Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 235

The Dangers of Microplastics and How to Avoid Them

There is so much talk these days about going plastic free. Plastics are everywhere and in every part of our lives. It is nearly impossible to get through an entire day without utilizing something made of plastic. 

But the challenge we now have is that plastic is becoming the bane of our existence.Because plastic production continues to increase and degradation is long-term, microplastics are virtually everywhere. Furthermore, no one really knows the long-term health affects of exposure because this is a relatively new health concern.  

One thing is for certain, microplastics are not going away any time soon. Our only option may be to limit exposure. So join me for E235 The Dangers of Microplastics and How to Avoid Them

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E235 The Dangers of Microplastics and How to Avoid Them

In this episode I want to first discuss the source of microplastics, then follow that with the potential health concerns of exposure. Finally I want to finish up with how we can avoid them as well as what we all can do to reduce the prevalence of microplastics. 

But before we get started let’s start with the good news story of the week. 

Good News Story of the Week

This week’s story is about sea turtles  and CT scans.

Every year numerous sea turtles are struck by boats producing significant injuries. Such was the case when a 302 pound loggerhead sea turtle was hit by a boat and taken to a veterinary hospital in Florida. The veterinarians needed to access her injuries by performing a CT scan. But, their machines was too small for this massive turtle. 

The team from the Loggerhead Marinelife Center then took the turtle to Palm Beach Equine Center in Wellington.  They gained permission to use the horse CT scanner to further examine the turtle. But they also found she was carrying a clutch of eggs. 

CT scans for turtles suffering from boat related injuries is a recent veterinary innovation. The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) London helped pioneer the process under the direction of a Floridian student who was interested in using CT scans for diagnoses.

CT scans of injured sea turtles is now a common occurrence. And in the case of the loggerhead, it helps to return some of the them to their natural habitat in order to protect this threatened species. 

And now let’s move on to this week’s episode. 

Micro-plastics

The development of plastics began with natural materials and exhibited plastic properties. The first synthetic plastic was invented by a Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland in 1907. The product was called Bakelite and was literally a game changer due to its heat-resistant properties, electrical non-conductivity, and ability to be shaped into almost anything, making it incredibly popular through World War II. 

The very quick rise in the popularity of plastics is due to all of the advantages of using this material. 

Pros:

• Durability and Versatility: Plastics are durable and can be molded into a wide variety of shapes and sizes, making them suitable for numerous applications from packaging to construction materials.

• Cost-Effectiveness: Plastics are relatively inexpensive to produce and can be manufactured in large quantities, making them an affordable option for businesses and consumers.

• Preservation: Plastic packaging helps preserve products for longer periods, reducing waste and extending the shelf life of food and other items.

• Health and Safety: Plastics are used in medical equipment and packaging due to their ability to maintain sterility and protect against contamination.

• Resource Efficiency: Lightweight plastics reduce transportation costs and fuel consumption, contributing to resource efficiency.

Cons:

• Environmental Impact: Plastics are non-biodegradable and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years.

• Health Risks: Certain plastics can release harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates, which may have negative health effects on humans.

• Recycling Challenges: While recycling is promoted, the reality is that a tremendous amount of  plastic waste ends up in landfills or the ocean. Recycling rates are often low. Additionally, the melting point of many plastics are extremely variable making it difficult to mass recycle different plastics at the same time. 

• Resource Depletion: The production of plastics relies heavily on non-renewable resources like oil and gas, contributing to resource depletion and environmental degradation.

• Toxicity: The chemicals used in the production of plastics can be toxic and pose risks to human health and the environment.

Now I am sure there are numerous other pros and cons to plastics. However, even the points listed above highlights the complex nature of the issues with plastics in that we need to balance their utility and benefits against the environmental and health concerns.

Why Should We Be Concerned? 

The question of course is why should we be concerned. Globally we produce 450 million metric tons of plastic annually and production is expected to triple by 2060 to potentially 1 billion metric tons annually. The true long lasting problem with plastics is that they never truly go away.  Degradation time depends on the type of plastic. Some plastic bags break down in 10 years. Other high density plastics take hundreds of years to break down. Plastics progressively break down into smaller and smaller particles and eventually degrade into what is called microplastics. 

The term "microplastics" was first used in current scientific literature around 20 years ago.  Since then, extensive research has been conducted to understand the sources, distribution, and impacts of microplastics in the environment and human health.

Microplastics are extremely common and pervasive in the environment. They are also found in various forms, including fragments, fibers, films, and foams, and can be as small as 1 nanometer to 5 millimeters in size. These plastic particles are present in water, soil, air, and even in food products such as seafood, land based meat products, and plant-based proteins. Studies indicate that 10 to 40 million metric tons of microplastics are released into the environment annually, and this number could double by 2040. Microplastics have been detected in numerous food items, including fruits, vegetables, plastic water bottles, and household dust. Additionally, they have been found in almost every part of the human body, including the brain, reproductive organs, and other vital organs.

