Rock on

[Adios]

At the risk of being labelled frivolous; you may have ingested 8 spiders in the last 12 months, do you have any symptoms attributable to this? Gruesome as our profligacy and carelessness with plastics and other wonders of modern life are, is there actual pathology from microplastics or is this just handwringing? So far I haven't read anything compelling.

no its a fair question. Absence of clear proof of harm is certainly not proof there is no harm but if you factor in say "A single tea bag can dump nearly 12 billion microplastics into your drink" A single tea bag can dump nearly 12 billion microplastics into your drink — here’s how to avoid that and consider most tea drinkers are on maybe 100 billion a day and don't seem to be keeling over its fair to assume its harm is not rapid and dramatic.

Does it all pass harmlessly through us? A WHO person said "Microplastics shouldn’t be the top of anyone’s worry list when it comes to their overall health," because WHO researchers have determined that microplastics larger than 150 micrometers do not present any adverse effects to human health" ---- "because they essentially pass through the gut without being absorbed," And that "we don’t recommend that regulators be monitoring for microplastics routinely," Health risks from ingesting microplastics in drinking water 'low,' WHO researchers say

Hold on though, thats right, I lost all respect for the WHO a while ago. “More than 90% of the particles we found were under 10 microns and 80% were under 5 microns,” Recycling can release huge quantities of microplastics, study finds

And when they are finding Microplastics revealed in the placentas of unborn babies Its clear they are not just passing through us. Does it accumulate gradually? Does it effect developing humans more than fully formed. The incredible rise in autism and allergies coincides with the timeline.

Or is it inert and harmless? Come on, what are the odds of that best case scenario. So sure are we though, that we continue polluting our planet unabated on that stupid assumption despite emerging evidence. "The most recent analysis has identified more than 10,000 unique chemicals used in plastics, of which more than 2,400 are of potential concern" Microplastics are in our bodies. How much do they harm us? "Sorting out which particular chemical combinations are problematic, and finding the level and length of exposure that causes harm in such a convoluted brew is no easy task." The nature of epidemiology is such that it will likely never be possible to say definatively. So do we keep polluting while waiting for something that is unlikely to be resolved? or move based on known history of chemical ingestion causing harm and put a stop to plastics now? I know what I think but I also know what is more likely to happen.

 

[ryanroberts]

Isn't wind turbine manufacture likely a larger user of GRP than leisure boating nowadays?

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Isn't wind turbine manufacture likely a larger user of GRP than leisure boating nowadays?

probably not, but either way wind turbines might stop societal collapse once oil or coal eventually runs out, and might reduce global warming due to use of such fossil fuel. So a calculated risk against a dramatic and presently out of control risk in a non-essential sector .

The first rule in safety is first eliminate a risk by eliminating the structure or process, then mitigate its effects with modified usage, and only as last resort mitigate impact by aftermarket safety measures

Probably most GRP hulls could be reused as it is not that bit that usually fails, though the producers would hate that. My firm advocates reuse of concrete as part of zero carbon process (making new boats of ferrocrete therefore not a way forward). The leisure market could do the same, and could be compelled to do so a government that was willing to intervene as they have in the construction industry.

How we get rid of unusable grp hulls is still a thorny problem.

 

[Adios]

"It became clear the asbestos fibers were dangerous, but still took almost 100 years for successive governments to agree on the legislation required to list all types of asbestos, their dangers and their permissible uses."

Asbestos Safety Advice: Identifying and Testing

 

[ryanroberts]

I imagine disposal (if not recycling) is built into turbine blade manufacture in a way that it isn't with boats. As a MAB fan and tinkerer I would personally most likely choose something to upcycle again