Hidden Microplastics Are Haunting Your Health – How to Avoid

Why Are Plastics and Microplastics a Problem?

The world’s biggest threats may be microscopic in size. Terribly, only 9% of plastics are recycled. We throw most plastics away, but they come back to haunt us as hidden microplastics and dangerous chemicals in our food and water.

Where Are Plastics Used?

Plastics are produced from fossil gas (cleverly branded as natural gas) or crude oil. Over 400 million metric tons are produced yearly (roughly equal to the weight of every person on the planet.) 40% of plastic is for single-use products such as shopping bags, cutlery, and take-out-ware. Different additives are added to give plastics their desired properties. Plastics can be produced with many different qualities and can be formed in almost any desired shape. Plastics have incredibly diverse uses. A few examples of where plastics are used are listed below.

• Food and drink packaging
• Fabrics
• Tires
• Toys
• Tools
• Automobiles and medical devices
• Tea bags
• Cutting boards

What Are the Different Types of Plastics?

A few examples of the types of plastic and some of the chemicals used in them are listed below.

• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) – water bottles and ketchup containers
• Polyvinyl Chloride – water pipes, blood bags
• Polystyrene – (i.e. styrofoam) foam egg cartons, beverage cups, packaging
• Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) – (i.e. Teflon . “Teflon™ is a brand of PTFE) – nonstick pots and pans, Gore-Tex waterproof clothing
• Phthalates – are not a type of plastic but a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable. They are often called plasticizers. Phthalates are in hundreds of products, such as vinyl flooring, lubricating oils, and personal-care products (soaps, shampoos, hair sprays).
• Bisphenol A (BPA): BPA is a chemical found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, often used in food and beverage containers, clothing, water bottles, bottle tops and water supply pipes. Some, but not all, plastics marked with recycling code 3 or 7 may contain BPA.
• Forever Chemicals, or PFAS(Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances), are a family of synthetic chemicals found in many plastics and very resistant to breaking down. Even incinerators do not destroy them; they just become airborne. Contamination of drinking water with PFAS is a widespread problem in the United States and Canada. They are now found in all of us, stay in our bodies for long periods, and are linked to numerous health problems, including cancer.

Why are Plastics Hazardous? – What Goes Around Comes Around

Plastics have undeniably become indispensable, yet excessive reliance on plastics jeopardizes the delicate balance of our ecosystems and undermines our well-being. The potential health consequences of plastic pollution are only beginning to be studied and understood. There are more than 13,000 different chemicals in plastics, and we only know the health effects of a small number of them. Some chemicals, like phthalates and BPA, may leach from plastic into our food and water.

We use plastics because they are rugged and robust and do not break down in water or get eaten by insects or bacteria, but unfortunately, their strength is also their liability. When we throw them out, they just come back to plague us. Plastics really don’t die, decay or disappear. All the plastic ever made still exists on the planet.  Virtually every person on Earth has been exposed to microplastics and PFAS (Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances). PFAs are incredibly hardy. When we throw them out, they leach from the landfill into the water we drink; when we burn them, they become airborne but then settle out with rain and snow.

What Are Microplastics?

As plastics degrade, they can break down into smaller particles known as microplastics, which are 5 mm or less in length—smaller than a sesame seed. Microplastics can further break down into even smaller pieces called nanoplastics, which are less than one billionth of a meter, in size (1 nanometer or 1?m). These particles are too small to be seen with the naked eye and can enter the body’s cells and tissues. For comparison, a human hair is 50 to180?m in diameter.

Plastics can take hundreds or even thousands of years to decompose, meaning they remain in the environment for a long time. They break into tiny particles (microplastics—the width of a human hair—or even smaller – nanoplastics) and release toxic chemicals that pollute the soil, air, and water. You cannot go anywhere without finding plastic waste in the environment, even in Antarctica and at the bottom of the ocean.

Are Microplastics a Health Hazard?

