Microplastics Warrant Action

New Product Innovations Can Reduce Landfill Pollution and Eliminate Plastics from the Global Supply Chain!

Plastic Pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles in the Earth's environment that adversely affects humans, wildlife and their habitat.

Oxo-Degradable
The chemical structure of most plastics renders them resistant to many natural processes of degradation referred to as oxo-degradable. Oxo-degradable plastic products do not biodegrade. Instead it slowly breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces and eventually into fine toxic microplastics resulting in particles smaller than five millimeters in size. These fragments remain in the environment where it eventually makes its way into the food chain.

Humans & Animals
When plastic breaks down into microplastics it becomes a different kind of threat. A 2019 analysis estimated that people take in roughly a credit card’s worth of microplastics every week and the particles don’t merely pass through the human body but rather remain there.

As for animals, some researchers suggest that by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans by total weight. Living organisms, particularly marine animals, can be harmed either by ingestion of plastic waste, or through exposure to chemicals within plastics that interfere with their physiology and lastly, from the mechanical effects of plastic objects such as entanglement or suffocation.

Reduce Landfill Pollution and Eliminate Plastic From the Global Supply Chain with MDS’s Biodegradable & Eco-Friendly Products!

Environmental concern has led to new efforts and innovations in product development concentrated on developing sustainable alternatives. For example hand protection specialists such as SHOWA® and SW® Sustainable Solutions have introduced additives into their single-use nitrile glove formulas that enable gloves to breakdown into healthy, nutrient rich soil within years, not centuries.  

Companies such as Portwest® Planet, Majestic®, PIP® (Protective Industrial Products) and Wells Lamont are depleting stockpiles of P.E.T. water bottles and reusing them by converting them into yarns that are used to make industrial work gloves, cut-resistant sleeve protectors and even ANSI complaint hi-visibility work wear.

Plant-based resins such as bagasse (sugarcane) and Polyactic Acid (PLA) (corn) is transforming single-use food catering and to-go food service with compostable foodware designed to break down within 12 weeks leaving behind healthy, nutrient rich soil! Other innovations such as bamboo is being used to knit work gloves and it’s replacing plastic handle toothbrushes in an attempt to reduce landfill and plastic pollution.

Protect life, Earth and communities by switching to eco-friendly supplies today.

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