If you brush your teeth every day (I hope you do), then you should think about what your pasta does with the environment..

A new study by the University of Oregon showed that pasta with microbeads has already become a real scourge of oceans, lakes and rivers.

Tiny microbeads, which are particles of polymers, after rinsing into a sink go into natural reservoirs, where millions of large and small aquatic inhabitants are killed.

Researchers estimate that in the United States alone, 8 trillion microbeads fall into water bodies every day.. This amount is enough to fill up 300 tennis courts.

But today it is only 1% of the total number of microbeads that float around us. The remaining 99%, or about 800 trillion particles, have already completed their journey in fertile soils and plants, being carried out of the ocean during high tides.

There is good news in the researchers' report: there are non-toxic biodegradable alternatives to traditional microspheres, but manufacturing companies need to be forced to use them.. But only lawmakers can do this..

“In previous studies, we clearly demonstrated that polymer microspheres can pollute the environment and poison many living organisms.”. Safer alternatives are urgently needed, ”said lead author of the study, who insists on banning pastes and cosmetics with polymer microspheres..

By the way, the International Business Times reports that the US states of Illinois, Michigan, Washington, Oregon and California have already imposed strict restrictions or a ban on the use of most products with traditional polymer microgranules, including cosmetics and cleaning products.

In these states, biodegradable analogues are beginning to be used, although their implementation is sluggish..

Recent studies have shown that in the digestive tract 90% of seabirds and 50% of sea turtles off the coast of the United States find polymer microbeads that we clean our teeth and face with such care.

Such shocking data leads the Washington Post..

Is it time for us, consumers, to think about anything but ourselves?

medbe. ru.