Microplastics Health Risks
When we think of microplastics, images of plastic bottles on beaches or single-use restaurant containers come to mind. Most of us have heard about how ubiquitous microplastics are, but do we really know the long-term impacts they carry? After taking a deep dive into microplastics, I learned that there is still so much yet to be discovered, both for the health risks they carry and for addressing our use of microplastics.
What are Microplastics?
Microplastics are characterized as tiny plastic particles less than five millimetres in size. The microplastics that carry health risks are even smaller and commonly referred to as micro(nano)plastics (MnPs). This means that they can pass into our bodies through our lungs when we breathe, through our skin, and through the digestive tract when we eat and drink food that contain MnPs.
Why Do Microplastics Concern Us?
Now, why should we be concerned about microplastics? The main issue with plastic is that it never truly disappears. Over time, it slowly decomposes and becomes smaller and smaller, but it never actually vanishes. This results in the never-ending cycle within our food system and, potentially, within our body.
Even though microplastics are so prominent in our environment, many people remain unaware that they’re exposed to them every day. Seafood, for example, is exposed to large amounts of microplastics in the ocean. Deodorants and the toothpaste we use every day come packaged in a tube of plastic. Food packaging and food containers often contain microplastics.
Many studies have shown the connection between these everyday products and a decline in human health. Negative health impacts are demonstrated on the immune system and cardiovascular system. We see microplastics correlated to reduced fertility and increased risk of various cancers. Recent studies have even found traces of microplastics in many human organs, including the brain, with elevated concentrations noted in individuals diagnosed with dementia. Every day, new information regarding microplastics and their health risks is released with the overall consensus being they are incredibly harmful for humans, plants, and pets.
What Can You Do?
Now, this may seem beyond our control, however, we are at the forefront of environmental change. Reducing exposure to microplastics involves both individual actions and broader policy initiatives. On a personal level, using glass or metal containers instead of plastic, avoiding microwaving food in plastic containers, and limiting processed food intake can all mitigate microplastic ingestion. Even swapping out commercial cleaners for homemade solutions of vinegar, water, and essential oils can be simple steps to change.
Policies to reduce plastic manufacturing and waste are critical on a bigger scale. Implementing strategies even in Kingston to address microplastic pollution, and focus on prevention, intervention and public education can result in change. Change begins with individual actions aimed at improving both personal well-being and the health of the community.
Additional Resources
To gain a better grasp on the real-time impacts of microplastics, check out Dr. Peter Attia’s deep dive podcast into the world of microplastics. He does an excellent job of breaking down the complex topic, while providing an eye-opening take on how we’ve only scratched the surface of plastic.
To learn about ways to mitigate your personal use of microplastics, check out Adria Vasils book Ecoholic: Your Guide to the Most Environmentally Friendly Information, Products and Services in Canada (also available in our lending library). Adria provides many natural environmentally friendly alternatives for home, garden, office and even recreational events.
Physician-Scientist Eric Topol reviews the topic here. He includes commentary on a landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine about microplastics and heart disease, and one published in Nature Medicine about the bioaccumulation of microplastics in the brain.
To learn more about how making healthy choices for our environment is also good for our personal health, please visit KIHC’s Planetary Health page.
To explore how environmental contaminants affect your health personally, please complete KIHC’s Environmental Health Questionnaire.
We’d like to thank Clauden for this excellent educational article for our KIHC audience. Clauden is a 4th year Kinesiology student at Queen’s University who’s completing a Health Sciences practicum and community placement at KIHC.
