Industry

With the use of fossil fuel resources, like petroleum, natural gas, and in earlier decades coal, manufacturing companies produce and utilize plastics and microplastics as abrasives for products. The processes necessary to produce these indispensable products are harmful towards our environment in numerous ways, including increased global warming (specifically LDPE - which is th type of plastic used in shopping bags), toxic air pollutants released from factories, and destruction of displacement and destruction of natural habitats to develop these facilities. Through the process of airblasting, production of finished items may take the form of plastic pellets or resin powders.

Scrubbers for airblasting, cosmetics, medicines, textiles, these are produced by industrial sectors who market these products containing microplastics. According to a study published in Springer publications, 80% of microplastic pollution is generated by land base sources. This means that industries discussed above are inflicting the highest damage on our environment, yet are not held responsible. Through the addition of secondary pollutants, acting as a way to advance marketability and ensure long lasting products, not only are there risks associated with our environments, but there may be risks concerning our own health.

Industrial waste and byproducts can also make their ways to local farmland and waterways, further compromising the safety of our environment. Raw materials for industrial production have been found on beaches, abrasives such as polystyrene and polyester may enter terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems, and even residue from plastic recycling plants can linger in our environments.

It is necessary now more than ever to lower our consumption, reduce our spending on unnecessary items whenever we can, and find innovative methods and products to replace plastics that will not have long term implications for our environment.