The Plastic Menace

For those of you who want even more scientific reasons for cleaning up rivers such as the Rideau, here is some information about the breakdown of plastics in water.Plastic water bottles are made using (among other things) the element antimony. Antimony is toxic, and leaches into the water inside and outside the bottle over time. CBC Radio’s science program “Quirks and Quarks” aired a story about this on March 18, 2006 which you can listen to at http://cbc.ca/quirks/archives/05-06/mar18.html
Here’s another danger of plastic breakdown in water. Over time plastic bottles break down to release microscopic bits of plastic. These plastic bits are the size that can be ingested by aquatic animals. Though the effect of these tiny plastic bits on wildlife is unknown, it is probably not good. Quirks and Quarks aired a story about this on May 8, 2004 which you can listen to at http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/archives/03-04/may08.html.
To these microscopic dangers, add the well-known dangers of aquatic life getting tangled up in garbage and chemicals affecting our drinking water and fish we eat. Like Catherine points out, taking care of our environment literally does take care of ourselves. And of course there is the unscientific but perfectly legitimate reason for cleaning up the Rideau, that we would rather have a pretty environment than an ugly one.

Jay Fitzsimmons