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Microplastics are part of us, but can we do anything about it?
There’s a new seasoning on the menu, and it’s sprinkled over all your food. Microplastics.
Microplastics are tiny particles less than five millimetres long, and they are found everywhere.
On 28 September 2023, researchers in Japan confirmed that microplastics are now present in clouds1. Testing the clouds at high summits like Mount Fuji, they discovered plastic polymers now play a key role in cloud formation, meaning that they are really part of our ecosystem.
They’re also travelling around our bodies right now. While it is going to take another 10 to 15 years before we know if we’re dealing with a serious risk2, it may well be too late by the time we find out.
So, should we panic that we’re eating the equivalent of a credit card of plastic every week?
Life in plastic…
Not enough information is available yet to fully understand the effects of microplastics for human health, however, some studies show they can be linked to breast cancer, changes in metabolism, and even anaemia3. And with microplastic contamination mounting up in recent years, it’s time we deal with the issue head-on.
Scientists are increasingly certain that microplastics pose a significant threat to fertility. This threat arises from the way in which microplastics interfere with our hormones, causing a particularly strong impact on men.
The presence of plastic in the bloodstream can lower testosterone levels and heighten oestrogen, ultimately resulting in lower sperm count, decreased libido, increased risk of early puberty, premature ovarian failure, miscarriage and premature birth5.
Avoiding the negative impacts of microplastics on fertility is proving to be difficult given their presence in everyday items such as sea salt, tap water, ready meals and even shellfish6. With scientists predicting a road to infertility by 2045, couples will increasingly turn to assisted reproductive methods7.
But pollution isn’t only influencing people’s bodies, it’s also changing people’s minds about having children.
Researchers surveyed 600 people aged 27 to 45 about having children and found that 96% of them had concerns about the wellbeing of their possible future children in this climate. This isn’t about parents worrying about a bigger carbon footprint – it’s the emotional feeling of bringing a child into a polluted world9.
Whose problem is this to fix?
A group of people were asked about their opinions on microplastics. The consensus was that microplastics are bad, produce environmental pollution and have negative effect on animal species. However, it was rare for someone to highlight an effect on their own health10. This suggests we need to spread more awareness of the harmful effects of microplastics on us.
Some tips and tricks to reduce your microplastic consumption includes not heating plastics in the microwave, eating more unprocessed foods, avoiding busy roads where possible, and even regularly hoovering your carpet11. But are all these small things really going to make a big difference?
You can integrate habits into your daily life to reduce your intake of microplastics, but there is no way to stop yourself from consuming them. I think it’s up to the government and big plastic polluting companies to make a difference.
The changes we need include creating treaties to control single-use plastic production, raising awareness about microplastics in schools and other education systems, stopping using developing countries as landfills for plastic waste, and funding research into the removal of microplastics.
“Governments worldwide now have the justification and opportunity to effectively address and reverse the plastic pollution crisis by coming up with a global plastics treaty”
Von Hernandez – Global Coordinator for Break Free From Plastic13
Of course, as individuals, we can do our part by being mindful of our plastic consumption and waste, and we can also make a difference by supporting companies and legislation that prioritise it. However, it’s important to remember that the real power for change lies at an institutional level.
From the top-down, businesses and governments have the resources and reach to make a significant impact on reducing microplastics. What do you think?
Bibliography:
1 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10311-023-01626-x
2 https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/microplastics-human-body-know-dont-know-rcna23331
3, 5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7068600/
7, 11 https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/mar/28/shanna-swan-fertility-reproduction-count-down
9 https://pro.morningconsult.com/articles/adults-children-climate-change-polling
10 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.920454/full
12 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10311-023-01593-3
