We"re Gonna Need a Bigger Tote
As if the sight of plastic bags strewn throughout our lakes and rivers and becoming entangled into our wildlife wasn't devastating enough, researchers are now warning that the risk of hidden contamination could be more serious.
Studies being carried out by Dr Richard Thompson, of the University of Plymouth, suggest that fish are ingesting microscopic plastic particles from the fragments of plastic bags. According to Dr Thompson, "Now there's the potential for those chemicals to be released to those marine organisms if they then eat the plastic." Once inside an organism, the risk is that the toxins may then be transferred into the organism itself. Dr Thompson continues, "There are different conditions in the gut environment compared to surrounding sea water and so the conditions that cause those chemicals to accumulate on the surface of the plastic may well be reversed - leading to a release of those chemicals when the plastic is eaten."
"I feel a ‘Jaws' moment coming. So, the plastic goes in the water. The fish eat the plastic. We then eat the fish," said Jennifer Ovington, Owner of HomeMattersMost, a Fairtrade organic cotton textile online retailer.
"I truly believe collectively as a society we must switch from using plastic bags to cotton tote bags. This is why I have sourced a large tote bag with a wide gusset to accommodate more groceries or shopping to make the switch more practical. Naturally, I only wanted to sell the best, so my large totes are made of 100% certified Fairtrade organic cotton" says Ovington.
These Fairtrade organic cotton tote bags can be purchased for £7.97 through HomeMattersMost's website, www.homemattersmost.co.uk.
Studies being carried out by Dr Richard Thompson, of the University of Plymouth, suggest that fish are ingesting microscopic plastic particles from the fragments of plastic bags. According to Dr Thompson, "Now there's the potential for those chemicals to be released to those marine organisms if they then eat the plastic." Once inside an organism, the risk is that the toxins may then be transferred into the organism itself. Dr Thompson continues, "There are different conditions in the gut environment compared to surrounding sea water and so the conditions that cause those chemicals to accumulate on the surface of the plastic may well be reversed - leading to a release of those chemicals when the plastic is eaten."
"I feel a ‘Jaws' moment coming. So, the plastic goes in the water. The fish eat the plastic. We then eat the fish," said Jennifer Ovington, Owner of HomeMattersMost, a Fairtrade organic cotton textile online retailer.
"I truly believe collectively as a society we must switch from using plastic bags to cotton tote bags. This is why I have sourced a large tote bag with a wide gusset to accommodate more groceries or shopping to make the switch more practical. Naturally, I only wanted to sell the best, so my large totes are made of 100% certified Fairtrade organic cotton" says Ovington.
These Fairtrade organic cotton tote bags can be purchased for £7.97 through HomeMattersMost's website, www.homemattersmost.co.uk.