00:04plastics are a problem as they break down smaller and smaller they end up in water sources all over
00:08the world eventually making their way into our bodies but now a new study out of new zealand
00:13has revealed it might even be in the air we breathe researchers discovered that on an average
00:18day in auckland there are 5 000 particles of microplastics on every ten and a half square foot
00:22area of surface meaning it's in the air if all of that microplastic was gathered the estimate it
00:28would add up to 74 metric tons of plastic every year and this number far outweighs previous estimates
00:33of airborne microplastics in other cities a disturbing revelation previous research has
00:38discovered that there are in fact tiny bits of plastic in our respiratory system though experts
00:42have yet to link that source of exposure to any health issues still it's concerning as experts say
00:47it's becoming more and more clear that this is an important route of exposure but how is it getting
00:51into the air evidence suggests that coastal winds may be aerosolizing the plastic that is already in
00:56the ocean water with most of the microplastic particles deriving from plastic bags food and beverage
01:01packaging as well as plastic from protective gear and medical devices
