning that an estrogen-like compound in plastic is likely to be causing an array of serious reproductive disorders in people. The compound, bisphenol A or BPA, is one of the highest-volume chemicals in the world and has found its way into the bodies of most human beings. Used to make hard plastic, BPA can seep from beverage containers and other materials. It is used in all polycarbonate plastic baby bottles, as well as other rigid plastic items, including large water cooler containers, sports bottles and microwave oven dishes, along with canned food liners and some dental sealants for children.Scientists issue warning about chemical in plastic - Los Angeles TimesReport warns of perils of plastic bottlesBy MARLA CONELos Angeles TimesTOOLSEmail Bisphenol A is used in all polycarbonate plastic baby bottles, as well as large water cooler containers, sports bottles and microwave oven dishes, along with canned food liners and some dental sealants for children. Some scientists say it likely causes reproductive disorders in people. In an unusual effort targeting a single chemical, several dozen scientists on Thursday issued a strongly worded consensus statement warning that an estrogen-like compound in plastic is likely to be causing an array of serious reproductive disorders in people. The compound, bisphenol A or BPA, is one of the highest-volume chemicals in the world and has found its way into the bodies of most human beings. Used to make hard plastic, BPA can seep from beverage containers and other materials. The scientists — including four from federal health agencies — reviewed about 700 studies before concluding that people are exposed to levels of the chemical exceeding those that harm lab animals. Infants and fetuses are most vulnerable, they said. Our Oceans are Turning Into Plastic POSTED BYDr. MercolaView Dr. Mercola's ProfileAdd Dr. Mercola to FriendsReceive Updates from Dr. Mercola By News Feed May 29, 2007[Print this article]Krill Oil A plastic “stew” that’s twice the size of Texas is swirling through the Pacific Ocean. Scientists have dubbed the mass of plastic bags, jugs, bottles, nets and other plastic junk the “Eastern Garbage Patch,” and its volume is growing at an alarming pace.The plastic pollution is now inevitably entering the food chain, with the most obvious casualties seabirds and other marine animals who ingest the various junk bottle caps, cigarette lighters and more, or become entangled or strangled by plastic bands and bags. The plastic causes more than 1 million seabirds, 100,000 marine mammals, and even more fish to die in the North Pacific alone every year. Disturbing as those statistics may sound, the following finding is even more chilling: When the researchers tested the ocean water, they found that it contained miniscule pieces of plastic, and, by weight, actually contained six times as much plastic as plankton. Of course, it’s not just marine animals that are subject to this plastic burden. People, too, are ingesting plastics every day, and being exposed to a potentially deadly mix of plastic chemicals and additives, including: Drowning in Plastic[/QUOTE] by Kera Abraham Monterey County Weekly June 14, 2007 Every bit of plastic ever made is still with us-and it's wreaking havoc on the ocean. Life on earth depends on little specks floating in the ocean. Tiny plankton convert sunlight to energy to form the base of the marine food chain, sustaining all seafaring creatures, from anchovies to whales and the land-based animals that eat them. But increasingly, researchers are peering through their microscopes at the specks in seawater samples and finding miniscule bits of poisonous garbage instead of life-sustaining mini-critters. It's plastic- broken by sunlight and water into itty bitty pieces, but still intact. And now scientists are discovering the implications of one troubling attribute of petroleum-based plastic, known since its invention, but ignored under the assumption that technology would eventually resolve it: Every plastic product that has ever been manufactured still exists. ttp://earthhopenetwork.net/Drowning_in_Plastic.htmGet Plastic Out Of Your DietPAUL GOETTLICH 16nov03 A similar version of this was published inLiving Nutrition magazine v.15, Spring (April) 2004 | More on Plastics | More by Paul Goettlich | Homepage |[Please do use this article in your writing, but please also give recognition to the author and this website]By popular demand . . . Alternatives to Plastic Paul Goettlich 3aug2005 © Paul Goettlich You Are What You Eat Get Plastic Out Of Your Diet PAUL GOETTLICH 16nov03 When you eat or drink things that are stored in plastic, taste it, smell it, wear it, sit on it, and so on, plastic is incorporated into you. In fact, the plastic gets into the food and food gets into the plastic and you. So, quite literally, you are what you eat[1]. . . drink. . . and breathe — plastic! These plastics are called "Food Contact Substances" by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but until April 2002, they were called "Indirect Food Additives."[2] The new name is cleansed of the implication that plastic gets into your food. In spite of this semantic deception, migration is a key assumption of the FDA. According to Dr. George Pauli, Associate Director of Science Policy, FDA Office of Food Additive Safety, the regulations mandated in 1958 assume that all plastics migrate toxins into the food they contact. Migration is the movement of free toxins from plastic into the substances they contact — in this case it’s your food. The manufacturer must "prove" that the migrations fall within an acceptable range.