By Yesica Tumax
Trinity Times Correspondent

During a recent walk through National Harbor, I noticed others admiring the waterfront scenery, particularly the prominent Ferris wheel that can been seen for miles around the Washington Metropolitan Area.

It was the water, however, that caught my eye.

Looking down, I saw plastic and trash scattered around the ground near the water’s edge, even spotting a car tire in the water. 

It made me wonder why some people don’t dispose of their trash properly.

More importantly, I saw that plastic in the water and knew it was causing more than an eyesore. It was causing more microplastics particles to get into the water, creating environmental hazards that can impact the ecosystem and harm several species that encounter the Potomac River, including humans.

I focused on microplastics during my studies at Trinity Washington University this year and discovered how important the issue is to all of us and our planet.

Microplastics are plastic particles that are less than five millimeters in length, according to Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. 

While some people believe the plastics only affect animal health, they be unaware of the negative impact it has on humans too. 

It’s estimated that humans consume more than 70,000 microplastics particles annually, science journalist Sharon Oosthoek writes in a 2019 article in Science News Explores. 

This is a shocking number considering that many people don’t even realize they have microplastics in their bodies, which research suggests the ingredients can possibly lead to certain cancers, obesity, and other diseases in humans.

Microplastics come from many different sources, including a number of household products like toothbrushes and debris from appliances, as well as a variety of food items, especially seafood.

These microplastics particles are even found in drinking water, with an even higher concentration found in plastic bottles of water.

Tests on more than 250 plastic bottles of water from 11 leading brands showed an average of 314.6 plastic particles per liter, according to journalists Chris Tyree and Dan Morrison in a report published in Orb Media, a nonprofit journalism organization based in Washington.

This is alarming since most people believe bottled water is safer than tap water, since manufacturers advertise their products as “purified.” 

Scientists and government agencies have become increasingly concerned about the effects of microplastic pollution on wildlife, humans and the environment and recent studies have found microplastics particles in oceans, lakes, rivers, the air and soil, the Orb Media report said.

Microplastics can enter our bodies and cause changes that can lead to a variety of health problems, and may even cause obesity, as plastics can contain Obesogens, compounds that cause weight gain, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Obesogens can lead to obesity through the accumulation of microplastics in the liver and kidneys, which can boost the growth and accumulation of fat cells and disrupt energy balance, ultimately affecting body weight, according to research conducted by Kurunthanchalam Kannan, lead author and professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine.

Microplastics can allow pathogens to enter the body, also leading to illness, according to a 2022 report in the NIH National Center for Biotechnology Information. 

These are just some of the problems microplastics are believed to cause, and there is still more research to be done regarding this issue, including how heating up food in plastic containers in restaurants and at home can lead to the ingestion of microplastics particles.

Research suggests that just storing food in plastic containers makes it more likely for humans to consume microplastics. 

I know that fast food is so accessible to Trinity students and sometimes these products are stored in plastic storage containers.

This is a problem because with continuous use of the plastic container and heating it up it can cause the plastic to break down, causing students to consume microplastics in the food they eat. 

Look around campus and you’ll see Trinity students drinking out of plastic bottles.

Filtered water in a metal container is probably the better option to avoid consuming an excess of microplastics.

“I have very strong opinions about how the environment is being adversely affected by microplastics,” said Shizuka Hsieh, associate professor of chemistry at Trinity.

Though plastics were invented for good solutions in a durable container, it has also created many environmental problems since the material doesn’t degrade, Hsieh said. 

“Other alternatives are sometimes expensive,” she said, but in “the long run those containers are going to save money.”

As many Trinity students have noticed, the campus dining hall has made changes by providing reusable silverware and has limited use of plastic products. 

Ingrid Tchouamo, Trinity’s current Student Government Council president, said she is aware that environmental problems impact everyone, even when they can’t always see it, and pointed out that the university’s Sustainable Initiatives Club is working to enlighten everyone on campus.

“Trinity has had a symposium about environmental change,” Tchouamo said. “We have a sustainability club. They also planted trees. I do believe they are doing a good job on that.” Trinity has had some events that have brought light to environmental problems and as a student at this school, it is nice seeing how the university educates its students and alumni. There are still more changes that can be made and there are many ways the Trinity community can get involved. 

Going on cleanups along the campus, the neighborhood, and even the river can be a great way to help. 

As a Catholic university, Trinity often employs its mission for social justice. 

A collection of voices throughout the campus, from past and present students to faculty and staff, can become environmental advocates in the global community.

The Trinity community should advocate for laws and regulations on plastic production, call on the government to regulate how plastic products are disposed of and how much plastic materials are produced, and most definitely encourage everyone to reduce their consumption of plastic products. 

Even small changes can make a difference. Changing from plastic bottles to reusable metal water bottles, and from plastic bags to reusable bags, can reduce microplastics pollution and consumption.