Choking on Plastic

 

According to a recent study published in Environmental Science & Technology, over 90% of salt brands sampled around the globe were found to contain microplastics, with the highest number coming from salt sourced in Asia. Plastic contamination was highest in sea salt, followed by lake salt, then rock salt, indicating the levels of plastic pollution in the respective environments.

Recent studies have found plastics in seafood, wildlife, tap water, and now in salt. It’s clear that there is no escape from this plastics crisis, especially as it continues to effect our waterways and oceans.

Single-use disposable plastic foodware is recognized as a major source of this plastic waste. Americans used about 50 billion plastic bottles last year, and more than 500 million plastic straws. Corporations must be compelled by law to reduce their reliance on plastics for packaging. The public must be fully informed about the dire global consequences of buying “convenience” foods served in plastic containers and eaten with disposable plastic utensils.

Last year Greenpeace along with the Break Free From Plastic Coalition released a report naming Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé as among the most frequent companies whose packaging relies on the single-use plastics that pollute our oceans and waterways globally. If current plastic use remains unchecked scientists project a greater volume of plastic in the ocean than fish by the year 2050.