Nanonplstics not just in seafood, new study finds small plastic particles penetrate crops

  Washing machines whisk away those glaring stains. But they also pluck inconspicuous bits of plastic that flow out and pollute our environment and our bodies. Three young alumni of Case Western Reserve University have started a business on campus to make and market filters for those microplastics. In April,  Cleanr -brand filters were piloted on five washers in the school’s Stephanie Tubbs Jones Hall dormitory. In October, filters were installed on all remaining 95 dorm washers around campus with room for them. They’re also being piloted on five washers apiece at the University of Akron and the University of South Alabama. “Microplastics pollution is one of the most critical environmental and human health crises of our time,” says Max Pennington, Cleanr’s chief executive officer. “And their concentrations are set  to double by 2040  if we do not act now.” By different estimates, people dump anywhere from 11 million to 44 million tons of microplastic fibers or p...

 Refresh Odor Hotspots One reason dryer sheets are used in the laundry is for their fragrance, and more than just your clothes can benefit from a crisp scent. Place a few dryer sheets in odor hotspots like at the bottom of the garbage can or inside the toilet paper roll to help eliminate funky smells. For long-lasting freshness, swap out the sheets for new ones whenever you put a new garbage bag in or change the tissue roll.

 Abstract Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a water-soluble plastic commercially used in laundry and dish detergent pods (LDPs) for which a complete understanding of its fate in the environment and subsequent consequences is lacking. The objective of this study was to estimate the US nationwide emissions of PVA resulting from domestic use of LDPs, corroborated by a nationwide, online consumer survey and a literature review of its fate within conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Peer-reviewed publications focusing on the degradation of PVA in critical processes of WWTPs were shortlisted as a part of the literature review, and subsequent degradation data was extracted and applied to a model with a set of assumptions. Survey and model results estimated that approximately 17,200 ± 5000 metric ton units per year (mtu/yr) of PVA are used from LDPs in the US, with 10,500 ± 3000 mtu/yr reaching WWTPs. Literature review data, when incorporated into our model, resulted in ~61% of PVA e...