Local youth seek to understand the plastic lifecycle and the potential for green stormwater infrastructure.
Many of us have heard about the scariness of 'forever chemicals' like Per and Poly Fluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS and PfOAS). Those who remember Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" have also likely heard of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) like PCBs (Poly-Chlorinated Bi-phenols) and pesticides like DDT.
In the second week of September 2024 week, Maggie was invited to attend a session of the SE CT Robotics team called Seven Seas. One of their challenges this year is to address Ocean Health, and they chose to focus on something that has been in the news: Carcinogenic “Forever Chemicals” (including PFAS and micro-plastics) in the Ocean. These young people are very creative and curious — what could we use to hold the filtering material that is not itself made of plastic? Who will change the filters? How much water can fit through the filter at a time?
The Seven Seas youth learned that the biggest contributor to plastic in the Mystic River Watershed is road run-off filled with tire “shedding,” or highly toxic micro-particles made from synthetic rubber, and they intend to use natural materials to filter it out from stormwater runoff.
These youth are taking charge of their own future by taking action against the negative impacts of microscopic bits of plastic coming from our clothes, food packaging, water bottles, which can disrupt our hormonal systems, increase our risk of cancer and developmental disorders in our children, and even cross the blood-brain barrier to become a part of our neural networks.
There is much we can do to limit our exposure, including avoiding foods and beverages packaged in plastic and plastic lined aluminum cans (spoiler - most aluminum cans are lined with plastic), only buying clothes, furniture, linens, floor coverings, and linens made from natural fibers (harder than it seems), and avoiding plastic construction materials and indoor finishes, including acrylic paints (also surprisingly difficult).
Ultimately, ending the uncontrolled experiment on human and environmental health caused by the failure of the way that we regulate toxic chemicals in the USA requires a deep transformation to a regenerative material economy (which the Alliance is working on). In support of this transformation, local Youth are becoming educated as to the dangers of micro-plastics and strategies in the near term for removing them from our local environment.
Infographic from: https://stoppoisonplastic.org/chemicals-health-and-plastics/disposal-and-plastic-recycling/
The club also met with Michelle Maitland, from the Groton Public Works Department, who taught them about stormwater infrastructure design and planning. Youth are also becoming educated on how next generation urban greening and green stormwater infrastructure is part of the solution to contaminated road runoff, further supported by the Alliance's participation in the National Green Stormwater Accelerator Program.
If you would like to participate in the GSI AP learning modules, let us know at info@alliancemrw.org!
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