Saturday, October 25, 2025
More

    Top 6 This Week

    popular+

    Plastic is polluting our brains and bodies!

    Sharing is SO MUCH APPRECIATED!

    By David Suzuki

    Microplastics, soft plastics, burning plastics, plastics in the ocean, plastics in our brains, livers, kidneys, joints, reproductive organs, bones, blood… Plastic, a byproduct of the oil and gas industry, is everywhere, in various forms.

    Like oil and gas, plastic has provided us with many conveniences and cost savings. It’s lightweight, strong yet flexible, corrosion-resistant, waterproof and can be moulded into any shape and made clear or any colour. That makes it useful for everything from liquid containers to building materials to medical supplies. It’s in just about everything.

    But its ubiquity and the harms it causes have undermined its utility.

    Plastic doesn’t really biodegrade. It breaks down into smaller and smaller particles until it’s referred to as “microplastic” or “nanoplastic” — ultimately invisible.

    Some plastics can be recycled, but not indefinitely, and recycling is energy-intensive. Most of it isn’t recycled but ends up in landfills, incinerators, waterways and oceans. Massive amounts are used for single-use items, and despite municipal and other programs and regulations to discourage single-use plastics, we’re using more every day. Soft plastics, such as food bags and packaging, are especially common.

    When it’s burned — which it often is — it creates a toxic polluting mix of fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, dioxins and more, which causes heart disease, respiratory disorders and neurological problems and around seven million deaths a year, the Washington Post reports. Heavy metals, dioxins and other pollutants in the ash contaminate soil and groundwater and disrupt food chains.

    It’s also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, much of them generated when plastics are produced from fossil fuels.

    But it’s not just air, water, soil and food that are being contaminated. Microplastics, tiny specks smaller than five millimetres in diameter, are now being found in human organs, including our brains, lungs and reproductive organs. Their presence can cause cell damage, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, fertility issues, cancer, immune system disruption and cognitive issues.

    One study found brains are accumulating as much as 10 or 20 times more than other organs. The Guardian reports that 24 brain samples collected in early 2024 measured on average about 0.5 per cent plastic by weight, and that people who died with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease had 10 times more plastic in their brains than people without those health issues. Quantities found in brains in 2024 were also 50 per cent higher than in samples dating to 2016.

    “You can draw a line — it’s increasing over time. It’s consistent with what you’re seeing in the environment,” said study lead author Matthew Campen, from the University of New Mexico.

    Plastic is also being found increasingly in animal brains.

    What’s particularly astounding is that most plastic only came into our lives over the past 75 or so years. When I was growing up, plastic bags and packaging were unheard of.

    We can all limit exposure to plastic contamination: avoid microwaving food in plastic containers, choose tap water if possible over bottled, keep dust at bay (it contains plastic particles), eat less meat and processed foods (which can contain plastic particles) and avoid excessive packaging.

    But plastic is a byproduct of the oil and gas industry and has become a profit generator in that sector as the world shifts to cleaner energy. Just as industry is pushing fossil gas (misleadingly called “natural” gas but mostly the potent greenhouse gas methane, and most often fracked), it’s also pushing more plastic.

    We can’t trust industry or “markets” to do the right thing. That’s why it’s critical to secure local, national and international regulations to stop plastic from poisoning our biosphere and plasticizing us.

    Canada has made a good start by banning some non-essential, single-use plastic items, and by hosting international negotiations this year in Ottawa around an international treaty to set limits on global plastic production. Those negotiations — which will address plastic’s full life cycle, including production, design and disposal — are expected to be finalized later this year in South Korea. But the fossil fuel industry is pushing back.

    Enough is enough. We don’t need excessive packaging or single-use items. We don’t need disposable plastic trinkets or straws. Plastic pollution is a growing global problem. It affects our ecosystems and our bodies.

    Let’s push our government to take a strong stand to limit global plastic production.

    David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. Written with David Suzuki Foundation Senior Writer and Editor Ian Hanington.

    Learn more at davidsuzuki.org.

    REFERENCES:

    Nanoplastic:

    https://theconversation.com/what-are-nanoplastics-an-engineer-explains-concerns-about-particles-too-small-to-see-225791

    We’re using more every day:

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/sep/07/soft-plastics-are-a-scourge-of-the-earth-but-there-are-ways-to-break-our-toxic-addiction

    Toxic polluting mix:

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10786097

    Washington Post reports:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/09/04/plastic-waste-burned-study

    Significant source of greenhouse gas emissions:

    Microplastics:

    https://theconversation.com/microplastics-are-in-our-brains-how-worried-should-i-be-237401

    Guardian reports:

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/21/microplastics-brain-pollution-health

    Past 75 or so years:

    https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/chemistry/age-plastic-parkesine-pollution

    International treaty to set limits on global plastic production:

    https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution

    Push our government to take a strong stand:

    https://davidsuzuki.org/action/stop-plastic-pollution

    Sharing is SO MUCH APPRECIATED!

