While plastics have practical benefits, like a nylon gear or disposable syringe, plastics have overtaken our convenience-rich and fast-fashion lives. the result is an increasing presence of microplastics and nanoplastics in our bodies and throughout the natural environment. Scientists define nanoplastics as smaller than microplastics but with distinct characteristics.

*https://theconversation.com/what-are-nanoplastics-an-engineer-explains-concerns-about-particles-too-small-to-see-225791#:~:text=Nanoplastics%20are%20created%20when%20everyday,and%20tear%20from%20mechanical%20action.

The detrimental impact of plastic on human health is significant. Scientific research highlights specific chemicals in plastics that are recognized as endocrine disruptors. The endocrine system plays a crucial role in delivering hormones throughout the body affecting our metabolism, growth, development, and reproduction. further studies are focusing on the presence of nanoplastics in the human brain.

as plastics degrade over time, they produce smaller and smaller particles. this may occur when we wash our clothes, microwave plastic, or open a shampoo bottle as the plastic breaks down with wear and tear. did you know that microplastics wash down the drain and into the wastewater where filtration systems fail to catch the tiny particles, which then flow into the rivers and oceans? plastics also degrade and break apart in the presence of sunlight.

1/ how might we reduce petro-plastic (petroleum-based) in our lives?

a) do we need to package so much of our food in plastic?
b) do we need to use so much plastic embedded in the performance of our clothing?
c) are bioresins the best petro-plastic replacement for now?

there are more questions than answers but it’s clear that manufacturers, material scientists, product designers, fashion designers, and marketers need to confront the pervasive use and value of plastic in our lives.