Microplastics. Are They Really That Bad?

Yes. Micro things can have macro effects. Especially in large amounts. Global plastic production has doubled in the past two decades, and Americans are discarding an average of 450 pounds of plastic, per person, per year.

Plastics in the ocean break up into very small particles called microplastics, about the size of a sesame seed. Marine life and birds can mistake microplastics for food, ingesting the chemicals and ultimately harming their health. It’s sad about the sick fish, right? But it’s more than that. It comes down to basic food chain math. The species consuming microplastics are crucial sources of nutrition for larger marine life, which are sources of nutrition for humans.

Microplastics are being detected in the food we eat. Also, it’s getting into the water we drink, and standard water treatment facilities cannot remove all traces of microplastics. How exactly this effects human health is a growing area of research. It’s not abundantly clear yet. But do we want to wait to find out, or start reducing single-use plastic now?