[3] I agree with the assumption of migration from all plastics, but I find a critical disparity between the level of science employed by the regulations and the current scientific knowledge regarding the levels at which they migrate and the effects they can have. In particular, I am more concerned with extremely low concentrations. There is also a conflict of interest in allowing the manufacturer to submit its own testing to the FDA as proof of anything. We invite the fox into the henhouse and are surprised when there’s nothing left but eggshells and feathers.Get Plastic Out Of Your Diet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zythryn Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Fascinating!I do find it difficult to believe the bit about there being 6 times more plastic (by weight) than plankton in the oceans. Very scary if that is accurate.I would put forth that Plastic is not bad, but our disposal of plastic is horrid. Just as we are very careful with nuclear waste, we should be more careful with plastic waste.The advantage to plastic over nuclear waste is that plastic is so recyclable.Anyone have any stats on how much energy it takes to recycle a plastic bottle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeztar Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 One option for littered plastics may be degradable plastics. Here is a good link with lots of good info on the technology.http://www.age.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/c/C17.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeztar Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Here's the latest news on BPA:Report on chemical's safety called biased - USATODAY.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michaelangelica Posted August 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Fascinating!I do find it difficult to believe the bit about there being 6 times more plastic (by weight) than plankton in the oceans. Very scary if that is accurate.The thing that scares me is the fact that the plastic is breaking down into micro-particles and entering the food chain.I thought we had enough crap building up in the food chain already. AS WELL as this there are large ocean currents that accumulate phyto plankton and plastic together. They just discovered one north of Hawaii. If I can find the article I will post it.No one has done research on what this means but I do know that chlorinated hydrocarbons interfere with the reproductive capacity of phytoplankton. You would think we would be kinder to the little buggers seeing we get 80% of our oxygen from them. What do Yanks do with their plastic- just chuck it into the sea? Is that what those big garbage barges are for? This is another article I found.I have often wondered whether acid soft drinks would leach out bits of plastic from bottles. Guess what, they do! U.S. panel reviewing effects of plastic additiveBisphenol A found in food, beverage containersLast Updated: Monday, August 6, 2007 | 11:55 PM ETCBC News An independent panel of scientists in the United States has begun a review of the controversial synthetic chemical bisphenol A, which is commonly found in household goods such as plastic food and beverage containers. Nearly three billion kilograms of bisphenol A or BPA are used to make consumer products each year, and trace amounts of the synthetic estrogen leach into food and drinks and are absorbed by the human body. Bisphenol A is found in many consumer products, such as plastic containers, and there is growing concern that exposure to the synthetic chemical may be hazardous to humans. Bisphenol A is found in many consumer products, such as plastic containers, and there is growing concern that exposure to the synthetic chemical may be hazardous to humans. BPA has been linked to adverse health effects in rodents, including obesity, cancer and insulin resistance. And there is growing concern that BPA exposure, even in low levels, may cause similar adverse effects in humans. However,there are discrepancies in the findings of government-funded and industry experiments that have studied BPA.U.S. panel reviewing effects of plastic additiveStrange that the government and industry studies show different results. True science in action?:hihi: PS just read your article freeztar. Who do you believe? Which Uni faculty is being funded by who? What ever happened to pure objective science?Even your study says thisSome doctors say the government should do more to educate the public, especially pregnant women, whose developing babies may face the greatest risk from exposure to the compound. Even without proof of harm to humans, the government should warn women of childbearing age to limit their exposure, says Beth Jordan, medical director of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougF Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I just received this in an E-Mail and thought I would share it. :eek2: Subject: Cancer news Cancer update -- Johns Hopkins -- Cancer News from Johns Hopkins: 1. No plastic containers in micro. 2. No water bottles in freezer. 3. No plastic wrap in microwave. Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army MedicalCenter as well. Dioxin chemicals causes cancer' date=' especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead. This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life! [/quote'] MichaelangelicaAS WELL as this there are large ocean currents that accumulate phyto plankton and plastic together. They just discovered one north of Hawaii. If I can find the article I will post it.I read this too and I will also look for the Article. :eek:MichaelangelicaWhat do Yanks do with their plastic- just chuck it into the sea?Is that what those big garbage barges are for?Well yes,:hihi: but not the entire country mostly just in the northeast (NY, New Jersey) not a very good idea IMHO :) but most of the trash is put in landfills or incinerators. