Research & Development

4 Reasons Microplastics are Harming the Human Body

3 June 2022
Kendal Marsh
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Categories: Blog, Plastic Pollution, Research & Development

Plastic is a common part of our everyday life. Over the years, items that used to be made from glass, wood, and cotton have been replaced by plastic. At first, this made sense, plastic is cheap and easy to make and ultimately makes our day-to-day lives easier. However, single-use and non-recyclable plastic have stealthily infiltrated our homes and lives. Only 20% of plastics are recycled worldwide, and even less in the United States, where we recycle only 9% of plastics. 

You probably have heard about the effects of plastic pollution on the environment, oceans, and wildlife with mantras like “Save the Turtles” and “Protect the Oceans.” But have you ever asked yourself, “How is plastic pollution affecting humans?” 

How Plastic Pollution is Affecting the Human Body

It’s easy to think of plastic pollution in plastic bottles and shopping bags – those are the items we can see easily. But plastic pollution is also microscopic. Larger plastics break down into microplastics, and clothes made with synthetic plastic materials release thousands of microfibers (microplastics measuring 5mm or less) into our water systems with every load of laundry. Microplastics have been found in humans’ blood, lungs, and feces, bringing with them toxic chemicals that can be hazardous to our health. 

Microplastics Attract Toxins

These tiny plastic pieces are magnets for toxic materials such as PCBs or pesticides and bind themselves to the plastic. The microplastics then make their way from the wastewater and ground back into the water we drink, our food, and the air we breathe.

Microplastics are in Our Water

Because the minuscule plastics are so small, they make their way past the water treatment plants and filters and back into the water we use every day for drinking, cooking, bathing, and cleaning. That means that we’re ingesting and surrounding ourselves with toxic-bound plastics. 

Microplastics are in Our Food

Since microplastics are pervasive in our water, animals are also ingesting the chemical-laden plastics, and crops are affected. The meat and veggies make their way up the food chain to our plates filling our digestive systems and eventually our blood with the plastics and toxins. 

Microplastics are in Our Air

Microplastics are also carried by the wind to even the world’s most remote places. They are released through the evaporation of water, home laundry dryers, the friction of tires on the ground, and more. We then breathe them into our lungs, where they become lodged and can create larger health issues. 

What Can You Do? 

It’s important to stay informed about how prevalent microplastics are in our everyday life. But you don’t need to get discouraged. Instead, you can look for ways to help reduce the harm microplastics are causing globally. 

Shop Consciously. There is power in how you spend your money. Choosing plastic-free, sustainable, and reusable products is a great start and signals to companies that you value earth-friendly goods. 

Reuse and Recycle. Plastics aren’t going away anytime soon, so think about how you can repurpose and reuse when you have to use them. When you’re done with plastic items, try to recycle everything. Check with your local waste management company to see what types of plastic can be recycled. 

Install a Filtrol. The Filtrol laundry filter captures 89% of microplastics released during your wash cycle. This simple solution will keep thousands of microfibers from making their way into the environment. Click here to buy now.

The Global Plastic Action Partnership

3 January 2022
Andrew Hofsetter
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Categories: Blog, Plastic Solutions, Research & Development

Have you heard of the Global Plastic Action Partnership?

Basically, it’s a combined effort of governments, businesses, and cultural and civil influencers to make plastic pollution a topic of conversation, an object of legislation, and an effort for remediation. 

When you consider that 16 billion tons of plastic makes its way into the ocean every year, and when you consider the massive impact it has on wildlife and even on humankind, you realize that this isn’t a conversation about politics or preferences. In fact, at the pace we’re currently on, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by the year 2050. Read more here at the World Economic Forum’s site.

It’s not a question of whether someone is liberal or conservative or whether they believe that global warming is something to talk about. It’s not about the many divisive topics discussed on the 24-hour news cycle. 

It’s simply a discussion of stewardship. It’s a question of whether we’re going to be responsible with the opportunities we have to leave the world a better place than we found it. The efforts we take — or don’t take — to slow the release of plastics into our ecosystem will determine what this world looks like for our children and grandchildren. 

The Global Plastic Action Partnership is building its effort around the three primary pillars of awareness, research, and solutions. 

By raising awareness and leading more conversations, people can engage in meaningful discussions about the true impact of plastic on wildlife, water, and humanity. 

By investing in research we can begin to learn the true impact of plastic on our world, the pathways forward toward a plastic-free possibility, and the opportunities to change the current trends particularly within nations that are the largest contributors to the problem. 

By researching and developing solutions that either eliminate the need for plastic production or remove it before it pollutes the planet, the Global Plastic Action Partnership is moving the conversation from the theoretical to the practical.