    Popular Articles

    GEORGIANBAYNEWS.COM

    Popular Articles

    The Amazing Sunset Sessions Showcases Talented Youth Artists

    Collingwood, ON - Collingwood’s Sunset Sessions, an unforgettable concert experience featuring talented youth performers returns this summer as part of the Collingwood Live &...

    John McDermott: Raised on Songs & Stories | Theatre Collingwood

    We are so thrilled to welcome John McDermott back to Theatre Collingwood! Saturday, November 8th. Shows at 3 PM & 7:30 PM This time, John brings us Raised...

    Federico Staksrud vs Jack Sock at the Selkirk Red Rock Open Presented by Pickleball Central

    Watch the Men’s Singles Championship match: (1) Federico Staksrud vs (11) Jack Sock at the Selkirk Red Rock Open Presented by Pickleball Central 🔔...

    County creating more safe spaces for unhoused individuals during the coldest months of the year

    Enacts alternate spaces strategy for 2024/25 winter sheltering Midhurst/October 18, 2024 – With another winter season approaching, the County of Simcoe has enacted its alternate spaces strategy...

    Stay Cool in Collingwood: Enjoy the Comfort of Cooling Centres

    Collingwood, ON – With the high temperatures forecast for the next few days, the following sites in Collingwood are available to the public as...

    EMERGENCY CREWS CONTINUE CLEANUP EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE REGION

    (Orillia, ON) - Members across Central Region of the Ontario Provincial Police have been busy with increased calls for service due to the freezing rain...

    Town to Recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Tuesday, September 30, 2025

    This joint media release is being shared on behalf of The Blue Mountains Public Library and the Town of The Blue Mountains. The Town of...

    Enchanted Evening and Fundraiser | Save Georgian Bay

    Join us with like-minded neighbours and friends on August 10th at 5 P.M. for an evening at a private venue on the escarpment to...

    VIDEO | The Real Reason Dogs STARE at You Is Surprising

    In today's video titled "The Real Reason Dogs STARE at You Is Surprising," we delve into the intriguing world of dog behavior to uncover...

    China’s Dark Factories: So Automated, They Don’t Need Lights | WSJ

    Ford’s CEO says China’s EV industry poses an existential threat to global automakers. The country’s dark factories, which have robots run 24/7 with limited...

    YIKES! Horoscopes by Orion Moonsong | For the Week of April 28th, 2025

    Orion Moonsong, celestial eavesdropper extraordinaire… While we’re all busy with our earthly concerns, this astronomical busybody is up there tuning into the universe’s gossip channel,...

    Why You Should Not Ask AI Chatbots for Medical Advice

    Asking AI chatbots for medical advice is not a good idea for several critical reasons. While they can provide general information and assist with...

    PUBLIC APPEAL FOR WITNESSES TO COLLISION

    (Springwater Township, ON) - Members of the Huronia West Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating a motor vehicle collision that took place...

    The Depths of the North Sea: Life in the Cold Abyss | Secrets of the Seas

    "Seas in Motion - Wonders of the North Sea" unveils the dynamic ecosystem of one of Europe's most vital bodies of water. This captivating...

    Town of The Blue Mountains Launches New Digital Parking Enforcement System

    Beginning June 16, 2025, the Town of The Blue Mountains is implementing a new, cloud-based parking enforcement system offered through GTechna. The new platform...

    New Tesla Model Y: WOW?

    The Tesla Model Y has been updated! But this is no ordinary facelift - there are a whole load of changes both inside and...

    China’s Innovative Edge – The Impact on Global Markets | Economic Transformation

    China is embarking on the next stage of its economic journey - a start-up revolution where innovative thinking in technology and entrepreneurship, driven by...

    David Shih and Family | We Sailed 120 Hrs Across The Gulf Of Mexico (or is it America)

    You'll enjoy the great adventures of the Shih Family, please share and help build their channel. This is the Final Step to bringing our Project...

    Jan 1st Apres Ski Social Club – Start 2025 with Music, Wellness, and Winter Magic!

    Apres Ski Social Club Start 2025 with Music, Wellness, and Winter Magic! 🎿 Apres Ski Social Club 🎉 Celebrate New Years Day! Kick off the new year and...

    May 18 to 25 is National Paramedic Services Week

    Midhurst/May 9, 2025 – The County of Simcoe proudly joins municipalities across the country in celebrating National Paramedic Services Week, taking place from May 18...

    Affordable Housing Seed Funding Opportunity | The Town of Collingwood

    Collingwood, ON – The Town of Collingwood is pleased to announce a brand-new seed funding opportunity to help increase the supply of affordable...

    THE WORLD REALITY, PLATO’S CAVE, AI and FUTURE Comprised in a Figure

    AI is going to play a Vital Role in Bringing Truth and Facilitating the Birth and Initialization of Humanity and Earth into the Golden Age. However,...

    VIDEOS | Holiday Treats from Frankie – Club Foody

    Special thanks to our friend, Frankie... for these great shares! clubfoody.com is about combining fresh ingredients, herbs and spices, to create a variety of flavorful...

    We need to talk about your starving grandchildren | Just Have a Think

    You might not want to think about this one, but our scientists tell us if we carry on the way we are now, the...