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougF Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I found this link while I looking around.the more I find out about plastic the less I like it. :) Sign Up Some risk linked to plastic chemical By Marla ConeAugust 9' date=' 2007 A federal panel of scientists concluded Wednesday that an estrogen-like compound in plastic could be posing some risk to the brain development of babies and children. Bisphenol A, or BPA, is found in low levels in virtually every human body. A component of polycarbonate plastic, it can leach from baby bottles and other hard plastic beverage containers, food can linings and other consumer products. Culminating months of scientific debate, the decision by the 12 advisors of the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction -- part of the National Institutes of Health -- is the first official, government action related to the chemical. Their recommendation will be reviewed for a federal report that could lead to regulations restricting one of the most used chemicals.<-->The panel reviewed about 500 animal studies, many of which reported that the estrogen-like chemical alters various functions and parts of the body. Some have found altered brain development, precancerous changes in prostates and mammary glands, low sperm counts, and damage to the uterus. Plastics industry representatives say the lab experiments are inconclusive and flawed. No study has looked for effects in people exposed to the plastic products, which have contained BPA for 50 years. The panel had five rankings for its findings: negligible concern, minimal concern, some concern, concern and severe concern. In its conclusion, the level was "some concern." For fetuses, pregnant women, infants and children, the panel reported there was "some concern that exposure to bisphenol A causes neural and behavioral effects." In studies of newborn animals, low doses of BPA cause structural changes in the brain that trigger learning deficits and hyperactivity. For fetuses and children, they said there was "minimal concern" that BPA harms the prostate gland and causes premature puberty, and "negligible concern" that it causes birth defects. For adults, they reported "negligible concern about adverse reproductive effects."[/quote']Still looking the Truth is out there. :eek2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougF Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 I found the "Trash Vortex" the one north of Hawaii.Greenpeace | Pacific trash vortex showing drift of ocean pollution. Trash vortex explained The trash vortex is one of the most studied areas of plastic accumulation in our oceans. At its maximum the area can reach the size of Texas. It is made up of everything from tiny pieces of plastic debris to large ghost nets lost by the fishing industry. As trash swirls through the world’s oceans to a handful of vortexes like this' date=' it leaves a trail of death and destruction along its path. Plastic is often mistaken for food and has been found inside marine life of all sizes, from whales to zooplankton. It has been directly blamed for the death of a wide range of animals including albatrosses and sea turtles. While massive trash like ghost nets can ensnare and trap thousands of creatures, there are concerns that even the smallest pieces of plastic may pose a problem , as plastic often accumulates in the digestive tract, many animals essentially choke on plastic intake. Others starve to death from a lack of nutrition despite a full stomach (such as Laysen Albatross chicks).[/quote']Trashing our oceans | Defending our Oceans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michaelangelica Posted August 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 Thanks DoughI have sent off the John Hopkins thing to friendsI often get a plastic bag of frozen veggies and zapp them in the microwave until hot enough to eatNot a good idea you think? I am now sipping from a plastic bottle of mineral (or soda) water which I do all day. I can't believe you dump NY etc's garbage in the sea.That is what 20+ million people? Dam near the population of Australia.Are any plastics re-cycled?It is criminal. This is the article I was looking for although yours says a similar thing but I have posted it above Drowning in Plasticby Kera Abraham Monterey County Weekly June 14, 2007 Every bit of plastic ever made is still with us-and it's wreaking havoc on the ocean. Out in the Pacific Ocean a vortex of trash swirls and grows, forming a garbage dump twice the size of Texas. A lot more HEREDrowning in Plastic, environment news Another recent warningFriday, August 3, 2007 - Page updated at 02:06 AM Chemical in plastic prompts scientists' warning By Marla Cone Los Angeles Times In an unusual effort targeting a single chemical, several dozen scientists on Thursday issued a strongly worded statement warning that an estrogenlike compound in plastic is likely to be causing an array of serious reproductive disorders in people. The compound, bisphenol A (BPA), is one of the highest-volume chemicals in the world and has found its way into the bodies of most human beings.Nation & World | Chemical in plastic prompts scientists' warning | Seattle Times Newspaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michaelangelica Posted December 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 CNET NEWS.COM: Novomer, a new materials company from the US, has devised a way to make biodegradable plastics from carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. The plastics it intends to make could be used in all kinds of formats, including supermarket packaging, computer cases, plastic bottles, or foam to insulate buildings, according to Novomer president Charles Hamilton. The company joins a growing number of green tech start-ups that are investing in bioplastics and other environmentally friendly materials. "People have long dreamed about using carbon dioxide in this way but it's very hard to make it react chemically. That's why we put it in fire extinguishers," said Hamilton. "That's the breakthrough