The world’s biggest threats may be microscopic in size. Microplastics, nanoplastics and PFAs, born from degrading plastic, are now abundant in our environment, found in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and even the food we eat. Studies have even shown that microplastics are released by some tea bags and by plastic cutting boards. In fact, researchers say that the average person may be ingesting 5g of plastics a week, which is similar to eating a credit card. Another study says “We are also inhaling the equivalent of a credit card’s worth of plastic each week.”. All these plastics are adding up and the full effect on our health is not really known.

Microplastics have been detected throughout the human body, including in the blood, saliva, liver, kidneys, placenta, bones, arteries, testicles and even the brain. Workers in industries like 3D printing, plastic production and plastic injection molding will be exposed to much higher levels than the general public. Make sure you know about the chemical hazards at your work by taking our free WHMIS training.

Studies suggest these tiny microplastic invaders can:

• Increase the risk of heart problems
• Increase the risk of some types of cancer
• Disrupt the hormone system, leading to reproductive toxicity and nerve damage
• Disrupt our gut microbiome, potentially leading to inflammation and chronic diseases
• Lead to childhood developmental disorders, decreased sperm quality, and damage to the immune system
• Effect the development of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

Microplastics and nanoplastics can also absorb and act as a transport medium for harmful chemicals, heavy metals and bacteria, which further amplifies their risk.

Think about this: All the plastics produced since the 1950s are still haunting us; next time you throw a plastic bottle, bag, carton, or wrapper away, you and your children will likely be eating or drinking part of it within a few years.

Now, let’s look at how we can reduce our exposure to plastic and its degradation products.

How to Reduce Your Exposure to Microplastics, Phthalates, Bisphenol A (BPA) and PFAs

Microplastics and Nanoplastics:

• Reduce single-use plastics: Opt for reusable water bottles, shopping bags, and food containers
• Use a water filter: Look for an independently certified water filtration device.
• Limit seafood consumption: Choose smaller fish species lower on the food chain to minimize microplastic accumulation.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly: This can remove surface-bound microplastics
• Dust and vacuum regularly: regular vacuuming is effective at reducing the amount in the air
• Choose natural fibres: Opt for clothing made from cotton or hemp instead of synthetic materials that shed microplastic fibres
• Don’t drink water from plastic bottles: A recent study has found large amounts of nanoplastics in bottled water.
• Use a wooden cutting board: Cutting on plastic cutting boards will add microplastics to your food.

Phthalates, Bisphenol A and PFAs:

• Use cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel or ceramic nonstick frying pans and pots
• Don’t heat food or drinks in plastic containers, especially those labelled with recycling codes 3, 6, or 7. Microwaving or using boiling water can cause chemicals to leach into your food.
• Store food in metal or glass containers: Chemicals can transfer from the plastic into your food. Opt for glass, stainless steel, or ceramic food and beverage containers.
• Minimize processed food consumption: Processed foods often contain phthalates and BPA, used in packaging materials.
• Use phthalate-free and BPA-free products: Look for labels like “phthalate-free” or “paraben-free.”
• Avoid stain-resistant carpet upholstery as well as stain-resistant treatments and waterproofing sprays that are not PFAS-free

Summary

Plastics, produced from fossil fuels, have become ubiquitous in modern life, but they pose significant environmental and health risks because they are so resilient. With over 13,000 different chemicals in plastics, including harmful substances like phthalates, BPA, and PFAS, their effects are only partially understood. These chemicals can leach into food and water, leading to health concerns. Plastics persist for hundreds of years, breaking into microplastics and nanoplastics, spreading environmental toxins and posing health risks. To reduce exposure, it’s advised to limit single-use plastics, use water filters, opt for natural fibres, avoid heating food in plastic, and choose phthalate-free, BPA-free products, among other measures.

Learn more about “The 9 Most Toxic Products You Use Every Day” by following this link!

Hopefully, this page has provided helpful information for identifying and controlling the pervasive microplastics in our air, water, and food. Please refer to the provided links above for more detailed information.

This website does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website, such as text, graphics, images and other material, are intended for informational and educational purposes only and not to render medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.