This letter features reporting from “From Merino Blend to Microplastic Monsoon: Hidden Health Hazards in Leftover Clothing" by Anne Whiting
Dear Senator Rouse,
As a Virginia Beach 13-year-old middle schooler, I often buy clothes online. After reading an article on the Pulitzer Center website, “From Merino Blend to Microplastic Monsoon: Hidden Health Hazards in Leftover Clothing," I might stop. Fast fashion companies all around the world get money by making cheap clothes and selling them for cheap. Everyone is attracted to a good deal. Yet these cheap clothes have a secret. Synthetic polyester often used in these products causes there to be microplastics in the ocean, affecting the ecosystems and surrounding community. Inexpensive clothing is low quality, meaning it's made quickly and thrown away just as fast. This means that all those microplastics are ending up in our oceans and presenting hazards. Not only do their microplastics attract unhealthy substances, but the clothes themselves have chemicals and dyes that just aren't safe for our waterways. It's dangerous for water used by local people to have unknown chemicals that could potentially harm us.
The article focuses on mounds of trash found on beaches in Accra, most of which are clothing. The clothing that ends up on these beaches are donated from places like the U.S. The article states that "[e]very week, over 15 million garments arrive in Accra." Not all the clothes are resold, some just end up in the ocean. Eventually, the clothes will break down but stay in the ocean. The pieces might be microscopic, but they’re still there, and can be a threat to humans and marine life. I know firsthand that this isn't only happening in Accra. From my time visiting Liberia, a small country on the coast of Africa, I see that trash accumulates rapidly in a lot of countries, especially low income countries. Researchers in Accra have to figure out how to reduce microplastics in their waters and also reduce the influx of low quality clothing that causes the microplastics.
This affects everyone no matter where they live. That is why this issue concerns me. Virginia Beach gets its name from the beautiful beaches we have. Now imagine if those beaches were polluted with clothes and trash that won't decompose. We also live near the Chesapeake Bay and it is constantly degrading. A problem like this is not easy to solve but it helps knowing the root. Not many people know about where microplastics come from or how harmful they can be. Informing people on this subject would help others to know how to safely discard clothing and materials that could be harmful to our oceans.
There may not be much we can do to completely eliminate this problem, but we can use our voices. Virginia Beach citizens need to know how their clothes could end up in the Chesapeake Bay if not disposed of correctly. We could research how to safely dispose of clothing or ways to reuse leftover clothing. That way the public can be properly advised on how they can help. Policies and programs could even be put in place to help clean and prevent trash on our beaches. The companies that make these clothing also need to be included. If we don't call these companies out now, no matter what we do to clean our bay, the problem will continue to grow. So, making fast fashion companies take accountability for their actions could help get rid of overproduction that ultimately leads to excess clothes being wasted and thrown away. In some other countries, companies are now being made to pay for their overproduction. That could be something we implement in Virginia too. Or if we stop the overproduction of low quality clothing, there would be less to throw away.
Synthetic polyester in our oceans is a problem that affects all of us. Using these solutions, we can help to keep our oceans clean and our hearts cleaner.
Respectfully,
Hannah Baysah

Hannah Baysah is passionate about environmental science and enjoys learning popular topics related to science. In school, Hannah often participates in clubs like Operation Smile where Hannah can make a small difference in others lives. Hannah has always loved writing and hopes this letter will be an inspiration to others to write about topics they are passionate about.
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