Its happening

Yeah, we've really done a fantastic job fucking the world up in the last century. It's truly incredible that in the blink of an eye, we've managed to doom most of the life that exists on our planet.

The smiley didn't make it less awful.

Clearly, someone already did, hence the microplastics in a fetus

I'll get the dragons

Ah, Japan, the place that wraps individual carrots and other food items in plastic.

Go and live in a remote cave somewhere maybe? Oh no, wait, that's fucked too

Like a giant garbage disposal of dolphins?

There ARE bacteria that can digest certain plastics.

"plastic" is just a catch-all term for polymers, but there are different kinds made of different materials. Your phone case isn't the same plastic as a milk jug. (abs/PETG vs HDPE, their long science names don't really matter it's just to show the difference)

Over the decades, certain kinds of bacteria have been shown to eat certain plastics in the right conditions.

Unfortunately, it's those "right conditions" that make large scale plastic disposal via bacteria not feasible right now.

I'm sure someone is barreling toward discovering a "this thing eats almost all polymers in normal outside temperatures" to make their company more profitable, while ignoring the fact that if it breaks out of their containment areas, "bacteria that can eat all your plastic things in a few weeks breaks containment, billions in damages already" could potentially hit the headlines within a month.

Yeah, that's DoOmPoStInG but it's a potential thing that could happen, and people are actively TRYING to make some of those things happen already, so it's within possibility.

Im always doing a bit

It's not outside the realm of possibility. Though it had to be the perfect storm for something like that to cause a global catastrophe.

Maybe there's plastics stuck to the things we detect plastics with?

I should really give the scientist some credit, but I think this is a funnier outcome

I feel like there could be a few rational explanations to that, but I want someone smarter than me to tell me what exactly they could be...

AFAIK, those 'fleece' type materials are directly made from recycled PET (like water bottles).

Correct.

"microfiber" is really terrible.

And at this point finding a control group that isn't contaminated is incredibly difficult if not impossible

No. BPA is not a type of plastic. It is a compound used to manufacture plastic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BisphenolA

As to the health effects, this is from the wikipedia article:

Concern is mostly related to its estrogen-like activity, although it can interact with other receptor systems as an endocrine-disrupting chemical.

A pipe dream invented by DuPont to make people not feel bad about throwing away plastic!

The problem is that it's extremely difficult to tease out what the impact is when pretty much everyone is exposed to it and has it in their system. Are there connections between these chemicals and autism or cancer? We are just starting to see the preliminary data on the subject.

For me it's a matter of not being interested in waiting to find out 30 years down the road. My personal belief is that there is no such thing as food safe plastic and especially not when it’s heated or stored for long periods. I believe that there is and will continue to be a concerted effort to downplay any uncovered impact and to ensure till the last second that no steps are taken to regulate the billion dollar plastics/ manufacturing industry. The spice must flow just as the plastics must flow.

Maybe that’s a bit too far in the conspiracy theory vein but name a more iconic duo than large corporations and covering up known flaws and risks for the sake of profit. If nothing else I do not think you lose anything by shifting to glass and certain metals for cooking and storing food. And steps have to be taken to minimize exposure to food packaging that is sprayed with pfas. Looking at you, literally all fast food packaging.

Couple these revelations with what we know about hyper processed foods and it’s no wonder why so many Americans are dumb as Fuck and have so many health problems. We are being poisoned because of our insistence on convenience. We literally have great options for all of these things that are more sustainable and less toxic but we still can’t be inconvenienced by a paper wrapper on a hamburger that might end up a little wet on the ride home.

Of course even with all these steps there’s only so much one can do when you’re literally inhaling plastic from the atmosphere. But it’s certainly a move in the right direction.

oh good so like the genophage but for humans

Haha, somebody go post this information in some right wing forums!

Are micro plastics responsible for your micro penis? Are they responsible for those trans people you seem to be so afraid of? Stop microplasitcs before they stop America from becoming the greatness that it never wasn't!

they'd just inject trans women with extra testosterone to "cure" them, making them all commit suicide.

Most right wingers seem to be against polluting nature and ocean though, its the co2 stuff thats a harder sell

Funny enough, I think that all started with a study about hormone mimicking plastics.

Yeah, but it's possible the chances of it occuring are increased with micro plastics. Kinda like how exposure to some chemicals used in plastics seems to increase the likelihood of a child having ADHD. It's not the sole reason, nor are trans people new, but micro plastics might make trans people more common.

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

https://piped.video/9JRLCBb7qK8?si=C_khzSekemPIRNS1

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.

He was somewhat lol, but of course uses the facts to twist it into a different narrative entirely, that's what he do.

no no that's the macroplastics yer thinking of

They mostly shit CO₂, which thankfully doesn't cause any problems.

Kinda defeats the entire purpose, wouldn't it?

Kinda sounds like you're infringing on my rights, commie.

/s

Yes and it is being thoroughly investigated, as it should be. But so far nothing has been found, so sensationalism is only detrimental as:

• it takes away focus from materials that have actually been found to be harmful
• puts public pressure on researchers, and if they don't find something quick it might be the end of the whole field, and then they might have difficulties funding research on future polymers
• builds up anxiety about something we can't do anything about (the plastics are there and they're here to stay for a while)

Check this link : https://www.summarize.tech/youtu.be/vocvz6N6faI?si=kRRqd6rjVb1Mu0xf

Or if you're lazy :

00:00:00 - 01:00:00 In this YouTube video titled "Microplastics, Public Health Myth or Menace," the speaker presents a balanced perspective on the growing concern over microplastics. They acknowledge the global issue of plastic waste but highlight that the majority of plastic waste is found in landfills rather than the oceans. The speaker argues that the current understanding and potential risks associated with microplastics are based on preliminary data, and presenting them as a major threat without concrete evidence could damage their reputation. However, the speaker also acknowledges the presence of microplastics in various environmental sources, and while the evidence regarding their impact on human health is limited, more comprehensive studies are needed to determine their effects. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the need for responsible waste management practices and the consideration of the chemicals carried by microplastics in assessing their potential impact on health.

01:00:00 - 01:00:00 The speaker raises concerns about the inconsistency in addressing the issue of microplastics, highlighting how some bans were implemented without evidence of health impacts, while other important issues are overlooked. They stress the global need to address waste and caution researchers to be careful in presenting their findings to avoid misleading the public. They emphasize the importance of influencing politicians to take immediate action and integrate solutions into larger agendas. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the urgency of the problem and the need for long-term responses.