Forever Chemicals … and fluff and dust

### Reader’s Letter to The Guardian, 22.10.2024 ###

Dear Editor,

I found myself nodding all the way through Prof. Caan’s letter on tackling PFAS, “forever chemicals”. Bravo to him!

Indeed, I have just read Rachel Carson’s 1962 book “Silent Spring” and it leaves me gobsmacked that we are still liberally emitting similar noxious substances (PFAS and many others) into the environment. Have we learned NOTHING in the last sixty-two years?

We also need to remember that a good number of pollutants can appear innocuous: For example synthetic clothing and car tyres together make up a whopping 63% of all ocean microplastic: 35% synthetic “micro-fluff” emitted during routine washing and 28% tyre-dust abraded from tyre-tread. With tyre-dust also being a major threat to respiratory health.

So, yes, let’s take a long hard look at how to clear up the mess but also, and maybe more importantly, let’s take some simple and very obvious steps to stop the toxins being emitted in the first place.

Yours,
Alan Mitcham

Link to article on ocean microplastic: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/25/plastic-in-the-depths-how-pollution-took-over-our-oceans

Link to original article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/21/forever-chemicals-outlast-any-government-all-the-more-reason-for-dealing-with-them-now


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