Aussies warned over bank card-sized plastic intake
The world produces 400 million tonnes of a material yearly that experts say could be triggering devastating health impacts while hiding in plain sight.
Experts have expressed concerns once again over a material the world produces 400 million tonnes of every year — which could have horrifying health impacts.
Nanoplastic particles come from small fragments of plastics less than five millimetres in size, known as microplastics. The material has been a source of concern since 2004 and it is claimed adults ingest around a bank card’s worth a week.
It is in everything from tea bags to cooking utensils.
Experts have linked the development of certain types of cancers — as well as heart attacks and reproductive issues — in animals to the material, according to Stanford Medicine.
It’s been found in the brain, lymph nodes, placenta, and even semen. It’s unclear how long this material stays in the body.
Dr Scott Wilson, an expert in the material from Macquarine University and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, told the ABC that Australians were breathing it in and it is getting trapped in our lungs.
“The larger particles get expelled as we cough it out, but the smaller particles get caught and reside there and can move across into the bloodstream,” he told the publication.
He added that children — who crawl around on their hands and knees and explore with their mouths — were more likely to ingest it because of this.
Dr Wilson explained that humans were relying highly on animal studies, such as one where microplastics were put in the water supply of one set of rats and not the other.
“They did the maze test where they run through the maze and find their food at the end. They compared the two, the control group and the microplastic-exposed group, and the ones that had been exposed to microplastics were behaving as if they had early onset dementia,” he said.
He also expressed concern about heat and plastics.
Desiree LaBeaud, a professor in pediatric infectious diseases at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, encouraged people to stop using single-use plastic as much as possible and to seek out plastic free toiletries and cosmetics. She also said to avoid non-stick and plastic cookware.
Sophie Kovic is the founder of Seed & Sprout while Rebecca Williams is the company’s CEO. The business, founded in 2016, was started after Ms Kovic couldn’t find plastic-free lunch boxes for her young son. The company now sells everything from travel bags to chopping boards in an effort to reduce plastic.
“The minimising plastic movement has definitely evolved. When I started, it was seen as a bit radical – something only the really committed ‘eco types’ did. There was a lot of extremism in how people approached it,” Ms Kovic told news.com.au.
“We wanted to remove that friction – to make sustainability easy, practical, and beautiful so it could fit into anyone’s lifestyle. I think that’s what helped bring it into the mainstream. These days, sustainability is just business as usual. Most brands have some element of it built in, and if they don’t yet, I think they soon will. Sustainability isn’t a trend anymore – it’s an expectation.”
Ms Kovic said it was “definitely confronting” as she discovered the kinds of toxic chemicals in plastics around the time she was caring for her mum through cancer.
“You can’t eliminate every risk in life, but you can make better choices. Living with fewer toxins just gives me peace of mind – especially as a mum,” she said.
Seed & Sprout is one of many sustainable brands addressing microplastics, with clothing brands, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, and food packaging companies all fighting to raise awareness and develop safe alternatives.
Ms Williams said what sets the brand apart is their focus on safe materials such as wood fibre to stainless steel, glass and ceramics.
“Our Product Design team is fastidious about delivering products with the highest levels of certification, be that FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) or LFGB (German Food and Feedstuffs Code) – some brands don’t even consider these important certifications,” she said.
“We take our role as leaders in the sustainability space seriously, education is key. The studies can be overwhelming and don’t always provide solutions. As we learn more, we share our knowledge and experience with our community.
“Our aim is to provide solutions to everyday problems that are both practical and beautiful – this takes the heaviness out of the sustainability journey. We advocate for simple sustainable swaps – every step counts, progress over perfection.”
Originally published as Aussies warned over bank card-sized plastic intake
