By Alliance Communications Coordinator Amy Durr
My aunts used to giggle at my cousins and I for drinking water out of plastic bottles. Why would someone pay for water? My aunts laughed at a lot of things, and mostly they were right.After spending many years believing water in plastic bottles was healthier, I now avoid it with an almost religious fervor. Why? Microplastics.
“Microplastics are really small pieces of plastic — less than five millimeters long on one side or about the size of a pencil eraser,” writes microplastics researcher Tracey Woodruff. “We’re exposed to these plastics in countless ways, whether it’s the worn car tires that release them into the air or the plastic-lined cans that get them into our food.”
Microplastics are Everywhere All at Once
“Scientists have found microplastics in our livers, blood, brains and even placentas,” Woodruff adds. “And while more science is needed to fully understand how this impacts our health, there’s enough evidence for us to be concerned.”
“This really is a public health crisis that people are just generally not aware of,” said Sherri Mason, a freshwater and plastic-pollution researcher at Gannon University. Scientists have estimated that adults ingest the equivalent of one credit card per week in microplastics, states Stanford.
Microplastics and Your Health
Most people have no clue that more than 10,000 chemicals are used to make plastic. Two-thirds have not been assessed for safety, while over 2,400 are considered potentially toxic, according to Stanford.
Plastics contain some highly toxic chemicals such as flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and phthalates that can migrate into the environment and into human bodies, according to Harvard. Their studies have shown that microplastic exposure can lead to damage to cells, DNA, and the immune response. Observational studies have shown an association of microplastics with increased risk of heart attack, stroke, dementia, or early death.
“A systematic review I conducted with my colleagues in 2024 showed that microplastics are suspected to negatively impact reproductive health, primarily sperm quality, as well as digestive and respiratory health,” says Woodruff. “The evidence suggests microplastics are potential causes of chronic inflammation, which could increase the risk of colon and lung cancer. Other studies have shown a link between microplastics and dementia as well as cardiovascular disease.”
8 Simple Ways to Reduce Microplastics Without Spending Money
The good news is that there are “effective ways to reduce our exposure through lifestyle changes. The key is to make these slowly over time, and be realistic about your budget and routines,” Woodruff recommends. “There’s no need to throw out all your plastic food-storage containers overnight. Overall, it’s about reducing plastic use, particularly single-use plastics.”
Microplastics researcher Tracey Woodruff shares her favorite, easy ways to avoid or reduce introducing plastics into our bodies.
- Avoid packaged and ultra-processed foods
“I know this is hard, but probably the most important thing you can do to reduce your exposure to microplastics is to eat food that you prepare inside your house, made from scratch. Plastic-related chemicals are more commonly found in ultra-processed and fast foods, rather than foods cooked at home, and it’s not necessarily clear why.
One study found microplastics in all 16 pre-made protein products that researchers sampled. Of the products tested, breaded shrimp had the highest concentrations of plastic particles. Highly processed chicken nuggets contain 30 times as many microplastics per gram as chicken breasts, shares Amudalat Ajasa.
Canned food and beverage cartons are a plastic contamination pathway for people. Cans are often lined with plastics that can shed microplastics and leach harmful chemicals. - Ditch the plastic tea bags
Nylon tea bags, which are made out of plastic, can release more than 11 billion microplastic and 3 billion nanoplastic particles in a single bag.
Brewing loose-leaf tea is one way to avoid the problems associated with plastic tea bags. And tea bags made from cellulose, a biodegradable material, are far safer than plastic and have the added benefit of helping the tea absorb other harmful materials like heavy metals. - Don’t microwave plastics
Begin gradually switching to glass food-storage containers. “Have I thrown all my plastic out? No, I have not. But I never use them in the microwave. Research has found that microwaving food in plastic containers can release millions of microplastics into that food,” says Woodruff.
One study found that microwaving food in plastic containers and reusable food pouches could release more than 4 million microplastic and 2 billion nanoplastic particles per square centimeter in just three minutes. - Drink tap water or use a water filter
Drinking bottled water could be introducing you to thousands of microscopic pieces of plastic. In fact, bottled water is the biggest pathway to microplastic exposure, Mason said.
Researchers have found that an average liter of bottled water contains about 240,000 plastic particles, most of which are nanoplastics, measuring just a fraction of the width of a human hair.
“Single-use plastic water bottles can also leach plastics into your water, so I have a stainless steel water bottle that I carry around everywhere,” Woodruff shares. Glass options are also available.
Note: Boiling and filtering water can help remove up to 90 percent of plastic particles in drinking water, but experts warn it could also increase the leaching of toxic chemicals into the water. - Avoid nonstick pans and pots
Many pots and pans can be “made with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) — or “forever chemicals,” as they’re often known. Instead, I use a clay rice cooker, stainless steel pots and pans, and a cast-iron skillet that was my grandmother’s. It still works great, and I can fry an egg in it without a problem. I use wooden and stainless steel cooking utensils — and avoid black plastics,” Woodruff tells us. - Follow a plant-based diet
“I eat lower on the food chain, sticking to fruits and vegetables. There is still a lot to learn here, but we know that chemicals are more prevalent in larger animals. So I avoid red meat and ruminant animals such as goat and lamb,” says Woodruff.
“I also focus on eating whole grains and beans. And this is consistent with other dietary food guidelines. I do eat some fish. I recommend eating smaller fish in general, since larger fish, such as tuna and swordfish, have a longer lifespan and can accumulate pollutants like mercury.” - Minimize dust in your home
Microplastics love to hang out in dust. One efficient way to decrease the amount in your home is to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter. HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air — meaning these vacuums are effective at removing very tiny particles around your house, including microplastics. [Editor: Normal vacuum cleaners literally blow the microplastics around your home.] - Use fragrance-free personal care and cleaning products
Some abrasive cleaning products, such as the kinds that have little particles to help you scrub, may have microplastics. The same goes for personal care products, such as exfoliants. I avoid these as well as any products with fragrances, since some companies place fragrances within tiny microplastic capsules so the scent will last longer.
Going Plastic-Free May Save Your Life, or At Least Help You Live Healthier
As Tracey Woodruff shares, “The idea of avoiding microplastics can seem overwhelming — even to me, a person who has dedicated their life to studying environmental contaminants — but a few small steps can make a difference to reduce your exposure and improve your overall health. And it’s important to remember: It’s not your fault. The bottom line is that it’s hard for an individual to control the production of plastic, and we need systemic changes to lower our exposures.”
Taking the road less traveled by may be poetically pleasing, but it’s rarely comfortable and many people consider wanderers strange or asocial. However, early adopters have the opportunity to become movement leaders and changemakers, helping others see new ways of living in harmony with the natural world.
Let’s continue to work together to force those systemic changes. One fun way is to join the Hennepin County Plastic-Free Challenge in February. You don’t need to live in Hennepin County (I don’t!). Terry Gips and I join every year, and I always find something new to work on or eliminate.