5 Ways I Work To Reduce My Exposure To Microplastics

Are microplastics really unavoidable? It seems that microplastics are showing up in almost every part of our life from foods, air, water and even in our clothes. Recent studies have shown evidence of microplastics in almost every tissue in the human body. Evidence of microplastics were found in reproductive organs, breast milk, brain tissue, blood, colon and more. Some studies even suggest that a person could potentially ingest/inhale up to 5grams of plastic in a day which is about the weight of a credit card! (Unless you have one of those fancy metal credit cards).

Here are 5 ways I am personally reducing microplastic exposure in my everyday life.

1.)   Get rid of plastic water bottles!  Ingestion from contaminated water and foods is the number one source for microplastics. Avoid those disposable plastic water bottles if possible. While convenient they can be a source of microplastic exposure especially if you consider how many of these bottles are transported and exposed to prolonged heat which may increase microplastics in the water. Alternatively, invest in a good quality stainless steel water bottle but still watch out for plastic lids and straws.

2.)   Monitor your seafood intake. While I am a big proponent of cold-water fish (cod, salmon, etc) as a great protein source we need to be careful not just for mercury content but also for microplastic content. A large meta-analysis by Danopoulos et al reviewed microplastic content in seafood and the worst offenders for microplastic content are mollusks, clams, oysters and crustaceans. The location of where they are farmed/harvested can also play a large role in the amount of microplastics. Choose your seafood sources carefully and limit intake of the highest offenders noted above.

3.)   Find a reputable source for sea salt and tablet salt. Sea salt, produced by evaporating seawater, tends to accumulate microplastics present in the marine environment. Reported concentrations in sea salt range from 0 to 1674 particles/kg globally, with some outliers exceeding 13,000 particles/kg in highly polluted regions. Table salt, which may be derived from sea salt, rock salt, or lake salt, also contains microplastics, but typically at lower concentrations than sea salt. Studies report average levels of 28–462 particles/kg in lake and rock salts, compared to higher values in sea salts. These brands test their salt for plastic content: Vera Salt, Only Plastic-Free Spring Salt, and Mayi Delice Natural Spring Salt

4.)   Get rid of nonstick pans.  I do understand the hesitancy to get rid of nonstick pans but research does show that usage of these types of pans leads to release of micro- and nanoplastics from their polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, commonly known as Teflon) coatings during typical cooking processes. Try a well-seasoned cast iron or the lighter carbon steel pans. While this does take a little more work to get good nonstick capabilities, we avoid the microplastic and nanoplastic exposure.

5.)   Replace plastic Tupperware with glass. Microplastic exposure from the use of Tupperware and other plastic food storage containers is well documented, with the primary sources being polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) microplastics released during typical use scenarios, especially when containers are subjected to heat (e.g., microwave heating) or prolonged storage. Microwave heating of plastic containers can release millions of microplastic and nanoplastic particles per square centimeter of plastic surface within minutes, with higher release observed in polyethylene-based pouches compared to polypropylene containers. Even refrigeration and room-temperature storage over months can result in significant microplastic release, though at lower levels than heating. Estimated daily intake for infants and toddlers consuming microwaved food or drink from these containers can reach up to 22.1 ng/kg·day for toddlers, based on exposure modeling.

While we have to acknowledge that we are living in a world with a lot of environmental exposures and toxins we still have to live our lives. These are some simple things to try and strive for to reduce your exposure as much as possible. Do I enjoy the occasional cold water oyster platter? Of course!  But I try and be mindful of where the oysters are being farmed and I limit the total consumption.

References:

Danopoulos E, Jenner LC, Twiddy M, Rotchell JM. Microplastic Contamination of Seafood Intended for Human Consumption: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Environ Health Perspect. 2020 Dec;128(12):126002. doi: 10.1289/EHP7171. Epub 2020 Dec 23. PMID: 33355482; PMCID: PMC7757379.

Cole M, Gomiero A, Jaén-Gil A, Haave M, Lusher A. Microplastic and PTFE contamination of food from cookware. Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jun 15;929:172577. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172577. Epub 2024 Apr 18. PMID: 38641111.