we have -- to make it react without having to put a lot of energy into it."Research behind the technology patented at Cornell University (of which Novomer is an off-shoot) New tech turns CO2 into biodegradable plastic - News at SmartPlanet.comHow one woman's battle to save a dying albatross spawned a national campaign to ban plastic bagsBy REBECCA HOSKING - More by this author » Last updated at 23:53pm on 17th November 2007Comments Comments (5)It was the birds that finally made me break down and weep. The remote Hawaiian island of Midway, 1,000 miles north-west of Honolulu, is the main breeding ground for the majestic Laysan albatross, as beautiful a seabird as you will ever see. To watch them soar effortlessly above the waves, or to witness their comical courtship display on land, is to fall in love with them. But standing on a Midway beach, I was surrounded by thousands of dead and dying albatross chicks. I could not move without standing on dead birds. I was filming a Natural World documentary for the BBC about the environmental crisis facing the region's marine wildlife. But this was beyond a crisis - this was an avian apocalypse. Adult albatrosses fly out over the sea for thousands of miles looking for brightly coloured squid to feed on. However, today there is so much colourful plastic floating in the water that they mistakenly pick this up instead. How one woman's battle to save a dying albatross spawned a national campaign to ban plastic bags | the Daily Mail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HydrogenBond Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 One of the big sources of waste plastic is bottled water. Instead of drinking out of the tap with a recyclable glass, we decided it was healthier to generate waste plastics so we can have fresh artificial water. Biodegradable paper shopping bags were the rule at one time, until someone decided to save the trees. We may need to start thinking good intentions through before we create a worse problem. I just assume something worse will happen, since this seems to be the track record. If one believes in evolution and selective advantage, then what is going on in the ocean is selective advantage at work. Those animals that are smart enough to avoid these traps will begin to dominate, breed, etc., until a new norm evolves that is better able to cope with all our water bottles and plastic bags that give us better water and save the trees. I am just kidding; selective advantage and natural selection can be a very mean theory that has no heart when it comes to nature. Michaelangelica 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted May 24, 2008 Report Share Posted May 24, 2008 Well I'll be darned! What won't these kids do next! :shrug: Getting ordinary plastic bags to rot away like banana peels would be an environmental dream come true. After all, we produce 500 billion a year worldwide and they take up to 1,000 years to decompose. They take up space in landfills, litter our streets and parks, pollute the oceans and kill the animals that eat them. Now a Waterloo teenager has found a way to make plastic bags degrade faster -- in three months, he figures. Daniel Burd's project won the top prize at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Ottawa. He came back with a long list of awards, including a $10,000 prize, a $20,000 scholarship, and recognition that he has found a practical way to help the environment. ...TheRecord.com - CanadaWorld - WCI student isolates microbe that lunches on plastic bags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeztar Posted May 24, 2008 Report Share Posted May 24, 2008 Well I'll be darned! What won't these kids do next! :hihi: TheRecord.com - CanadaWorld - WCI student isolates microbe that lunches on plastic bags That's an awesome story Turtle, thanks for sharing! :shrug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougF Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 Now if it is safe to spray these microbes in the oceans we might be Abel to get rid of the Continent Sized Trash in the Ocean that have been building up for years. http://hypography.com/forums/environmental-studies/14968-continent-sized-trash-ocean.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganoderma Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 Well I'll be darned! What won't these kids do next! :) TheRecord.com - CanadaWorld - WCI student isolates microbe that lunches on plastic bags man, what happened to teenagers getting stoned and watching cartoons??? maybe there is hope after all :cool: that is pretty cool. Thanks Canada! Now, how long will it take before an American patents it? (joke) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lwelson Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 How are plastics made? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moontanman Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 How are plastics made? Plastics are made from/out of hydrocarbons (mostly oil) I used to work for DuPont, we made Dacron polyester. the same molten plastic we used to make fibers can be used to make all sorts of plastic things, bottles are probably the most familiar. I have started insisting on paper bags. the are very much biodegradable, shredded I can use them to grow earthworms, not only that they are made from renewable trees from tree farms. I live in the middle an area where there are vast areas of trees that look at first glance to be natural forests but all the trees are in straight rows. they are tree farms. mostly pine trees but some deciduous trees like sycamores are also farmed. these trees provide lumber, paper, fuel, and mulch. all of it is CO2 neutral since the trees are grown just for these uses and replanted as fast as they are harvested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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