As the cut flower industry hits one of its busiest periods , new RMIT research has shown that the water - absorbing green floral foam used by florist is contributing to the world ’s microplastic problem .
A bailiwick published inScience of the Total Environmentfound the charge plate foam , which breaks into bantam pieces , can be ingested by a orbit of fresh water and marine animals and affect their health .
Charlene Trestrail from RMIT ’s Ecotoxicology Research group said the study - the first to probe the environmental effects of foam - looked specifically at the impact of this widely - used substance on aquatic animals .
“ We tested a range of invertebrates with different feeding mode and all creature ingested the froth , with some species demonstrating strain responses as a result of consuming the material , ” said Trestrail , a Ph.D. researcher in theSchool of Science .
The immense legal age of florist who expend foam are disposing of floral froth particle down the sink , according to a recent survey by the Sustainable Floristry web .
The survey of more than 1200 florists globally find two - third gear of florist use froth , and of those that do , 72 % pour the foam sewer water down the sink or waste pipe , while 15 % add it to the garden or soil .
A social media trend of crushing floral foam , often straight off into the sink , is also impart to flowered foam pollution outcome , with one video promote the rage amassing 70 million views . Each foam stop is equivalent in system of weights to around 10 plastic bag .
Rita Feldmann , beginner of the Sustainable Floristry internet , pronounce the research confirms the suspiciousness of concerned florists who are questioning the product and reverting to more sustainable , old - fashioned methods of floral design .
“ For an industriousness that seeks to celebrate nature , we are really adding to environmental problems when using this product , ” Feldmann said .
“ Disposal issuance have stemmed directly from a lack of user data about the ware on packaging and at the point of sales event .
" For the past 60 years , florists all over the world have been pouring it down the sink or putting it in the soil .
" And we have no idea what client do with it - we do know that it is on a regular basis buried with coffin . ”
Fighting against floral foamFloral foam has been the base medium of choice for florist all over the world since its invention in the US by manufacturer Smithers Oasis in the 1950s .
The RMIT study showed the flowered froth microplastics also leach chemicals into the surrounding weewee and these were more toxic to aquatic invertebrate than leachates from other plastic family unit .
Trestrail said more inquiry was needed to well understand the impingement of ingestion of the particles and related compounds on animals .
New global organisation the Sustainable Floristry web has been created on the back of the # nofloralfoam movement start by Feldmann , with many florists among the 33,000 follow the@nofloralfoamInstagram account .
indorse by highly view florists from around the ball , theSustainable Floristry Networkaims to endorse florists to passage to more sustainable practices by providing free education on foam - liberal floristry and sustainable floral excogitation and business concern practices . The connection will also provide a templet for how customer can discover a sustainable florist .
The study , Foaming at the backtalk : Ingestion of floral foam microplastics by aquatic animals , with older generator Professor Dayanthi Nugegoda and Professor Jeff Shimeta , is bring out inScience of the Total Environment(DOI : 10.1016 / j.scitotenv.2019.135826 ) .
reservoir : RMIT University
