How to cut out microplastics Avoid microwaving food in plastic containers
By Matthew Griffin
Microplastics are everywhere. These small plastic particles often smaller than the width of a human hair have been found in the food we eat, the liquids we drink and throughout the human body, including in lungs, brains, blood and breast milk.
While researchers are still determining the exact impacts on human health, microplastics (and their tinier variant, nanoplastics) pose a dual threat. The particles can cause harm, and so can the chemicals they contain. One study linked plastics in blood-vessel plaque to the risk of heart attack, stroke or death from any cause. Other research has found plastic exposure may increase the risk of cancer, Parkinson's disease and male infertility.
Plastic's ubiquity means that avoiding it entirely is impossible. But experts say there are steps you can take to minimize its presence.
The "easiest low-hanging fruit" for limiting exposure is to simply cut down on how much plastic you use, says Sheela Sathyanarayana, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington who studies chemicals in plastics that affect the endocrine system.
Straightforward steps, such as switching from bottled to tap water, make a difference. A one-liter bottle of water contains an average of 240,000 plastic fragments, according to a study.
Avoid microwaving food in plastic containers. Photographer: rahman roslan
"Absolutely don't microwave food in plastic," says Gillian Goddard, an
endocrinologist in New York. For warming up food, tempered glass such as Pyrex
is a good alternative.
When you do use plastic items, Goddard recommends hand-washing them heat and abrasion from a dishwasher can spread particles and tossing or repurposing them once they're scratched. She advises against reusing single-use items, like bags and takeout containers, for storage.
When washing synthetic fabrics is unavoidable, there are some ways to minimize harm to the environment, including washing full loads, using cold water and air-drying as much as possible.
At home, though, you can install a HEPA air filter to keep your air clean. The filters catch many particles, though the smallest may slip through. Sathyanarayana also recommends that people take their shoes off in their homes to limit dust recirculating.
Plastic debris scattered along the Lake Uru Uru shore in Oruro, Bolivia. Photographer: Marcelo Perez del Carpio/Bloomberg
Cutting back on plastic also has a positive impact on the environment, though making real headway against the plastic problem will require systemic solutions. The United Nations' Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution is working on what could become a legally binding plastics treaty, but countries remain divided on its scope particularly any provision that would call for reduced production.
Microplastics are everywhere. These small plastic particles often smaller than the width of a human hair have been found in the food we eat, the liquids we drink and throughout the human body, including in lungs, brains, blood and breast milk.
While researchers are still determining the exact impacts on human health, microplastics (and their tinier variant, nanoplastics) pose a dual threat. The particles can cause harm, and so can the chemicals they contain. One study linked plastics in blood-vessel plaque to the risk of heart attack, stroke or death from any cause. Other research has found plastic exposure may increase the risk of cancer, Parkinson's disease and male infertility.
Plastic's ubiquity means that avoiding it entirely is impossible. But experts say there are steps you can take to minimize its presence.
Use less plastic, full stop
Some microplastic exposure comes from the environment: Airborne particles enter the body when we breathe, for example, while plastics in bodies of water build up in seafood. But other sources are closer to home.The "easiest low-hanging fruit" for limiting exposure is to simply cut down on how much plastic you use, says Sheela Sathyanarayana, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington who studies chemicals in plastics that affect the endocrine system.
Straightforward steps, such as switching from bottled to tap water, make a difference. A one-liter bottle of water contains an average of 240,000 plastic fragments, according to a study.
Avoid microwaving food in plastic containers. Photographer: rahman roslan
Keep plastics out of the kitchen
Food storage containers, cutting boards and many other kitchen goods are often made from or include plastic. Fortunately, many of those same items also come in glass or stainless steel (or for cutting boards, wood). Making that switch is especially important when it comes to heat exposure, which can cause plastics to break down more quickly."Absolutely don't microwave food in plastic," says Gillian Goddard, an
endocrinologist in New York. For warming up food, tempered glass such as Pyrex
is a good alternative.When you do use plastic items, Goddard recommends hand-washing them heat and abrasion from a dishwasher can spread particles and tossing or repurposing them once they're scratched. She advises against reusing single-use items, like bags and takeout containers, for storage.
Choose clothes made of natural fibers
Textiles made of synthetic fibers are a frequent and often-forgotten source of microplastic exposure, particularly when they're washed or dried. Plastic-free alternatives include natural fibers like wool, cotton and linen.When washing synthetic fabrics is unavoidable, there are some ways to minimize harm to the environment, including washing full loads, using cold water and air-drying as much as possible.
Keep your air clean
Plastic particles often end up in the air when they're thrown off by tires, for example, or launched from bubbles on the surface of the ocean. If you're walking around outdoors, a high-quality face mask may be your best bet for minimizing intake.At home, though, you can install a HEPA air filter to keep your air clean. The filters catch many particles, though the smallest may slip through. Sathyanarayana also recommends that people take their shoes off in their homes to limit dust recirculating.
Plastic debris scattered along the Lake Uru Uru shore in Oruro, Bolivia. Photographer: Marcelo Perez del Carpio/Bloomberg
Imperfect solutions
Because plastic is everywhere, no individual steps will get it out of your life entirely. But small steps can't hurt. Mitigating exposure is particularly important for people who are already more vulnerable to health impacts, Sathyanarayana says, including children and pregnant women.Cutting back on plastic also has a positive impact on the environment, though making real headway against the plastic problem will require systemic solutions. The United Nations' Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution is working on what could become a legally binding plastics treaty, but countries remain divided on its scope particularly any provision that would call for reduced production.
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