How to reduce the microplastics in your life

Microplastics are tiny particles that are seemingly everywhere these days — food packaging materials, kitchen utensils, the dust on your floors, the water we drink, and the air we breathe.

While this is clearly not good for our environment, it also has effects on human health. Studies estimate that we ingest thousands of microplastic particles every day (9).

So let’s learn about what these microplastics are, where they come from, and things you can do to reduce your exposure.

P.S. Microplastic exposure has recently become an area of study and a popular topic on many of my favorite podcasts, so I wanted to share what I’ve learned with you. This article is simply meant to educate you and give you some practical tips to reduce your exposure. It’s NOT meant to stress you out!!

What are microplastics and why are they harmful?

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that often contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenols (BPA, BPS, BPF) and phthalates, which have been linked to chronic inflammation, hormone imbalances, developmental issues, reproductive problems, increased heart attack and stroke risk (5), and even various cancers (6). 

Studies have also found that microplastics accumulate in the brain 10-20x more than other organs (8). The study also looked at the brains of people with Alzheimers or dementia and found that they have a 10x higher concentration of microplastics in the brain compared to those without Alzheimers/dementia (8).

How microplastics get into our food, water, etc…

“Microplastics don’t have to be intentionally added to products to make their way into food, water, air, and the environment. Many of the microplastics and nanoplastics we encounter are fragments that break off of other products as they wear down over time. A few common sources include synthetic rubber tires, clothing and other textiles made from synthetic materials, and plastic bags and plastic containers used for food and drink.

All plastic breaks down over time into smaller fragments, and these fragments spread further and further—to the point that they can be found in Arctic snow, seemingly pristine Hawaiian beaches, and inside the blood and tissues of many people around the world (4).”

One of the biggest culprits of increased microplastic exposure that you do have control over is due to the combination of heat and plastic. Anytime you put hot food or liquid in a vessel that contains plastic, it leaches out at 55x higher rate (9). On top of that, the heat breaks the plastics down into smaller (more absorbable) particles. Some common culprits are reheating food in plastic containers, hot beverages in to-go coffee cups, hot food in take-out containers, etc…

Below are a few links if you want to dive deeper:

Click here for the full Consumer Reports article.

Click here to learn more about microplastics, bisphenols, and phthalates. 

Click here to learn more about plastics in your food.

How to reduce your exposure to microplastic chemicals

I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty of all the ways in which we ingest microplastics – you can check those links above or references at the bottom of the post if you want to dig deeper.

Instead, let’s focus on things we do have control over, like what we buy at the grocery store and use in our kitchens!

You won’t be able to get rid of every microplastic from your food and kitchen AND you don’t have to change everything all at once. Just start somewhere! 

Below is a list of common kitchen items and suggestions on plastic-free swaps.

In the kitchen

Cutting boards – it’s time to ditch your plastic cutting boards and replace them with wood or recycled paper boards. When you use a sharp knife on a plastic cutting board, little tiny pieces of plastic can get into the food you’re chopping. Yes, they are more expensive, but they last a very long time and it’s worth it for something you use everyday.

• Wooden cutting board – more expensive, but will last you forever.
• Recycled paper cutting boards – I recently switched to these. They have different sizes to choose from, the bigger the better if you ask me!

Kitchen utensils (spatulas, tongs, etc…): kitchen utensil are easy and cheap to replace with metal or silicone options. Black plastic is particularly concerning because it is often made from recycled electronics, which contain carcinogenic flame retardants. So get rid of your black plastic utensils!

• Metal tongs
• The only metal spatula I use
• My favorite silicone spatulas

Storage containers: I used to use plastic containers to store cold food, but plastics can still leach into your food when it’s cold. So now I just use my glass containers and bought some more to replace all of the plastic ones I used to use.

• Favorite leak-proof glass tupperware containers – this is the glass version of my favorite plastic tupperware. That link is a set, but you can also buy more of other sizes depending on what you need. I bought that set along with these and these because those are sizes I use often.
• I also use 24oz, 12oz, and 8 oz mason jars often. I get them at the hardware store but you can find them online.

Plastic zip top bags: I own a lot of these stasher bags and try to use them as much as I can instead of plastic. Researching for this blog is making me want to buy more stasher bags to use to store my herbs, etc…

Non-stick cookware: I do own this set of non-stick cookware, but I rarely use it. 90% of the time, I’m cooking in my cast-iron skillets. If you’re not a cast-iron person, other great options are stainless steel and carbon steel. Also, replace your non-stick cookware every year or two, depending on how often you use them. If you see any scratches, throw it away!

