What if I told you that you might swallow a credit card’s worth of plastic every week and you literally don't even know it?
Scientists estimate that microplastics, those tiny plastic bits smaller than a grain of sand, are building up inside us.
They’ve turned up in our blood, lungs, and even brain.
Microplastics are everywhere.
They float in oceans, drift through the air, and hide in what we eat.
You can’t see them, but they’re there, sneaking into your body with every breath or bite.
Researchers are finding them in places they shouldn’t be, raising questions we can’t and shouldn't ignore.
We wanted to break down what microplastics are, where they come from, what you can do about them, and if this is really as bad as it seems.
What Are Microplastics? Breaking Down the Science
Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic, smaller than 5 millimeters, about the size of a sesame seed or smaller.
Most start as larger items, like bags or bottles, that break apart over time. Others are made small on purpose, like the microbeads in face scrubs.
Either way, most of them are so small that they’re hard to see without a microscope.
Because of how small and unnoticeable they are, they end up in surprising places.
They wash into rivers and oceans, where fish and shellfish eat them.
That means microplastics can land on your plate, hidden in the fish you eat or even table salt you use to make your food tasty. Yummy, plastic.
They’ve been found in drinking water, both tap and bottled, and studies show some microplastics can even float in the air we breathe. One report from 2019 showed microplastics in rainwater, falling from the sky.
And to answer the question on everyone's mind. Yes, microplastics are in your body. They are in everyone's body.
A 2022 study from the Netherlands found microplastics in human blood samples. Another, from the same year, detected them in lung tissue.
Researchers think these particles might cause irritation or carry harmful chemicals, though they’re still figuring out the full effects.
It's simple. What’s in the environment ends up in us.
Microplastics move through the world quietly, and now they’re part of our bodies.
Now the question is, how did they get there? Let’s look at that next.
Where Do Microplastics Come From?
Microplastics don’t just appear out of nowhere. They come from things we use every day.
One major source is cosmetics.
Face scrubs and toothpastes often contain microbeads, tiny plastic balls that wash down the drain.
Another big source is synthetic fabrics.
Clothes like polyester fleece or yoga pants shed microfibers when you wash them. A 2016 study from Plymouth University found that one laundry load can release 700,000 of these fibers into water systems.
Single-use plastics also add to the problem.
Water bottles and coffee cups break down into smaller bits over time, especially when tossed into landfills or oceans.
Then there’s car tires.
As they wear out on roads, they shed plastic particles that rain washes away into our rivers and soil.
Even factories contribute, releasing microplastics through waste and runoff.
Some of these sources might be in your home right now.
That workout shirt? It’s shedding. That plastic container? It will crumble one day.
Researchers estimate that 8 million tons of plastic enter oceans yearly, much of it turning into microplastics. From there, it’s a short trip to fish, water, and you.
We need to face the fact that microplastics come from products we rely on, often without thinking twice.
How many of these sources are part of your routine? Knowing where they start is the first step to cutting them off.
The Big Question: Are Microplastics Dangerous?
So, we know for sure that microplastics are in us, but are they harmful?
Scientists have some answers, though not all the pieces fit yet. They're still doing research, but let's look at what we have so far.
Studies show these tiny plastics can carry toxins like BPA, a chemical linked to hormone changes. Once inside, they might irritate tissues or release those substances.
A 2022 study from Hull York Medical School found microplastics in lung samples, suggesting they could affect breathing over time. Others worry about the immune system reacting to them and causing problems for people with already weakened immune systems.
As of right now, the evidence isn’t fully complete.
Researchers know microplastics build up in animals, like fish, causing stress or growth issues.
In humans, the long-term picture is less clear. Are they just passing through, or do they stick around and cause trouble?
One scary finding was from a 2021 Italian study that detected microplastics in placentas. If they reach unborn babies, they can cause problems before a human can even start their life!
We know microplastics are there, and we know they might carry risks.
Unfortunately, the gaps in research mean we can’t say exactly how bad it is yet, so for now, it’s a waiting game as science catches up.
Still, the idea of plastic in our blood or lungs is a scary thought. Is there any way to prevent this?
Fighting Back: 5 Practical Steps to Minimize Exposure
You can’t stop all microplastics, but you can cut down on what reaches you. Here are five steps to take control, starting today.
Step 1: Swap Out Cosmetics
Microplastics hide in many face scrubs, body washes, and toothpastes as microbeads.
Check labels for words like “polyethylene” or “polypropylene.” These are plastics that rinse into water systems.
Instead, pick products with natural options, like ground oatmeal or sugar. Brands often mark these as “microbead-free.”
It’s a small switch that keeps plastic off your skin and out of your drain.
Step 2: Smarter Laundry
Synthetic clothes, like polyester or nylon, shed microfibers in the wash. These are some of
the worst clothing materials for the environment.
One load can release thousands of them.
Use a microfiber-capturing laundry bag, which traps those bits before they escape.
Or add a filter to your washing machine’s outflow.
Both are affordable and easy to find online.
This keeps microplastics from flowing into rivers and back to you.
Step 3: Ditch Single-Use Plastics
This is one of our favorite
tips to help the environment in general.
We learned that plastic bottles, straws, and bags break down into microplastics over time and leak into our water.
An easy fix is to replace them with reusable versions.
A steel water bottle or cloth tote lasts years and cuts waste. Use a thermos for coffee.
It’s not hard to carry one, and it means less plastic crumbling into tiny pieces that end up in your food or water.
Step 4: Eat Low on the Food Chain
Seafood, especially shellfish, carries more microplastics because they filter water when they eat.
Fish higher up, like tuna, collect even more because they also eat fish that are full of microplastics.
Cut back on these and try to go for
plant-based meals.
Beans, grains, and vegetables avoid those plastics that you get when you eat fish.
It’s a simple way to lower what builds up in your body.
Step 5: Advocate to Limit Certain Plastics
Local rules have the power to stop microplastics at the source.
Some places have banned microbeads in cosmetics or single-use bags.
You can look up the rules and what’s happening around where you live.
Write to your city council or sign a petition to push for the changes that could limit the amount of microplastics in the.
Yours and other voices really add up, helping reduce the plastic for everyone and everything on the planet.
Final Thoughts
Microplastics are more than just a personal problem. They affect every single living thing on Earth in a negative way.
We have a terrible reliance on plastic, a habit that is clogging the planet.
What you do matters, but it’s the collective effort of everyone that can actually change things.
Small actions, like
using reusable bottles, washing smarter, or eating less seafood, send a message to companies and governments to rethink plastic use.
So, what’s your next step?
Try one tip from this post and see how it feels, then add in more until you've hit all 5.
Together, we can face this microplastics crisis, one choice at a time!
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