It seems that more and more sources of microplastics are discovered every day tea bags has clothes And chewing gum. Since plastic does not biodegrade, it continues to decompose into increasingly small particles. Microplastics are less than 5 millimeters long – approximately the size of a pencil eraser – and experts are increasingly concerned about how they can have an impact on our health.
According to Recent researchThe plastic industry uses more than 16,000 chemicals in its products. More than a quarter of these have been tried to human health and the environment. These chemicals include highly toxic agents that can disrupt the endocrine And nervous systems, and could potentially lead to cancer.
In addition, a 2024 report in the New England Journal of Medicine found that among patients who underwent surgery for a carotid artery disease, those who had microplastics in the plate that line their arteries were at a risk 4.5 times higher to feel a heart attack,, stroke, Or the death of any cause within 34 months of surgery than those who did not do it.
Microplastics are in our water, our food, our air and even in our body. It is impossible to eliminate them from your life, but doing these two quarters of life is a manageable means of reducing your exposure.
Exchange plastic water bottles for the reusable and filter tap water
A 2019 study published in the journal Environmental sciences and technology I estimated that people who drink exclusively bottled water ingested 90,000 additional microplastics per year, but the transition to the filling of a metal or reusable glass bottle with tap water could reduce this number to 4,000.
Although it is reassuring, it always means that you are exposed to the microplastics of the TAP. A study From 2024, he revealed that boiling tap water could eliminate at least 80% of potential micro and nanoplastics. But if you do not always want to boil your water before drinking it, you can opt for a filter with a national Sanitation Foundation (NSF) / American National Standards Institute 53 (NSF / ANSI 53) certification, which means that the filter was rigorously tested in a laboratory access not only to reduce microplastics, but also for another potential contaminants.
Keep the plastic away from food, especially when you heat it
Refraining of microwaves or cooking plastic food is one of the most important ways to reduce your microplastic exposure, experts said Fortune. Indeed directly in your food– Even if the container says it is safe in the microwave.
This is a particularly important warning for babies’ parents: a 2020 study found that heating plastic baby bottles has made them lose microplastics – and potential chemicals – in formula or milk. Exposure to microplastics at such a young age is associated with development problems, according to a 2022 study.
Take additional measurements to move the foods of the plastic containers and in glass or ceramic dishes before reheating. In addition, although certain containers are securely labeled, it is preferable to wash them by hand to avoid the high heat of a dishwasher which can cause microplastic loss.
Although it can be ingenious to reuse single -use plastic containers – plastic bags, yogurt baths, take -out containers – use of these items will also cause additional microplastic loss. If you reuse these articles for food purposes, this can cause even more ingestion of microplastics.
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This story was initially presented on Fortune.com