Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
The use of disposable face masks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to more microplastics in waterways, a recent study from Canadian researchers has found.
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that are less than 5 millimetres long and are created through the degradation of discarded plastic-containing products. These particles have been observed polluting various natural ecosystems, particularly aquatic environments.
The study was published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials in September and involved researchers from Concordia University, the University of Regina, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Memorial University. They looked into how disposable masks break down in a shoreline environment.
"With the increasing presence of waste masks on shorelines, it is critical that the environmental effect of disposable masks on the shoreline environment be evaluated in a timely manner," the authors wrote.
Disposable surgical masks are typically made from a type of plastic called polypropylene and consist of three layers – outer, middle and inner. Many masks also contain some chemical additives, which can also be released into waterways as the masks break down.
The researchers exposed masks to simulated shoreline conditions and observed how the masks broke down. They exposed the masks to UV light for up to 48 hours while keeping a control group of masks wrapped in aluminum foil.
After 18 hours of UV exposure, the masks showed "obvious deformation or damage" on the inner and outer layers, the researchers wrote. After 36 hours, most of the fibres in all of the layers of the masks were damaged, creating miniscule fibre fragments.
UV exposure resulted in more than 1.5 million microplastic particles being released from a single mask, compared to just over 483,000 particles for masks not exposed to UV.
"Masks have become a part of daily life, both during and after the pandemic. So, it is necessary to establish strategies to deal with mask waste," Concordia PhD student and lead author Zheng Wang told CTVNews.ca over the phone on Wednesday.
An estimated 129 billion face masks are used globally each month, according to a June 2020 study led by Portuguese researchers. Wang says the findings underscore the need for governments, researchers and industry to collaborate and find ways to prevent further pollution in our waterways.
"For the public, we need to increase awareness to not discard masks randomly. For governments, they need to adopt new regulations to establish best practices. For industries, we need to develop new biodegradable materials for masks and develop new production technologies to reduce the environmental impact," Wang said.
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly Knight, a Grade 4 student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.