• PugJesus@lemmy.worldOPMEnglish
    13·
    2 months ago

    Explanation: The Romans used lead-lined cookware not in ignorance of its dangers, but wholly cognizant of them - the Romans recognized lead poisoning from various sources, and regarded lead as ‘unwholesome’ to human health.

    They used lead widely in many applications that they could be forgiven for thinking were not dangerous - they understood how to prevent lead leaching in pipes, and used lead in writing tablets. Less forgivably, in cosmetics. But most dangerous of all was the use of lead pots in making ‘defrutum’ - sweet wine jelly syrup, which wealthy Romans loved to put on everything. The thing is, the process uses lead specifically because other materials won’t do - copper and iron leave an aftertaste, while lead vessels actually make it sweeter, as lead itself acetate is slightly sweet.

    What’s a little harmless poison in your condiments, after all?

  • rumschlumpel@feddit.orgEnglish
    113·
    2 months ago

    To be fair, most microplastics come from tires and synthetic clothing, not plastic vessels used for food.

    • FireRetardant@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      2 months ago

      There is still the problem that most plastics will exist with us for 100s of years. Landfill space isn’t free, it blows around and pollutes the environment, and it is made from oil products.

      Plastic is killing us even if it isn’t just the microplaatics.

      We could also reduce trie use by building better cities and more transit, we could go back to using more natural fibres for our clothing.

      • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
        4·
        2 months ago

        I love plastic. They were right in the midcentury, it’s a wonder material. The fact we use it for cheap disposables (well, “disposables”) is an insult to the chemists that brought us something so wonderful.

      • rumschlumpel@feddit.orgEnglish
        2·
        2 months ago

        Sure. It still helps a lot to be able to correctly quantify where the microplastic is coming from. Would YOU have guessed that most of it comes from tires? I wouldn’t have.

    • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      3·
      2 months ago

      And most ocean plastic is straight up fishing gear.

      If you’re going to do anything political with your diet stop eating seafood, guys. If it’s bad, that industry does it.

  • I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.worldEnglish
    510·
    2 months ago

    There has yet to be a solid study showing negative health effects from plastic. Yes, it is EVERYWHERE now, and that’s definitely not a good thing. But it’s not like we have any real signs of it causing disease or cancer.