Just by eating, drinking and breathing, Americans ingest at least 74,000 micro plastic particles every year. Ingesting micro plastics has been shown to interfere with hormones and reduce fertility in men and women. Styrene, another chemical found in plastic and some food packaging, has also been linked to several health issues, including nervous system problems, hearing loss and cancer. Flaws, a professor and how can we minimize our exposure to micro plastics? Avoid plastic food containers with known issues. Don’t use containers with recycling codes “3,” “6,” and “7” which indicate the presence of phthalates, styrene and bisphenols.
Eat more fresh food. It is not packaged at all and is much healthier.
Think big picture. The large-scale solutions will require reducing the amount of plastic used overall. opt for products packaged in glass instead of plastic, use reusable non-plastic containers, support policies limiting the use of single-use plastic.
The Weekly Green Tip is written by Michelle Sgarlat.