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• 1 media/Screen Shot 2024-05-01 at 11.32.34 AM.png 2024-05-01T04:47:02+00:00 Call to Action 5 image_header 2024-05-01T17:46:58+00:00 To relate all these instances back to Nixon, one can clearly see how the distribution of microplastics in the water is not created equal. The wealth and demographics of a community is one of the main predictors of water quality, with the poorer and less privileged members of society (mostly in the United States, however some of the studies examined the entire world) often at the forefront of microplastic pollution. Whether it is racially or class motivated, it can be observed that the wastewater treatment plants and pollutant contributors (such as a refinery) in these areas often of poor efficiency and quality. This is an instance of slow violence, as these basic needs and regulations are often ignored by the people responsible for the wellbeing of those communities. 
  Altogether, microplastic pollution is an undisputed source of slow violence that is devastating to the environment and humans alike. The populations suffering from its effects are often disadvantaged and marginalized by the general population and are often neglected by the government that is supposed to provide upkeep and sanitation for their water purification. The proximity of microplastic concentration and these communities are also strongly correlated, and this is not by accident. It is necessary for us to understand that plastic and fossil fuel corporations, in addition to the government itself are largely responsible for the suffering of these communities, and the call for better purification standards in addition to other social reforms is a must. For example, there should be a zone where “fenceline” communities cannot be built, especially if it is around a plastics or oil facility, as those areas are the most dangerous for the health of individuals and their families. Additionally, more plastic enhancing chemicals such as PFAS should be banned due to their carcinogenic properties, no matter the cost on product efficiency. Rob Nixon has shown what slow violence can do to populations if left unchecked, and since microplastic pollution is starting to become more and more visible, it must be stopped before it is too late.