What kind of pollutants are in New York City's waterways?

NEW YORK -- Ever wondered what kind of pollutants are in the New York City waterways? Well, New York Harbor, the Hudson and East Rivers, Upper New York Bay, and Newtown Creek are teaming with plastic.

In a recent study, the group NY/NJ Baykeeper estimated that NYC's waterways contain 165 million plastic particles. These particles come from such notable sources as plastic water bottles, bags, and cups that have broken down after being thrown into the water.

As such, most plastic particles found in NYC's waterways are tiny specks. However, just because these particles are small doesn't mean they're harmless.

For example, fish see these tiny plastic pieces and think they're food, which means not only are they ingesting plastic, they're also ingesting harmful chemicals that stick to the plastic.

To make matters worse, humans eat these fish, which means humans are ingesting cancer-causing chemicals and tiny plastic bits. So remember to recycle your plastic bottles, bags, and any other plastic goods you use, it is a simple way to protect our waterways and possibly your health.

For more info:

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/waters-nyc-165m-plastic-particles-article-1.2530618

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e1754ab193d344c095b1242f7508d446/nyc-waters-are-teeming-plastic-particles-study-finds