Microplastics are getting into our waterways and into our bodies.
That’s what David Sweetnam of Georgian Bay Forever says about his study that is getting underway in Parry Sound.
Environment Canada, Georgian Bay Forever and the University of Toronto Rochman Lab are all involved in conducting a study pertaining to microplastics in waterways. Georgian Bay Forever is asking 100 people to volunteer their washing machines to install filters that remove microfibres and particles.
“Microfibres are little plastic particles that are about one-tenth of the width of a human hair. They’re so tiny that wastewater facilities were never built to filter them out of the water,” said David Sweetnam, Executive director with Georgian Bay Forever.
Sweetnam told MyParrySoundNow.com once clothing gets washed, nearly 100,000 microfibres can end up directly in lake water thus affecting wildlife health and water quality.
“It’s a loop that we’re creating of our own waste washing through our clothing and into the fish and into the things that we’re consuming,” he said.
Sweetnam said he intends to target the fashion industry to campaign for higher quality material choices, government and appliance manufacturers to encourage microfilters installed in equipment.
Sweetnam added that spandex, nylon, microsuede and polyester are synthetic materials that contribute to microplastics in water and a majority of the industry using plastic-based materials to get on board with a plastic-free movement.
“Water plants pick up 80 per cent ends up in sludge but the plant is not designed to filter out microscopic particles, they just don’t have the technology for that,” he pointed out.
Sweetnam added that a campaign to reach out to the public to volunteer washing machines will begin in the next few weeks.