September 5, 2022
Journalist Simon (Plight of the Living Dead) reveals in this alarming study how microplastics have invaded Earth’s ecosystems and the human body. The tiny particles of eroding plastic originate in such ubiquitous objects as cars, clothes, and product packaging, and can be found everywhere “from the depths of the Mariana Trench to the tippy top of Mount Everest and every place in between.” Simon explains the process of plastic erosion, noting, for instance, that a single load of laundry flushes “between 91,000 and 138,000 microfibers” into wastewater treatment facilities, and how container ships shed microplastics into the ocean that contaminate seafood intended for human consumption. A major health concern, Simon writes, stems from the from endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in plastics that “make hormones go haywire, even in low concentrations.” Simon offers some solid solutions such as microfiber filters on washing machines, the use of more sustainable materials in clothing manufacturing, and in general reducing society’s dependence on plastic (after all, he notes, “the microplastic crisis is the macroplastic crisis”). This is a lucid, distressing look at a growing environmental concern. Agent: David Fugate, LaunchBooks Literary.
Starred review from September 1, 2022
So crushing are the grim totals of microplastics circulating in the water, air, and land of planet Earth that early on in this informed, utterly blindsiding account, Wired science journalist Simon pauses to comfort readers that there are indeed solutions to be found. The totals, though, are overwhelming: more than half of the 18 trillion pounds of plastic produced since its invention in 1907 were manufactured in the last 20 years. Microplastics embedded in faraway Arctic ice absorb more heat from the sun, causing the ice to melt at a faster rate. Nutrient-free microplastics filling the digestive systems of marine life are causing weight loss, which reverberates up and down the food chain. China alone used 2.6 billion pounds of plastic mulch over 77,000 square miles of farmland by 2011 (23 billion pounds are now used worldwide). And on and on. As promised, Simon offers solutions: banish the obsolescence built into the synthetic-heavy clothes we wear; tax the producers of microplastics; take cars off the road by bolstering public transit; veer away from single-use plastic. But it all starts with understanding the scale of the problem, which Simon's book clearly conveys.
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September 15, 2022
A science journalist for Wired issues an urgent call to action aimed at curbing the introduction of microplastics into the environment. As Simon explains, microplastics are pieces of plastic smaller than 5 mm, approximately the size of a pencil eraser, and they can be found everywhere, from the depths of the oceans to the highest mountaintop. From our first sip of to-go coffee in the morning to our drive home from work in the evening, we are continually dumping microplastics into the environment and, ultimately, into our bodies. Microplastics can contain up to 10,000 different chemicals, and many of these chemicals can pose potential health risks. According to one study, preparing baby formula in plastic bottles disinfected with steam can expose "an infant to an additional 660,000 microplastics by the time they're a year old." When plastics break down in the environment, the pieces get smaller and smaller but never truly disappear. Scientists are in the early stages of exploring this issue, so the full extent of the problem is not yet known. However, according to the studies Simon presents, ingredients in plastics have been linked to various illnesses and conditions, including depression, sexual dysfunction, and cancer, among others. Further, Simon contends, plastic pollution is an often overlooked contributor to climate change. Throughout the book, the author presents evidence obtained from his travels with research scientists studying the negative effects of microplastics. The evidence is clear: The oceans are growing more infested with microplastics, and they have become a fundamental component of the air we breathe. Microplastics also show up at all points in the food chain, and humans "are at the very end of that chain." Even though "all the pieces of plastic great and small are out there for good," writes the author, "we can at least turn down the tap." A convincing treatment of a subject that will remain relevant for years to come.
COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.