Name: Xander Lefleur

Social Justice Group: Microplastics (B)

Date of Fieldwork: December 11, 2024

Name of Organization and person (people) with whom you met and their title(s):Eliza Zygmuntowicz: An Expert In The Field Of Science

What I did and what I learned about my topic, activism, social justice work or civil and human rights work from this fieldwork:

We learned many things from our interview with Eliza. Microplastics have been pushed to the side, even though they have shocking consequences on the human body. Microplastics contain carcinogens, which means they cause cancer. Multiple studies have shown a direct correlation between exposure to microplastics and cancer in the human body. Microplastics have also been linked to the rise in colon and lung cancer.

Microplastics have a drastic effect on the microbiome. The microbiome is located in our gut. It is a place where bacteria thrive. These bacteria help maintain a balance in our bodies. Microplastics disrupt this balance, and the result is a unbalanced human body, which usually causes sickness. Lastly, Microplastics also disrupt the immune system, preventing our body from defending itself from sickness. Overall, microplastics pose a large threat to the human populace, which can only be remedied with change.