In part one of this four-part series the term “microplastics” was first mentioned when talking about plastic recycling. 

Plastic can only be recycled a certain amount of times before the quality decreases to a point where it can no longer be turned into something new. When this happens, it ends up in the landfill. Alternatively, plastic is never recycled after it's used and goes immediately into a landfill. 

Because of the composition, plastic doesn’t decompose like food or paper products. Instead, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces until it reaches .1 - .5 millimeters and becomes what is known as ‘microplastics’. If a particle becomes less than .1 millimeter, it’s known as ‘nanoplastic’. 

Microplastics come in five different forms, according to the Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center, and are categorized by shape, size, and origin. These forms include fragments, pellets, fibers, films, and foams.

“Fragments typically are a part of a larger piece of plastic that have broken off as plastic is weathered and becomes more brittle. Pellets often come from industrial sandblasting as well as microbeads in face and body wash. Fibers, also known as lines, generally come from synthetic clothing like polyester or nylon. Films are mainly found in the form of plastic bags. Lastly, foams arise when Styrofoam breaks apart and each of the little foam pieces spreads out into the environment.”

From there, researchers can break down microplastics into two categories: primary and secondary. I are plastics that are manufactured, such as microbeads or something called ‘nurdles (pre-plastic pellets that are melted down into plastic goods)’. 

You may have seen microbeads in items such as skin cleansers, exfoliators, or hand sanitizers up until a few years ago. That’s because in 2015, the “Microbead-Free Waters Act” was passed banning microbeads in personal care items, cleansers, and exfoliators. The final pieces of this legislation phased out all microbeads in these items in 2019. Researchers found that microbeads would wash down the drain, and would not be caught in wastewater treatment plants, sending these tiny beads right into water sources. 

The other category of microplastics is secondary microplastics, which are particles that have broken down from larger plastic sources, such as clothing fibers, plastic litter, tires, and more. 

Microplastics and the great lakes

The Great Lakes are no stranger to plastic pollution. In fact, “86% of debris collected through Great Lakes Adopt-a-Beach programs are plastic”, according to the Alliance of Great Lakes. Plastic pollution, of course, can break down into microplastics, and that includes in Lake Superior. In fact, according to a researcher from the University of Minnesota Duluth, “microplastic particles are found in western Lake Superior surface waters in roughly in the same concentrations as in Lake Michigan, the North Atlantic, and the South Pacific oceans”

Additional data from UMD research shows a finding of “ a range of between ten and 100,000 particles per square kilometer of water surface”. More information about the UMD microplastic research can be found here. 

More research from Dr. Lorena Rios Mendoza out of the University of Superior, Wisconsin shows microplastics in fish from Lake Superior - which is the cleanest of all Great Lakes. 

Photo: (from left) Chi-Yeon Evans, a senior at UW-Superior, and Dr. Lorena Rios Mendoza conducted Great Lakes research in August of 2013 near Central Michigan University station in Beaver Island, Michigan.

Out of 2,000 fish, Rios and her team found microplastics in 1,000 of them.

“They were primarily fibers, mixed with cotton fibers, most likely from clothing” (source).  This is not surprising, considering the biggest source of microplastics comes in the form of microfibers from our clothes - specifically fibers from fleece jackets, athletic clothing, carpet, and other synthetic fabric (source). 

While this may be surprising, a research engineer from UMD stated that more lint comes from washing machines than dryers, which is something most people don’t realize or think about. But all that water from the washing machine goes straight to the wastewater treatment plant for processing (source).

And according to Dr. Rios and her research finding in fish: “we think wastewater treatment plants are the main source of the fibers. Their main function is to kill pathogenic bacteria, not to capture tiny bits of plastic.” 

While some data shows some wastewater treatment plants can catch up to 99% of microplastics, the vast amount coming through adds up to a lot of plastic pollution (source). Additionally, the quality of wastewater treatment plants can vary a lot depending on location. Some have very robust technology, while others don’t. 

Photo:  Alliance for the Great Lakes

Ecosystem disruptions 

Many aquatic species mistake microplastics for food, which can take up space in their stomachs and cause them to feel full. This can lead to starvation. 

Another concern is chemical pollution. Scientists have begun looking at whether chemicals in the water attach themselves more readily to a piece of plastic versus other, non-plastic particles. According to one source, "as the plastic is floating in the water, other chemicals basically see it as a sponge. They latch onto the plastic and concentrate on the surface. Then the question is, if a fish eats that piece of plastic, do those contaminants get passed onto the fish or not?"

This can all lead to a decline in a healthy fish population, which in turn can affect local economies. According to researchers from Michigan State University, “microplastic pollution “has implications for economies and industries dependent on healthy fish populations, like fishing and tourism.” 

Additionally, these harmful chemicals and pollutants can eventually make their way up the food chain to larger aquatic organisms like birds, and eventually, humans who catch food from the lake. 

Human health

In 2018, the University of Minnesota conducted a study on microplastics in water consumed by humans. This included tap water from around the world and beer made with water from the Great Lakes. 

Data showed that “81% of tap water had microplastics in it, as well as all of the beers.” (source) The most common pieces found were microfibers from clothing. 

But it's not just drinking water or beverages that can be a source of microplastics in humans. The effects of humans eating as much plastic as the weight of a credit card each week have not been widely studied (but yes, that is true). However, scientists are concerned about not only what the actual plastic can do to our systems, but also the pollutants that hitch a ride onto the plastic itself. 

According to one study, our body does pass some of the microplastic particulate matter through everyday bodily functions. However, “research in animals  has shown it’s possible for some plastics to pass from the airway or gastrointestinal tract into the blood or lymphatic system, spreading to and accumulating in other organs.” 

So, what can we do?

Reducing our use of non-essential single-use plastic is an important start (you can find some tips and resources in part one of this series). 

With clothing being one of the main sources for microplastics in the form of microfibers, looking at the types of clothes we buy, how often we wash them, and how we can reduce microfiber shed is equally as important. 

How often should you wash your clothes? 

Washing and drying clothes causes the fibers to “shed”, so reducing the number of washes an item of clothing goes through can help reduce microfibers. Doing so can also help prolong the life of an item of clothing, saving money and resources.

The answer to this question of how often to wash clothes greatly depends on the source, but there are some general guidelines out there to follow.

Another tip for extending the life of your clothes is to do a spot treatment instead of a full-on wash. 

Other options include hanging up your clothes while taking a shower to give them a “refresh”, or letting them hang outside in the sun. 

Microplastic Filters

There are some different options available for catching microplastic fibers before they reach the wastewater treatment plant that you can use at home. 

There are filters you can install on your washing machine, or items called the Coraball or Guppyfriend that you put inside your washing machine. 

There have not been many extensive studies done on these types of products, so it’s unclear at this point their effectiveness in reducing microplastic pollution. It is recommended to do research on these items before buying them to make sure they're a good fit. 

Look at clothing with natural fibers

Related post: Video: Researchers studying high concentration of plastics in Apostle Islands

Related post: Microplastics are filling the Great Lakes and birds’ bellies

Part One: Why July is the perfect time to learn about single-use plastics in Cook County
Part Two: Is all single-use plastic bad?