microplastics

Health Concerns of Microplastics

Smaller microplastics can be attacked by some of the body’s defense cells, known as microphages. But these cells, unable to break down the microplastic, eventually die. The plastic is then swallowed by another defense cell, which repeats the process, stressing the body’s immune system.¹

Takeaways

• Avoid buying plastic bottled water. Use a reusable stainless or glass container to refill with water.
• Stop buying polyester clothing, textiles, etc. Especially no new/virgin polyester. 100% recycled polyester, if at all.
• Don’t get rid of your existing polyester clothes (they’ll just sit in a landfill shedding more microplastics into the waterways). Use them until the end of their life and then repurpose them.
  • Creative, useful repurposing with minimal negative impact: old polyester clothes as stuffing for door excluders/draft seals

    What I’ve been doing, is wearing them until they start to fall apart, then shredding them up to use as stuffing for draft excluders I can put at the bottom of my doors. then replacing them with clothes that are more sustainably sourced from safely biodegradeable materials.²

Footnotes

1. Microplastics we breathe are infiltrating our organs, threatening health - Washington Post ↩

2. https://www.reddit.com/r/sustainability/comments/18jpovx/comment/kdloa1i/ ↩