If you haven’t yet joined the conversation, it’s not too late. There are good conversations happening around the globe. If you haven’t researched the problem, it’s worth looking into. You’ll be amazed…and probably a bit disturbed…by what you discover. There are also good solutions being developed and solid efforts being taken by people both with lifestyle changes and with tech advancements that are moving the needle on this issue. 

As you look at the massively impacting issue of plastic pollution that surrounds all of us, make sure you’re taking part in good conversations based in good research. And above all, be part of the solution, with efforts like the Global Plastic Action Partnership and by installing plastic mitigating solutions like the Filtrol. 

Legislative Efforts to Control Plastic

27 July 2021
Andrew Hofsetter
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Categories: Blog, Plastic Solutions, Research & Development

The Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2021 (BFFPPA ) was recently introduced in Congress and is the most comprehensive legislative effort to date to mitigate the impacts of toxic synthetics on our ecosystem, our communities, and our personal health. Essentially, the bill is building on the momentum and progress made by various state-driven initiatives to employ plastic reduction strategies. Ultimately, the bill is targeting three primary areas of impact with plastic production, use, and disposal. 

Reducing Production 

The process of producing plastic is just as harmful to our ecosystem as the use of and disposal of it. At least 144 chemicals known to be harmful to human health are present in the production of plastic. The development and production process and the pollution that comes from consumer waste and improper disposal all add up to significant amounts of toxic, dangerous chemicals that are impacting our environment, our communities, and our health. 

Increasing Recycling

Only a fraction of the plastic that is produced and sold ends up properly recycled. This means that the overwhelming majority of it ends up carelessly tossed into landfills or littered into our environment. More comprehensive efforts to ensure that plastic ends up where it belongs when it is being discarded can have a massive, lasting impact for our entire planet — from the smallest microbiota to the very top of the food chain; from the most pristine and picturesque landscapes to the food served at a restaurant. 

Protecting Communities

Some geographical and socio-economic communities have greater levels of exposure and vulnerabilities to the toxic components of plastic production. For instance, much of the plastic waste that is either discarded or incinerated is done so in facilities located in lower income communities. This exposes residents of those communities to harmful gases and emissions that can cause significant health issues. 

To learn more about the BFFPPA — and to get involved in making moves against the onslaught of plastic on our environment, our communities, and our health, click here.

To learn more about the ingestion of plastic and its impacts on people and animals, click here.

To learn more about the toxic chemicals that have been identified in plastic, click here.

To learn more about the Filtrol and what we’re doing to stop plastic in its tracks, click here.

Protecting Minnesota

6 July 2021
Andrew Hofsetter
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Categories: Blog, Plastic Pollution, Plastic Solutions, Research & Development

For years, we’ve been doing research that has the potential to make a global difference and we’ve distributed our plastic filtration products to almost every continent. As the problem becomes more and more apparent and as people become more and more aware of the need to make significant moves in a better direction, there are more contributors to the conversations and more innovators to the problem. Plastic, after all, is found deep in the ocean and on top of the highest mountains. It’s impacting countless species of fish and birds, being ingested by animals and people alike, and is eventually found on our plates and even in our beer. 

At Filtrol, we want to be part of the global solution to this problem.

But we also want to be part of the local solution. In Minnesota, our local ecosystem is one of the best things we have going for us. With over 10,000 lakes, miles of serene landscapes, and more water front property than coastal states, we are an outdoor enthusiast’s dream with four seasons of outdoor activity, from snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice fishing in the winter to jet skis, wakeboarding, and camping in the summer. Avid hunters and fishermen have miles upon miles of forests, fields, trails, lakes, rivers, and creeks. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area offers solitude and the southern and western parts of our state produce crops that are shipped across the country. 

In all of this flurry of activity and opportunity in our state, we are serious about keeping Minnesota all that it was meant to be for our children and grandchildren…and then for their children and grandchildren. 

Part of this means that we’re doing the hard work and research to make sure the products we build in our labs are easy to install and maintain for people. We don’t want anybody to not use our plastic filtration system because it didn’t seem worth the headache. 

We also are committed to keeping the Filtrol affordable. Being socially and environmentally responsible shouldn’t cost so much. An affordable, easy-to-install and maintain filtration system can make it possible for individual people to make exponential impacts on massive, microscopic issues. 

We’re also serious about making the Filtrol effective.

The Filtrol is already doing good work, but we know we can do better. We’re always trying to improve our catch rates. We’re continuing our efforts to produce minimal waste even in our manufacturing, so that from start to finish, the Filtrol is environmentally-conscious. We’re always trying to expand our reach, so that more people in more places are using the Filtrol. And we’re always trying to protect the place we love to call home. Minnesota!

