How to protect yourself from microplastics

Plastic is an emerging pollutant and the effects of plastic and its chemical additives on our bodies are not well understood yet. But studies are revealing an unsettling amount of microplastic showing up throughout our bodies, including in our blood, in our arteries and in the tissues of our vital organs, such as our hearts, livers, and brains. 

Scientists are studying many possible links between microplastics and health conditions, including increased oxidative stress, DNA damage, organ dysfunction, metabolic disorders, altered immune responses, neurotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity and more.  They’re also studying links between microplastics and cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and heart attacks. A recent study shows a potential link between microplastics in the brain to potential increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

While the impact of microplastic on our health is being studied, there are simple things we can do to prevent some of these microplastics and plastic additives from entering our bodies. But first, we must understand how they get there in the first place.

Tips to help limit your exposure to microplastic

Reduce the amount of plastic in your day-to-day life. Plastics shed. So, the more plastic in your home, the more potential shedding. Make an inventory of plastic in your home. Are your clothes made of plastic? What about the sponges you use to scrub your dishes? How about your cutting board? Think through what plastic items in your life and home could be replaced by another material or cut out of your life altogether.

Don’t heat food in plastic. Plastic containers leach more when heated. Use a non-plastic plate or glass container when using a microwave. Try to store leftovers in glass or metal containers.  

Clean frequently. Dust in our homes can contain microplastics, so cleaning frequently can help prevent microplastic exposure. Vacuuming is found to be more effective at preventing microplastic inhalation than sweeping. 

Reduce consumption of processed foods. Microplastics have been found in a higher concentration in processed foods. 

Don’t store food in plastic. Plastic leaches over time and storing food in plastic gives it more of an opportunity to leach. 

Avoid canned food with plastic liners. If you are buying food in cans, make sure you avoid cans which have BPA or other harmful plastics in the lining. 

Filter your tap water. Filtering water can help with minimizing microplastic, but do your homework. Not all filters are the same and some can add microplastic to your water. 

Avoid plastic-containing cosmetics. A study of over 7,000 products from the four largest cosmetic producers in Europe found that nine out of ten products contained microplastic. There are free apps, like this one, that can help you learn more about which products contain plastic.

Use HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters. Hepa filters can help to capture airborne microplastics, though they will not be able to filter the smallest particles.

Be selective with seafood. Microplastic accumulates within the stomach of animals. So, seafood that includes a stomach, such as mussels, oysters and other filter feeders may contain more microplastic. Plastic also moves through marine environments through the food chain. If a fish eats a fish that ate plastic that plastic gets passed along. Microplastic also absorb toxic chemicals, including DDT, PCBs, and mercury. These types of pollutants bioaccumulate, meaning they become more concentrated and more toxic as they move up the food chain. 

Shift to reusables. Using resuable coffee mugs, water bottles, takeout containers and grocery bags can help reduce your use of single-use plastic and therefore reduce your potential exposure to microplastic.

Don’t buy bottled water. Because bottled water is packaged in a plastic bottle, there’s a risk that the plastic will degrade and flake off into the water.

Limiting community exposure

Advocate for federal, state and local laws which reduce single-use plastic and promote producer responsibility. 

Avoid excessive clothes washing. Washing causes clothes to degrade, and with that shed microfibers, which is problematic when it comes to synthetic fibers that then go into water systems. Wash clothes when they’re dirty, not when they’ve only been worn for a short period. 

Install a microfiber filter on your washing machine. Our clothing often contains plastic such as nylon, polyester, and elastane. Filters can be added to washing machines to prevent plastic microfibers from entering into our water systems. You can also air-dry your clothes. This will also help reduce microfiber shedding.

Maintain proper tire pressure on your car. Car tires are a huge source of microplastic pollution in our oceans and in the air we breathe. Maintaining proper tire pressure helps for them to wear down less quickly. Better yet, ride a bike or take public transport. 

As we learn more about the health effects of microplastics on our body, needing to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic will become even more urgent. Right now, there is a bill in Congress that would prevent some microplastics from entering our water. The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act would ban the discharge of plastic pellets into waterways by companies that make, use, or transport them. Learn more.