• Most used cast-iron skillet
• Stainless steel skillets (I love Made In cookware, they also have a carbon steel option)

Plastic blenders: I use my blender every day and often add hot water to it, so I swapped out my plastic container with this stainless steel Vitamix container.

Plastic wrap: swap the clingwrap for these reusable food wraps.

Tap water: if you’re worried about your water, you can send a sample to a lab to get it checked. Consider installing an under-sink filtration system. Anything is better than nothing, but reverse osmosis systems are best at filtering out microplastics.

**Don’t put hot food in plastic containers or reheat food in plastic containers** – chemicals and microplastics break down and leach out at a 55x higher rate under high heat (7).

Eat your fiber! Another benefit of eating your fiber – the fiber forms a gel in your guy that encapsulates and moves microplastics so they don’t get absorbed through your gut.

Filter your air at home – getting a HEPA air filter for your home will reduce the microplastics in the air.

At the grocery store

Tea bags – both paper and plastic tea bags contain microplastics and when you soak them in boiling water, that leaches into your tea. Always opt for loose leaf tea when you can. You can buy those metal tea balls or get a tea basket.

Food stored in plastic – unfortunately, most “healthy” packaged foods like yogurt, milk, veggies, meat, etc…come in plastic containers. So you won’t be able to eliminate plastic completely, but you can just be more aware of easy swaps you can make at the store. Opt for beverages and pantry staples packaged in glass instead of plastic whenever possible. Below are just a few examples/suggestions:

• Look for mustard in a glass jar.
• Buy the bundled greens instead of the ones wrapped in plastic.
• Bring your own reusable produce bags to avoid single-use plastic bags.
• Buy spices in glass jars or buy them in bulk and use your own glass jars.
• Plastic breaks down over time, so when you do buy items in plastic, remove it, rinse it, and transfer it to a plastic-free container or bag.

**Avoid plastic bottled water or other beverages** – drinking out of plastic bottled water is one of the most common ways people ingest microplastics. Find a reusable water bottle that you love and bring a reusable mug or water bottle to the coffee shop – those paper to-go cups are lined with plastic.

• My favorite XL water bottle – if you’re not into the straw, this hydroflask is another good option.
• Replacement silicon straws – most water bottles with straws are plastic, so I just use these instead.

Avoid handling receipts – receipts are coated with BPA, so try to avoid handling them. Ask your cashier to throw it away.

Use fragrance-free cleaning products – any product that has the word “fragrance” or “parfum” in the ingredient list contains phtalates.

Dishwasher detergent pods – many run of the mill brands are often encased in plastic that dissolves in your dishwasher. Opt for (fragrance-free) liquid detergent instead.

The takeaway

I hope these suggestions encourage you to seek out plastic-free options and alternatives. 

Since cooking and eating is a part of everyday life, it’s worth making a few easy swaps to reduce your microplastic exposure. It will never be perfect – I will continue to buy my big plastic bag of Costco nuts, tub of yogurt, etc…but there are some small things that you can do that will make a difference.

While there are many things you can do to reduce exposure, the most impactful changes you can make in the kitchen include:

• Avoid heating things in plastic or putting hot food into plastic (tupperware, to-go cups/containers)
• Replace plastic kitchen items (cutting boards, utensils, storage bags, and tupperware) with plastic-free alternatives.
• Avoid drinking beverages in plastic bottles.

References:

1. https://e360.yale.edu/digest/microplastics-found-in-lungs-of-humans-undergoing-surgery
2. https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-contaminants/the-plastic-chemicals-hiding-in-your-food-a7358224781/#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20we%20found%20high,in%20tomato%20and%20meat%20sauce.
3. https://www.newcastle.edu.au/newsroom/featured/plastic-ingestion-by-people-could-be-equating-to-a-credit-card-a-week/how-much-microplastics-are-we-ingesting-estimation-of-the-mass-of-microplastics-ingested
4. https://www.consumerreports.org/toxic-chemicals-substances/microplastics-phthalates-bpa-pfas-a1059022044/
5. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2309822
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0024320524005277#:~:text=Microplastics%20trigger%20uncontrolled%20cell%20proliferation,breasts%2C%20prostate%2C%20and%20ovaries.
7. https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-contaminants/what-you-can-do-about-microplastics-in-your-food-a8408022729/
8. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03453-1
9. Modern Wisdom podcast #907: Dr. Rhonda Patrick