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Plastic contaminates 94% of U.S. tap water, research finds, the most of any country studied
Kiro 7 ^ | September 6th 2017 | Shelby Lin Erdman

Posted on 09/06/2017 6:15:56 PM PDT by Ennis85

Microscopic pieces of plastic have infiltrated tap water systems around the world, according to new research on worldwide water systems.

According to Orb Media, a non-profit data journalism newsroom in Washington, 83 percent of the tap water sampled globally was contained with microscopic plastic particles.

The U.S. had the highest contamination rate at 94 percent, and water sampled from Europe to India and in parts of the Middle East had plastic contamination above 70 percent, according to the Orb study.

Sites sampled in the U.S. included “Congress buildings, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency headquarters and Trump Towers,” the Guardian reported.

Most research to this point has concentrated on massive plastic garbage patches in the world’s oceans, and the impact of tiny pieces of plastic from those huge patches on marine life, which people then eat. But the impact of drinking microplastic particles on humans is still unknown.

“We have enough data from looking at wildlife, and the impacts that it’s having on wildlife, to be concerned,” Dr Sherri Mason, a microplastic expert at the State University of New York in Fredonia, and a supervisor on the study for Orb, told the Guardian.

“If it’s impacting [wildlife], then how do we think that it’s not going to somehow impact us?”

Researchers don’t know exactly how the tiny pieces of plastic are entering the water tables that cities use for tap water, but tons of plastic fibers from clothes discharged in wastewater, mishandled plastic waste, synthetic fibers in the atmosphere, tire dust washed into storm drains and streams are a few of the possible ways such large-scale contamination could be occurring.

According to a 2013 report, 300 million tons of plastic is produced worldwide every year, and millions of tons end up in the oceans and landfills.

(Excerpt) Read more at kiro7.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: contamination; drinkingwater; plastic; study; tapwater; water; watercontamination
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To: Wonder Warthog

>>More accurate....”through plastic pipes”. PVC isn’t the only plastic used for water pipe fabrication.

I’m the automation manager for a large municipal water utility. So, plastic, PVC, whatever is close enough for me.


21 posted on 09/06/2017 6:58:58 PM PDT by Bryanw92 (If we had some ham, we could have ham and eggs, if we had some eggs.)
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To: ForYourChildren

Bookmark for tomorrow


22 posted on 09/06/2017 6:59:04 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("Three things sustain the existence of the world: justice, truth, and peace." - Mishnah)
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To: sagar

Gerolsteiner...glass or nothing.


23 posted on 09/06/2017 7:00:37 PM PDT by deadrock
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To: ForYourChildren

Doubtful but probably a contributor to lower general testosterone levels in the general population.


24 posted on 09/06/2017 7:01:42 PM PDT by HamiltonJay
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To: ForYourChildren

Estrogen doses in the drinking water (from billions of overdoses of birth control regimes used monthly, and urinated into drinking water downstream)? Yes, I can see that link.

But “plastic” ... ? This is a research project in search of funding - from the government they are publicizing to!

Wait! We’ll use Mexico’s drinking water purity standards!


25 posted on 09/06/2017 7:02:56 PM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but socialists' ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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To: Ennis85

How can that be? The eco-fascists told us that it takes 50,000 years for plastic bottles to decompose. I guess the Neanderthals drank beer from plastic bottles while driving their SUVs.

How primitive.


26 posted on 09/06/2017 7:04:17 PM PDT by sergeantdave
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To: Ennis85

Aberican municipalities use floculation to settle out particles of debree, not filtration. Plastic has a nearly similar mass to water so floculation works poorly on it very dirt.

If you are worried about it, put a whole house filter on with a 5 micron filter pack. I like the “big blue” system.


27 posted on 09/06/2017 7:04:18 PM PDT by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
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To: Mariner
“Even with BPA and other contaminants, once reduced to microscopic it’s likely unbound from those chemicals.”

Hope that's true, but am not sure. BPA is an important consideration. For those who don't know about epigenetics, it's heritable chemical alteration of DNA that can have huge effects on gene expression and biology. BPA can cause hypomethylation of DNA (an epigenetic alteration), and have significant effects on gene expression in this manner. If microscopic plastic is found in the water table, I would like to know BPA levels as well. If elevated, I'm sure there's a way to eradicate this.

28 posted on 09/06/2017 7:06:32 PM PDT by neverevergiveup
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To: fireman15

I hate to be repetitive;

But if you drink you’re gonna die!
and if you don’t drink you’re gonna die...

So why die thirsty ?!


29 posted on 09/06/2017 7:11:37 PM PDT by aumrl (let's keep it real Conservatives)
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To: All

With everything else in the American water supply no wonder half the country turned into fags.


30 posted on 09/06/2017 7:13:28 PM PDT by escapefromboston (manny ortez: mvp)
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To: Ennis85

WE’re doomed!


31 posted on 09/06/2017 7:22:22 PM PDT by Parmy
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To: deadrock

Good stuff. One of my staples. Have you tried Voss?


32 posted on 09/06/2017 7:22:48 PM PDT by longfellowsmuse (last of the living nomads)
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To: ForYourChildren

You may have a point about trannies and gays and other disease conditions. And don’t forget genetically modified crops.

Our city has somewhat filtered river water coming out of the taps. If you could see the river, you’d be unhappy too.

I buy BPA-free gallon jugs, fill them at grocery store down the street that has xlnt filtration system(s). I give this water to my kitten and drink it myself. Guess it’s time to cook in it too. Mostly, I steam veggies tho, think that’s the safest and easiest thing to do. .


33 posted on 09/06/2017 7:23:55 PM PDT by Veto! (Political Correctness Offends Me)
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To: longfellowsmuse

Yeah. Expensive. It is really good.


34 posted on 09/06/2017 7:26:38 PM PDT by deadrock
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To: Ennis85

You either buy a water filter, or you are a water filter.


35 posted on 09/06/2017 7:31:57 PM PDT by Sgt_Schultze (When your business model depends on slave labor, you're always going to need more slaves.)
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To: mad_as_he$$

36 posted on 09/06/2017 7:45:10 PM PDT by Delta 21 (AntiFa and BLM should be on the United States list of Terrorist Organizations)
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To: Ennis85

Plastic water compliments that plastic stretch bun on your Subway sandwich.


37 posted on 09/06/2017 7:48:39 PM PDT by TheNext (Obamacare is KILLING GRANDMA!)
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To: ForYourChildren

Same. And soy.


38 posted on 09/06/2017 7:49:54 PM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear
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To: Ennis85

39 posted on 09/06/2017 7:53:23 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: Ennis85

Seriously, filters and reverse osmosis. The rich afford the latter.


40 posted on 09/06/2017 7:54:05 PM PDT by TheNext (Obamacare is KILLING GRANDMA!)
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