Images of plastic pollution impacting wildlife and natural ecosystems are heart-wrenching to behold, but this crisis hits close to home for all of us as microplastics are rampant in much of the food supply.
Happy Earth Month! I think that there’s no better time to take a look at some of the environmental dilemmas we’re faced with as a global population than in April. (Though, in my opinion, we should always be thinking about it). And among those dilemmas, plastic pollution sits high on the list.
The plastic waste crisis not only harms natural environments, plants, and animals, but it actually impacts most humans on a daily basis. And while few are spared from this reality, there’s so much that we can do on a personal level to not only reduce our microplastic intake but to help move the needle on this serious environmental issue. Let’s dive in.
The Basics on Plastic Pollution
You’ve most likely caught glimpses into just how dire plastic pollution has gotten — whether that’s seeing images of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, plastic waste along the side of road, or enormous piles of plastic at your local waste facility.
This omnipresent material is made by refining, treating, and processing fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. To date, over 10 billion metric tons of plastic has been produced and 430 million metric tons of new plastic is produced every year globally. In the U.S., only five percent of this plastic is actually recyclable. That means the rest is destined for our oceans, landfills, and natural landscapes where it can choke wildlife, poison groundwater, and damage soil — among other concerning environmental impacts.
But unlike some other types of trash found in these environments, plastic does not biodegrade. Rather, it breaks into smaller and smaller pieces that eventually become microplastics or smaller yet, nanoplastics.
The Health Consequences of Plastic
Plastic pollution impacts everyone, but some experience more negative effects than others. Many of the workers on the frontlines of the plastic (and fossil fuel) industry are black, indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) and often from low-income and/or rural communities. These people experience even greater health risks from plastic due to pollution and industrial accidents like fire and explosion — a classic example of environmental injustice.
But even for those not on the frontlines of plastic production, we’re all equally in harm’s way when it comes to microplastics. These plastic particles are tiny enough to enter our body through eating, drinking, breathing, and absorption into the skin.
Microplastics are shockingly ubiquitous in the modern person’s diet. They can be found in produce, fish, game, livestock, drinking water (both bottled and tap), soda, alcohol, spices, salt, packaged foods, and processed foods.
Any combination of over 16,000 chemicals can be found in these tiny pieces of plastic — many of which are known toxins. Plus, microplastics can absorb other environmental chemicals and even serve as carriers for viruses and bacteria.
Beyond their toxic nature, researchers are still gathering more information about the negative health consequences of microplastics — but so far the findings are troubling. These plastic particles have been found in nearly every corner of the human body, including in the blood, heart, lungs, placenta, breast milk, brain, and more.
We know that at least thousands of chemicals commonly found in plastic are hazardous to human health, potentially increasing our risk of cancer, immune system dysfunction, respiratory diseases, hormonal concerns, and reproductive issues.
And a 2021 article found that the average modern person consumes up to the weight of a credit card in microplastics every single week (wow).
How to Consume Less Plastic
There’s nothing uplifting about those statistics, I know. But ultimately, the plastic pollution conundrum is a symptom of the consumption-driven society we live in today.
However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t take meaningful action. Every individual step we take against the problem can make a huge difference in not only our personal health but the health of the global environment — and that’s empowering!
No one is ever going to be able to avoid microplastics completely in our world today, so try not to feel overly stressed or shameful about it. Just doing your best is perfect. Here are just some ways we can divest from the plastic industry, reducing our reliance on plastic and the amount of microplastics we’re consuming on a daily basis:
*This part of the post may contain affiliate links, learn more about what that means here.
- Watch Your Food Packaging Consumption: For more information on the environmental concerns around food packaging and ways to reduce your impact, click here!
- Avoid Plastic Kitchenwares: Any food or beverage that’s touching plastic is at risk for microplastic leaching. These include glasses, plates, food storage containers, utensils, bowls, cutting boards, and basically anything else you can think of.
- Choose Kitchen Tools Made With Better Materials: Instead, look for kitchenwares made of wood, stainless steel, glass, and ceramic. These are much safer and typically low in or typically devoid of microplastics. Silicone doesn’t make the list as it’s often made with a combination of plastic and rubber — both fossil fuel-requiring materials.
- Never Heat in Plastic: Microwaves and plastic containers are the opposite of a match made in heaven when it comes to microplastic leaching. This is due to to the accelerated microplastic leaching the occurs when plastic is heated.
- Opt for Reusable Water Bottles: Drinking from plastic water bottles, regardless of the temperature they’re sitting at, is going to result in microplastic consumption of some level. To avoid this, opt for reusable stainless steel or glass options.
- Reduce Processed and Fast Food Consumption: Limiting processed, packaged, and fast foods is not only a smart move for your health (as they’re typically high in nutrients of concern like sodium, added sugar, and trans fats and low in health-supporting nutrients), but they also are usually housed in plastic packaging.
- Embrace Fresh, Whole Foods: Naturally, the antidote to this is to instead choose whole, fresh foods as much as possible like veggies, fruit, dried legumes, whole grains, fresh fish, poultry, seeds, and nuts. These options are both nutrient dense and typically minimally packaged in plastic.
- Shop in Bulk: The bulk section is a great way to skirt plastic packaging that still may be “protecting” whole, nutrient-dense foods. Bring your own fabric bags for the most impact here!
- Choose High Fat Foods Wisely: Many plastic chemicals are fat-soluble, which means that high-fat products are at greater risk of containing more microplastics than other foods. A 2014 study and 2020 review both found higher concentrations of a common plastic chemical, phthalate, in high fat foods.
- Skip the Plastic Water Filters: Filtering your water at home with a high-quality system is a great way to reduce your microplastic consumption, so don’t spoil it by using a plastic-based water filter basin! Instead, opt for glass or stainless steel alternatives.
While this list could go on and on, these tips are a great place to start when looking to significantly cut down on your microplastic intake, helping your personal health and that of the greater environment — a true win-win.
