The threat of Microplastics
The world is facing another pandemic of plastics which is not a matter of surprise. Everyone is aware that plastic is detrimental to the health and environment. The habit of plastic usage in our day to day lives have made it impossible not to be a part of it. However, the effects of microplastics which, we might be eating unknowingly, has begun to alarm the whole planet due to the irreversible way that it can impact the human and the ecosystem. One research review published in June calculated that just by eating, drinking and breathing, Americans ingest at least 74,000 microplastic particles every year. Another recent study commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund and conducted by researchers at the University of Newcastle in Australia estimated that people consume about 5 grams of plastic a week — roughly the equivalent of a credit card.
So, what are Microplastics?
Plastics size less than 5 mm are categorized as Microplastics. There are two types of micro-plastics. Primary micro-plastics and secondary microplastics. Primary microplastics are the by-products of particulate emissions released from industrial production, the release of plastics dust from plastics products. Secondary microplastics are larger plastic particulate material. These micro-plastics eventually end up in water bodies travelling from rivers to seas or oceans. Microplastic can also act as a pollutant transport medium for other toxic elements such as DDT and hexachlorobenzene and eventually end up within the body of a living organism who consume it.
How does it Affect our Health?
There is evidence, at least in animals, that microplastics can cross the hardy membrane protecting the brain from many foreign bodies that get into the bloodstream. And there’s some evidence that mothers may be able to pass microplastics through the placenta to a developing fetus, according to research that has not yet been published but was presented at a spring conference at the Rutgers Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability.
Myers says some of these microplastic particles could potentially leach bisphenol A and phthalates. Bisphenols are known to interfere with hormones, and there are studies linking bisphenol exposure to reduced fertility in men and women, Flaws says, noting that phthalates are also known to disrupt hormones, and prenatal exposure to phthalates is linked to lower testosterone in male offspring. Styrene, another chemical found in plastic and some food packaging, has also been linked to several health issues, including nervous system problems, hearing loss and cancer.
Once these chemicals are inside of us, even low doses may affect. In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a statement recommending that families reduce exposure to these chemicals.“Plastic products were, never designed to end up in our oceans,” the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) said in a statement to Consumer Reports. It added that research has not shown “significant human health impacts” from microplastics, but this is something PLASTICS and experts we spoke with agreed requires further study.
The American Chemistry Council, another industry group, said in a statement to Consumer Reports that plastics used for food packaging must meet strict Food and Drug Administration safety standards. “To help evaluate the safety of our food, FDA reviews safety information on food packaging materials, including whether tiny amounts of substances could potentially migrate from a package into its contents. Through rigorous analysis, the health experts at the FDA have determined these products to be safe for their intended use.”
But not everyone agrees that there’s sufficient oversight. Companies can designate substances that come into contact with food as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) without providing peer-reviewed safety evidence to the FDA, a policy Consumer Reports has previously flagged as something that can put consumers at risk. The 2018 AAP report criticized the long list of chemicals that come into contact with food; that report and Myers say these chemicals should be more strictly regulated.
The malleability, low costs and durability of plastics have made them extremely versatile and their usage increased about 25-fold over the last 40 years. Annual plastic production currently exceeds 380 million tons, summing up to 8300 million tons produced until 2015. In 2014 the European demand of plastics was approximately 47.8 million tons, while only 25.8 million tons entered waste stream management. Global plastic recovery is even lower, and it is estimated that roughly 32% of plastic waste might find its first receptacle in soils or continental aquatic ecosystems. A study considering production, usage and waste management of plastic materials estimated that approximately 6300 million tons of plastic waste have been generated, of which ~4977 million tons have accumulated in landfills and the natural environment.
How to curtail the risk of Microplastics?
Wastewater and drinking-water treatments are highly efficient in getting rid of microplastics. Studies, albeit limited, show they remove more than 90% of microplastics. To avoid consuming microplastics, you have to minimize plastic in the home. Try to avoid food wrapped in plastic. Plastic-wrapped foods may contain tiny pieces of plastic that have broken off of the packaging, where they are consumed and ingested unknowingly. Only use plastic containers that are labelled as safe to avoid the risk of microplastics in your food. Drink filtered tap water instead of bottled water to reduce your exposure to microplastics. Fresh food will contain less microplastic than processed foods that are, transported and wrapped in plastic. Check your favourite beauty products, especially any scrubs, to make sure that they do not contain microplastics.
Solving the microplastic problems begins with reducing plastic in all areas of our lives. By reducing plastic, reusing the plastic we already have, and recycling whenever possible will reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in lakes, rivers, oceans, and in our bodies.
By Jumana Jabeer
