Most of us aren't aware that the food and beverages we consume are often contaminated with microplastics—tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimetres in size. On average, each of us might be taking in around 21 grams of these particles every month. That’s about the same as eating 5 dice! These sneaky particles can find their way into our diets through various pathways, potentially leading to health issues like internal tissue and organ damage, digestive problems, or even cancer. But don’t worry—let’s dive into how these microplastics make their way into our diets and uncover some simple tips to keep them off the menu!
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Microplastics in Your Diet: What You Need to Know
29 April 2024
4 mins read
4 mins read
How microplastics get into our food and drinks
Plastic packaging: Microplastics sneak into our food and drinks through shedding when plastic packaging is opened or handled. They can also leach from food containers, especially when they're reheated or washed. Fun fact: brewing a single plastic tea bag can unleash about 11.6 billion microplastic particles into your cup! Knowing this, why not make some simple swaps? Opt for eco-friendly packaging, sip from glass or stainless-steel bottles (you could save up to 167 plastic bottles with a reusable one!), and say goodbye to plastic containers when heating or storing food.
Production and processing: Production and processing methods can introduce microplastics into our food supply, whether through water, additives, or even contact with plastic-coated equipment. So, why not swap out processed foods for whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains to minimise your exposure to microplastics? Since whole foods undergo little to no processing, they're less likely to pick up microplastics along the way. Plus, preparing and cooking these whole foods at home gives you more control over what goes into your food, further reducing the risk of having microplastics in your food!
Stormwater runoff: When it rains, stormwater picks up microplastics from litter, degraded plastics, and synthetic fibres, carrying them straight into our rivers, lakes, and oceans. we can help reduce the impact by recycling plastics properly at home. Simple actions like removing labels, washing out containers, and recycling only appropriate plastics can help prevent them from breaking down into harmful particles that enter our water systems. While water treatment plants work hard to filter out contaminants, it’s our recycling efforts that play a bigger role in reducing the amount of microplastics entering our water systems—and our cups.
By maintaining a healthy, green lifestyle and following these practices, we contribute to reducing the problem and creating a healthier environment, while actively lowering our exposure to harmful microplastics. Let's rethink healthy for a Healthier, Longer, Better Life!
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