FILTROL – Turning the Tides on Plastic

31 March 2021
Andrew Hofsetter
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Categories: Blog, Plastic Pollution, Research & Development

At Filtrol, our goals are somewhat aspirational. We say things like “stopping plastic” and “solving the plastic pollution problem.” We are making some big, bold claims and setting our sights on some pretty extravagant deliverables. 

But we’re not naive. 

We know that the problem we’re up against is enormous. We know that the real numbers on the amount of plastic entering our streams, rivers, and oceans are simply estimates. We know that the implications to the careless manufacturing and disposal of single-use plastics are still up in the air. We know that plastic is being consumed by wildlife and by humans at alarming rates. We know that plastic is being manufactured at rates that can’t even be compared to the rates at which they’re breaking down. 

But we’re not slowing down. 

We are working hard on newer, more efficient, more affordable versions of the Filtrol, with prototypes and filtration media lining our shelves. We are researching and learning from our competitors — knowing that we are in the minority of businesses who actually celebrate the work of those on the same mission as we are. We are working on more effective methods for educating people on the harmful implications of plastic and more productive ways to get a Filtrol into the hands — and onto the laundry systems — of every home and business. 

Join our Fight?

If you don’t already have a Filtrol installed on your home or commercial laundry system, consider buying one. It’s a worthwhile investment. If you don’t know much about plastic pollution, learn more here. 

Earth Day is on April 22nd!

31 March 2021
Andrew Hofsetter
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Categories: Blog, Plastic Pollution, Plastic Solutions, Research & Development

Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd! Now is the time to start planning; to start thinking about what you will do this year!

Earth Day Opportunities for Impact

Earth Day is a great opportunity to organize a community-oriented event that will engage people and make a difference. You can do something alone or with a few friends or you can think bigger and organize a city-wide activity. 

Raise money to donate reusable grocery bags. Organize a community event to clean up litter at a park or beach. Plant trees. Spread mulch and plant flowers. 

There are endless opportunities for Earth Day activities! 

The goal of these events is to help people to take ownership of the world around them. You’re not asking them to join a political movement or to handcuff themselves to trees in the forest. You’re inviting them to dream bigger about what your home, neighborhood, community, or city can look like and feel like. 

Organize a Green Litter Movement

Not all litter is bad.

Let’s quickly clarify that statement. 

Consider buying wildflower seeds like these and hand them out to your neighbors and friends. Encourage them to toss them; to throw them along ditches, roadways, and boulevards. To hand them out to others to do the same. Before long, our neighborhoods will be glittered with color and beauty. 

Make this coming Earth Day one where a greener, healthier, more beautiful type of litter becomes part of our communities! 

Let April 22nd be Day 1

The goal of something like Earth Day is not for one day of care and concern followed by 364 days of neglect. Instead, think of ways to make April 22nd the first day of some new initiatives in your life, your home, or your community. 

Make this coming Earth Day the start of a whole new effort to make smarter, more eco-friendly decisions. Whether it’s the day you officially stop using plastic grocery bags or its the day you start your “Plant One Tree a Month” initiative, April 22nd can be the start of a whole new way of life! 

At Filtrol, we are excited to partner with people and organizations who are serious about protecting our environment and stopping the onslaught of plastic pollution all around us. 

What will you do this Earth Day to protect our environment? 

Plastic and Our World – A Shared Mission

28 February 2021
Andrew Hofsetter
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Categories: Blog, Plastic Pollution, Research & Development

Plastic and Our World – A Shared Mission

According to The Nature Conservancy, “If current trends continue, roughly 12 billion metric tons of plastic waste will be in our landfills or polluting the environment by 2050—the equivalent of almost 80 million blue whales.”

This statistic and others like it are sounding an alarm unilaterally across the globe. The problem is growing. The conversation is being followed by more people. Governments and NGOs are getting involved. Homeowners are getting involved. Children are part of the solution and so are grandparents. It’s a universally relevant and necessary conversation, because the plastic problem isn’t just not going away. It’s exponentially growing. 

We All Have a Part to Play

Convenience is sometimes irresponsible. Single use plastics and cheaper manufacturing are turning out to be much more costly to our environment and our way of life than once known. And now it’s time to decide if we’re okay with ignoring the implications. 

The call to stop the flow of plastic waste is getting louder and louder as more time passes. As more plastic is released into our environment each minute and as more opportunities arise to make practical, thoughtful changes to our normal, everyday routines, we are given the chance to start making a change. 

It’s not even necessarily an “all or none” invitation, even though some would frame it that way. 

Reduction is Something

It seems that many in this conversation speak in extremes and therefore isolate most people. The majority of people in this conversation legitimately care about the issue of plastic pollution but don’t know how to make a difference. They don’t see how their family of 5 choosing to not use plastic silverware or straws is going to save the whales. 

