Plastic Epidemic: Start 1st with reducing kitchen exposures in critical steps
We live in a plastic world.
Plastics are in our gut, sperm, brain, lungs and kids.
We need to start to reduce exposure somewhere, as impossible as it seems.
Some critical steps to take:
Ditch the plastic cutting boards.
Do not use plastic brushes for cleaning.
Use alternatives like Eco Collection Scrub Daddy made from recycled materials and coconut husks available at Whole Foods or probably online, too.
Microplastics – according to a recent study by the North Dakota smarties below:
1Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, North Dakota State University, 1410 14th Ave N, CIE 201, Fargo, North Dakota 58102, United States.
2Biomedical Engineering Program, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States.
3Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States.
4Materials and Nanotechnology Program, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States.
5KIMP, 7030 Woodbine Ave #500, Markham, ON L3R 6G2, Canada.
6Department of Statistics, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States.
7Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense 5230, Denmark.
8Environmental and Conservation Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States.
These scientists tested contamination by cutting carrots on two types of plastic cutting boards, one made with polypropylene and the other with polyethylene.
Their goal was to estimate the total per-person annual exposure to microplastics from using the boards.
Yikes!
They measured as many as 1,114 microplastic particles – pieces of plastic less than five millimeters long – “every single time the board was used to cut carrots”.
Holy yikes.
The researchers also found that cutting carrots on a plastic board can generate as much as “15 milligrams of microplastics per cut”, or about 50 grams per year – roughly equivalent to the weight of ten plastic credit cards. Inside of YOU and your loved ones.
Yikes again.
Potential health harms
Growing evidence suggests microplastics may be a public health concern. Microplastics have been found in human lungs, blood and even in the placenta.
Microplastic shapes can interfere with digestive and respiratory systems, and the chemical additives they release can disrupt the endocrine and reproductive systems.
Any plastic object can become a source of microplastics once it begins to degrade.
A Pew Charitable Trust study pointed to tires as a major source of pollution, finding that 78 percent of microplastic particles in the ocean is from “tire dust.”
Every time i kayak under a bridge where cars are going by, knowing there must be tire residue n the air, i try to hold my breath for a long as it takes me to kayak on through.
A particularly worrying source of particles are the caps of water bottles, since the particles drop directly into the drinking water inside the bottle. Ugh ugh ugh!
Studies have shown animals exposed to microplastics may experience developmental delays, behavior changes, infertility and weakened immune systems. Ugh ugh ugh. We are seeing this in our kids!
The European Union recently restricted intentionally added microplastics, banning them from most consumer products.
The U.S. does not regulate microplastics but did ban microplastic beads from consumer products in 2015.
How To Try to Avoid Microplastics
Use alternatives to plastic cutting boards – neither glass, marble, bamboo or wood will cause a microplastic mess.
Wood is great.
Wooden cutting boards also have natural antimicrobial properties. I love my thick wooden cutting board and then my smaller bamboo one.
Avoid using plastic utensils and kitchenware.
Throw out your plastic brushes and use items like Scrub Daddy for scrubbing your sink and dishes. See pic above.
Avoiding drinking from disposable plastic water bottles. If you do have to drink from them, try to keep them out of the sun in a cool, dry environment. Disposable plastic water bottles degrade very easily in response to temperature change or mechanical stress.
Only microwave food in glass or ceramic.
Heating food in plastic containers can release millions of microplastic particles into your food.
Filter water.
Home water filters can be effective at reducing many contaminants, including microplastics.
Dust and vacuum regularly. Removing excess dust from your kitchen can help cut down on the amount of microplastic fibers in the dust that could contaminate your food.
I did not think about my plastic kitchen brushes so I started doing some of this, this week myself.
We can’t totally avoid plastics but we can start somewhere.
Knowledge is power.
What else might we do that you can share?
Dr. B.
References:
Cutting Boards: An Overlooked Source of Microplastics in Human Food? Environ Sci Technol. 2023 Jun 6;57(22):8225-8235
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/10/making-meals-without-microplastics-tips-safer-cutting-boards
Just thought about tooth brushes yikes!!!!!!
Yijes see how 6 it is to go plastic free! Thanks!