Research has shown that microplastics are more prevalent in highly-processed food products compared to minimally-processed ones, with an average of 74 ± 220 particles per serving in commonly-consumed protein products in the United States. This highlights the widespread presence and potential for human exposure to microplastics through dietary sources.

The presence of microplastics in the environment and in human bodies raises concerns about their potential health impacts, although the full extent of these effects is still being studied.

Sources of Microplastics

Although microplastics come from several different sources, the two largest sources are from car tires and synthetic clothing such as polyester. Car tires produce about 28% and synthetic clothing makes up about 35% of microplastics in the environment. As far as the ocean environment is concerned, those two sources make up about one third microplastics seen. The remaining two thirds comes from the degradation of large plastic objects such as water bottles and plastic bags. 

A study published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature describes the high prevalence of synthetic textiles in homes as the primary source of microplastics in human lungs and digestive systems as a result of inhalation and ingestion. Additional sources of microplastics are cosmetic products, tooth paste, paint, and plastic wrapping and packaging products. 

Where are microplastics found? 

With the amount of plastic pollution already present in our environment, coupled with increased production, it is no surprise that microplastics can be found nearly everywhere. The level of contamination is on a global scale. Microplastics have been found in bottle water, tap water, oceans, lakes, rivers and even in rain water. Plastic particles can be found in urban dust and throughout our homes. Our food supply is completely contaminated including seafood, table salt, fruits, vegetables and even honey. Microplastics have also be found in human blood, in our lungs, in breast milk and even fecal material. 

We are commonly exposed to microplastics through inhalation of airborne particles, consumption of fish and seafood, drinking water, using plastic wear, and through the consumption of packaged  and processed foods. Plastic particles are so pervasive in the environment it is impossible to completely avoid exposure. 

Why are microplastics dangerous? 

With all of this constant exposure you have to question whether or not this is dangerous. As it turns out, there are concerns with microplastics on multiple levels. Exposure can lead to a variety of health concerns humans. These include chronic inflammation, lipid metabolism disturbances, neurotoxicity, DNA damage, organ dysfunction, metabolic disorders, immune dysfunction, anemia, infertility, brain damage, kidney and liver damage as well as multiple other problems.

Since microplastics are almost impossible to clean up, they also cause persistent environmental damage. They can disrupt food chains and soil fertility. Ingestion by wildlife, and even plankton, can cause starvation and various toxicities. 

The reason for this concern is that microplastics can contain a variety of toxins such as heavy metals, aromatic hydrocarbons, PCBs, pesticides, BPAs, phthalates, and a long list of forever chemicals. All of these substances have been linked to a whole laundry list of detrimental health affects. In summary, research has shown that exposure to microplastics poses significant health risks. However,  further research is needed to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of microplastic toxicity and related pathologies and disease processes. 

How to Avoid Microplastics

The challenge for us is that since microplastics are so pervasive in the environment it is impossible for any of us to completely avoid exposure. However, there are multiple ways in which you can limit your contact. For example: 

-Drink filtered water by using carbon filtration, reverse osmosis, or some other form of microscopic filtration. Avoid bottled water altogether. Several studies have shown much higher levels of microplastics in bottled water relative to tap water. 

-Avoid single use plastics such as plastic bags, straws, bottled water and disposable utensils. 

-Choose natural fibers for your clothing such as cotton or wool as opposed to synthetic fibers. Avoid things such as polyester.

-Avoid products with micro-beads. Personal care products often contain trillions of micro-beads. Look for ingredients such as polyethylene (PE), polymathy methacrylate (PMMA), nylon, polyethylene tera phthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP). 

-Use the Beat the Microbead app to scan a products barcode to see if it contains micro-beads

-Eat whole, unpackaged foods

-Avoid heating foods in plastic containers due to potential transfer of both chemicals and plastic material.  

-Clean with reusable cloths instead of synthetic sponges

Other strategies to help with plastic pollution 

Fortunately there are other strategies to can help with our pervasive plastic pollution. All of us can support bans on micro-beads and single use plastics. We can support companies using biodegradable packaging and sustainable materials. We can also support plastic free initiatives, educate others on the issue to simply drive awareness. 

Conclusion 

Hopefully this episode has made you aware of a relatively little known form of pollution called micro-plastics. These plastic particles are so pervasive in our environment that they are impossible to avoid. However, there are numerous strategies that we can use to limit our exposure. 

The takeaway message is that micro-plastics are a serious environmental and health concern. But we are not powerless against this type of pollution. Like so many other things in our world today, we have to be informed, change our own personal habits and support and promote systemic changes. You may think with all the challenges we have in our world today that nothing you do will make a difference. However, every choice we make matters because it’s the first step that starts a much bigger cultural shift. We might start small but we have to think big. Changing yourself is just the first step in facing the challenges in our modern world. Humanity may have screwed up this world but we also have the power to fix it. It all starts with one simple choice.