Page 5 - Jupiter West - February '23

Jupiter West, Page 5
Northern Notes

Dispose Of Plastic Bags Besides the environmental aspects of plastic, plastic
Properly So They Don’t End bags in particular can cause damage to stormwater
drainage systems. Plastic bags can clog storm drains
Up In Our Waterways and waterways, threatening urban environments and
creating severe safety hazards. Drainage systems blocked
By Katie Roundtree, by plastic bags have been identified as a major cause of
Director of Finance and flooding in countries like India and Bangladesh during
Administration, Northern monsoon season.
Palm Beach County More locally, plastic bags can get caught and
Improvement District damage aerator motors and stormwater pumps. Aerator
Americans use about is from littering. Still, maintenance costs are higher because of plastic bag
100 billion plastic bags a many of the plastics in debris. Recently an aerator required repair due to damage
year. These include plastic waterways result from from a plastic bag. The bag was drawn into the motor
grocery, shopping, food storms, water runoff, and of the aerator and wrapped around the spinning shaft,
storage, yard fertilizer winds that carry plastic causing the engine to freeze up and burn out. It also
and pet waste disposal – both intact objects and burnt out the electrical lines and cabling attached to the
bags. Plastic bags are so microplastics – into our motor. After all of the repairs were completed, including
lightweight and aerodynamic that even if we dispose of waterways and oceans. replacing 250 feet of cabling, that one plastic bag caused
them properly, they can get misplaced. They escape from The problem with over $4,000 in damages to the aerator.
our trash cans, garbage trucks and landfills and go where microplastics is that they Stormwater pumps must function optimally to provide
the wind takes them – into storm drains, canals, lakes, do not readily break down proper drainage following rain events and storms. They
and eventually, the ocean. into harmless molecules are critical to many of the stormwater systems in our area.
Plastic bags remain toxic even after they break down. just like plastic items If debris gets caught in them, the motors can also burn
They don’t biodegrade; they photodegrade. That means of any size. Plastics out and not work properly when most needed. The pumps
that after sunlight breaks them down; they degrade, can take hundreds or used are submersed in several feet of water. They are not
breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces, until they thousands of years to easily able to be inspected from above the water. When
can ultimately enter the food chain. These tiny particles decompose – and in the debris caught in the motor is discovered, the damage may
of plastic are called microplastics, officially defined meantime, wreak havoc already be done.
as plastics less than five millimeters (0.2 inches) in on the environment. On If you choose to use plastic bags, please dispose of
diameter – smaller than the standard pearl used in jewelry. beaches, microplastics them properly and securely. Please do not throw them in
There are two categories of microplastics: primary and are visible as tiny the waterways. This request not only pertains to shopping
secondary. multicolored plastic bits in the sand. In the oceans, bags, but includes fertilizer bags, pet waste disposal bags
Primary microplastics are tiny particles designed for microplastic pollution is often consumed by marine and food storage bags. Properly placing them in a secure
commercial use, such as cosmetics, or microfibers shed animals. receptacle could help keep our stormwater systems and,
from clothing and other textiles, such as fishing nets. Microplastics have been detected in marine organisms, ultimately, our waterways clear.
Secondary microplastics are particles that result from the from plankton to whales, commercial seafood, and NPDES tip: Storms occur all year round. Make sure
breakdown of larger plastic items, such as water bottles. drinking water. Alarmingly, standard water treatment your yards and trees are trimmed neatly to avoid flying
This breakdown is caused by exposure to environmental facilities cannot remove all traces of microplastics. To debris during a storm. Dispose of your trimmings and
factors, mainly the sun’s radiation and ocean waves. further complicate matters, microplastics in the ocean can clippings properly. Do not put them into storm drains
Single-use plastics – plastic items meant to be used bind with other harmful chemicals before being ingested or lakes!
just once and then discarded, such as a straw or plastic by marine organisms. Scientists are still unsure whether
bag – are the primary source of secondary plastics in consumed microplastics are harmful to human or animal
the environment. Some of this environmental pollution health – and, if so, what specific dangers they may pose.

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