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Microplastics seep into our water and our bodies. These products may help
Microplastics are ubiquitous in our environment, but experts say we can take steps to reduce our exposure.
The microplastics crisis is far worse than we first thought.
For half a century, humans have incorporated plastic into every aspect of our lives, from kidsā toys to food packaging. Yet 91% of plastic doesnāt get recycled, ending up in landfills and the ocean, where it breaks into tiny particles called microplastics. Over the past five years, scientists have discovered microplastics inĀ dust, fruit, drinking water,Ā rain, and theĀ atmosphere. Theyāve also been found in humanĀ lung tissueĀ andĀ bloodstreams, as well as inĀ infantsā bodies.
Scientists are only just beginning to understand exactly how widespread microplastics are in our environment andĀ their impact on human health. But experts say itās worth taking some precautions now, particularly since the problem is only going to get worse. And there are now more products on the market that can reduce our exposure to microplastics.
Dick Vethaak, a professor emeritus of ecotoxicology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, has been studying microplastics for a long time. In 2016, heĀ sounded the alarm about their potential dangers on the human body and helped kick-start research on the subject.
āWhat we know for sure about microplastics is that they are everywhere in our biosphere,ā he says. āWe eat, breathe, and drink them constantly.ā
Vethaak says we still donāt fully understand how the body processes microplastics, which are smaller that 5 millimeters, and nanoplastics, which are smaller than 1 micrometer. These particles may be small enough to enter cells, disrupting cellular activity. In studies with rats, microplastics were found to cause inflammation in the small intestines, low sperm count, and smaller babies.
Albert Koelmans, an environmental scientist at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, doesnāt believe our current exposure to microplastics is causing damageāyet. The problem is that plastic consumption is rising. āI am a bit concerned about the future if we do nothing,ā he told the scientific journalĀ Nature.
Given how ubiquitous microplastics are, Vethaak acknowledges that it would be very difficult to rid ourselves of them completely.
āThey are ambient particles, like others in our environment, like exhaust from cars or specks from a barbecue,ā he says, noting that itās worth taking steps to reduce our exposure to these potentially toxic particles, the way we do with other toxins in our environment. āMaking lifestyle changes and changing out some products are quick wins that can reduce our overall exposure by a bit.ā
The ultimate solution, Vethaak says, is for countries to work at a systemic level to reduce global plastic consumption and redesign products to cut out plastic. āThe situation will only get worse unless we intervene,ā he says.
Here are some tools already on the market worth considering.
WATER FILTERS
Microplastics have been found inĀ drinking water. SomeĀ U.S. statesĀ are taking steps to ensure that municipal filtration plants filter them out, as they do with other pollutants. But there are also home water filters designed to filter out microplastics, including aĀ recent collection from LifeStraw. Thereās also a faucet filter calledĀ TappĀ that promises to filter microplastics from your tap water.
AIR PURIFIERS
During the pandemic, many people bought air purifiers that they hoped would filter out virus particles (the virus that causes COVID-19 is 0.125 micronāsignificantly smaller than a microplastic particle). Blueair, for instance, aims toĀ rid the air of these particles. A German brand calledĀ Ideal also makes an air purifier that targets microplastics.
Vethaak says air purifiers can be helpful, but consumers need to consider how theyāll get rid of the debris collected by the filter. If you simply take it out and put it in the garbage can, youāre exposing yourself to the particles all over again. Ideally, you would quickly pop the filter into a waste bag that can be tied closed to avoid exposure.
STAINLESS STEEL DRINKWARE AND TABLEWARE
Vethaak says drinking from plastic water bottles and eating from plastic plates can be problematic because they shed microplastics as they degrade. (Separately, microwaving plastic has been found to be unsafe becauseĀ it leaches chemicalsĀ into the food.) This is particularly problematic with kidās tableware, which is often made from plastic so it wonāt break. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to useĀ stainless steel or glassĀ if possible.
To limit kidsā exposure to plastic, you can serve them food on regular ceramic dishes. But if youāre worried about breakage, stainless steel is a good bet. (Itās not microwavable but is dishwasher safe.) If youāre looking to make the swap, there are plenty of brands out there that makeĀ stainless steelĀ products for kids.Ā PlanetBoxĀ andĀ BentgoĀ makeĀ lunch boxesĀ for all ages, andĀ Ahimsa, a brand founded by a pediatrician, has a line of stainless steel dinnerware thatās safe even for babies.
For adults, Vethaak suggests switching away from reusable plastic water bottles and choosing stainless steel products like those fromĀ SāwellĀ or using glass water bottles like those made byĀ Soma. If you carry your lunch to work, it makes sense to use stainless steel as well.
WASHING MACHINE FILTERS
All the products weāve shared so far are designed to protect us from microplastics. But can we do anything to protect the planet?
We know that synthetic clothesāactivewear, swimsuits, and polyester garmentsāshed microplastics in the washing machine. Products like theĀ GuppyfriendĀ and theĀ Cora Ball are designed to trap microplastic fibers so they donāt end up in the water. Vethaak says these are well-intentioned and can help raise awareness about microplastics in waterways.
And, of course, reducing our personal impact on the environment is certainly worth doing. But if we use these products, we should be conscious that itās a tiny drop in the bucket considering the vast amount of microplastics that end up in the ocean.
Vethaak believes that eventually all washing machines will feature built-in filters that remove microplastics.Ā ElectroluxĀ has already released a machine that traps nanoplastics. āAgain, the key will be figuring out how to remove the debris from the machine, so we donāt ingest these microplastics,ā Vethaak says.
FUTURE SOLUTIONS
As we learn more about microplastics, companies are developing creative new solutions that will help us get them out of our environment. Some arenāt ready for market just yet, but could be soon. The most interesting ones use nature itself to protect us from pollutants.
A moss filter, for instance, is designed to naturally capture and filter out microplastics from water before you drink it. AndĀ musselsĀ are known for filtering enormous amounts of ocean water every day, leaving behind microplastics. Scientists are developing strategies to use mussels as a tool to eradicate microplastics from natural environments.