The Guardian published findings from an investigation by Orb Media, and found that “The US had the highest contamination rate, at 94%, with plastic fibres found in tap water sampled at sites including Congress buildings, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters, and Trump Tower in New York. Lebanon and India had the next highest rates”.
Sixteen water samples were taken from Beirut and approximately 94% tested positive for microscopic plastic fibers. Overall, more than 80 percent of the samples collected on five continents tested positive for the presence of plastic fibers.
Plastic pollution is a serious problem that has begun to negatively impact the natural environment and the human population. Plastic is made from toxic compounds known to cause harm and there may be all kinds of unintended, adverse consequences that we are still not aware of.
There are many ways to reduce plastic use, some of which are included in the Orb report:
1- Skip the plastic bag. A single plastic bag can take 1,000 years to degrade.
2- Lose the straw
3- Give up gum.
4- Reuse containers for storing leftovers or shopping in bulk.
5- Use matches instead of disposable plastic lighters or invest in a refillable metal lighter.
6- Avoid buying frozen foods.
7- Share a ride, use public transportation.
8- Buy glass instead of plastic.
and many other ways.