Love it or hate it, almost everyone uses plastic in one way or another. This cheap, durable synthetic polymer is the (almost) perfect material for making water bottles, containers, cutting boards, the nonstick coating on cookware, hygiene products and more.
However, after years of watching single-use plastic bags fly through the air like wingless birds, it raises concerns about plastics’ impact on environmental health. Apparently, durable and easily degradable are at odds with one another.
If plastic raises environmental concerns, it also raises human health concerns. What happens when we ingest the micro/nanoparticles that slough off the plastic we heavily rely on?
Both the Food and Drug Administration (July 2024) and the World Health Organization (2022) have declared there’s inconclusive evidence to claim micro/nanoplastics adversely impact human health. Thus, many continue to be approved for use with food and beverage products.
Of course, time will tell. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were banned in 1979. BPAs (bisphenol A) came under scrutiny after a 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) study found detectable levels in urine from 93% of people over age 6 (n = 2517). This suggests the chemical leaches from plastic into the food or beverage it holds and we consume.
In response to the NHANES study, the FDA reviewed 300 other BPA studies. The position was maintained, the evidence was insufficient. That said, BPA is one of many polymers used in plastic production.
The NHANES study is a good example of population exposure, and ultimately, exposure is one component for assessing risk (potential for harm) to population health, the other component is dose.
Sure, we want to know the point at which exposure and dose cause harm, but fortunately, our society values ethical research practices aimed at minimizing harm and maximizing benefits.
It could be some time before we fully understand the impact of plastics on human health. Just as there are many variables among people, there are variables among the polymers that make plastic.
At a molecular level, plastic polymers have different shapes, sizes and surface charges. Is health impacted differently when we absorb a fiber-shaped polymer versus a sphere-shaped polymer? Is the impact different for those with compromised gut health? Again, time will tell.
While plastic may not be natural, contradicting studies in the world of science are. If waiting for more conclusive evidence makes you anxious, lower your exposure and dosage with changes you can control today:
- Replace plastic with stainless steel, wood, glass, bamboo, silicone or natural cloth alternatives.
- Make meals from scratch, using ingredients that aren’t prepackaged or packaged in plastic.
- Use stainless steel cookware and oil to prevent sticking. Pro tip: Soak cookware in water with baking soda to release food particles.
- Use microplastic-free personal hygiene products. Avoid products with microbeads, glitter or polyethylene in the ingredient list.
- Avoid microwaving food in plastic.
- Support policy change and organizations that reduce microplastic pollution in the environment (and ultimately our soil, food and water).
Nicole Clark is director of La Plata County Extension Office. Reach her at nclark@lpcgov.org.