But it’s not “all or none.” It’s better choices. It’s reducing each one of our own plastic impacts on our world. It’s about making some changes, starting to reduce the number of plastic bags you use at the grocery store. Investing in higher quality clothing that keeps plastics out of their materials. Partnering with brands that are committed to a healthier planet. 

Ultimately, this isn’t a discussion about politics or belief systems. The data is clear that plastic is everywhere. We can clearly see how our manufacturing innovations have led to global pollution. And now it’s simply time to start making some changes. To start reducing our use of single-use plastics. To start caring about the fabrics in our clothing. To stop plastic before it leaves our homes. 

Read the full article from the Nature Conservancy entitled, “It’s Now or Forever: Let’s stop the flow of plastic waste” here.

Learn more about what FIltrol is doing to make plastic pollution a problem we all can help solve. 

A Piece of the Plastic Puzzle

16 November 2020
Andrew Hofsetter
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Categories: Blog, Plastic Pollution, Plastic Solutions, Research & Development

The global plastic problem continues to grow and the implications for our world and for the generations to follow are still being measured. Plastic is being found in the most remote parts of the earth: at the deepest parts of the ocean; high in the mountains; deep in the woods; far out into the middle of nowhere. It’s being detected everywhere and its impact is still being deciphered. 

It’s a complex problem being fed by manufacturing, by consumerism, by production processes, and by recycling standards. It’s being perpetuated by habits and lazy behaviors and being ignored by world leaders and CEOs. 

At Filtrol, we are one piece of the puzzle. 

Our easy-to-install, easy-to-maintain lint filter stops more than 90% of the microfiber and plastic particles being flushed out of your washing machine’s wastewater. By stopping the microplastics before they leave your house, they’re not able to enter the ecosystem. When these plastics aren’t stopped, they enter the water treatment system, working their way past filtration systems in municipal treatment plants and back into nature. They find themselves in freshwater sources, food sources like fish and birds, and eventually onto our dinner plates. Millions upon millions of plastic particles are pushed into our ecosystem daily.

We know that our technology at Filtrol has a significant role in how this plastic pollution narrative plays out. Plastic pollution, after all, isn’t going to be solved only with a simple advancement in technology or a single policy decision in Washington or in the international community. It is going to require something much bigger than a washing machine filter. It will require international buy-in. It will require policies and standards that will be followed. It will require funding and follow through. 

And we’re here to fill in our piece of the puzzle. 

To see how Filtrol will make a difference to your home’s plastic pollution output, watch here: 

Overcoming Roadblocks: The Plastic Pollution Problem

1 September 2020
Andrew Hofsetter
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Categories: Blog, Plastic Pollution, Plastic Solutions, Research & Development

The world is full of hardworking people helping to keep microfiber pollution in the conversation and to make it a problem that gets solved rather than a burden that gets bigger. We know that we are just one part of a much larger, global movement. At Filtrol, one of the biggest conversations we have as researchers and experts on plastic pollution is about the roadblocks that get in our way. Some of our challenges can be solved with engineering. Some with more funding or by working together. Some of them require a much bigger, more fundamental shift in our culture.

As much as we can, we’re going to work hard to overcome roadblocks and solve the plastic pollution problem. 

Roadblock 1 – Funding

Research and development costs money. Any time our engineers look to re-examine microfiber pollution and find different ways to stop it from continuing on its path, it costs something. Every iteration of our product is another investment of our resources.  And every investment of our resources is a commitment by our team and network. The work that the Filtrol does to stop plastics from leaving your home came because of engineering innovation. Which, in this context, is really just a fancy word for trying and then trying again and then again…and then again. Which is another fancy word for time and money. 

Roadblock 2 – Education

Many of the challenges that we face in our efforts to solve microfiber pollution exist within the human mind. Many people are not aware of the true extent and implications of plastic in our environment. This lack of awareness or education translates into apathy for many people. And apathy is a brutal adversary. 

So from our perspective, the more we can educate people about the realities around us, the more people we have to join us in our fight for our environment. 

Roadblock 3 – Worthy Competitors

We live in a culture filled with challenges and causes. From the months-long battle against COVID-19 to the shifting cultural tides regarding race relations throughout our country, there are many people fighting for many causes that are serious…and worthwhile.

Each fight takes education, money, and passion. 

At Filtrol, we understand that there are many worthwhile causes being discussed right now. Each cause has significant implications for our culture…for our communities, our country, and for our future. 

The roadblocks that we face in our efforts are not unique to Filtrol. They are, however, something that we must overcome if we are going to make an impact on the world around us. 

We remain as committed as ever to stopping plastic pollution and it’s devastating effects on our environment. We understand that this battle will take a long time, a lot of commitment and dedicated resources. We understand that in this fight, success is measured over long periods of time. 

Will you join us in our cause?