The Dangers of Microplastics
Microplastics are microscopic particles from plastics that breakdown due to weathering, friction, heat, etc. Microplastics disturb the digestive, endocrine, reproductive, and immunity systems.
Microplastics have been found in the feces of infants, including in their meconium. One study found that infants have 10-20x higher concentrations of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics in their stool than adults (1).
There are multiple studies suggesting a link between microplastics and early puberty (2).
Where to Start?
Unfortunately, we live in a world where plastic is everywhere. We can’t escape it. So take a deep breath, and remember that stressing about toxins can be worse for your health than the toxins themselves.
Pick the area of your children’s/family’s lives that is most important to you when it comes to microplastics - whether that be toys, food, clothes, bedding, etc.
For us, we prioritize anything that comes into contact with food/drink or the mouth.
Sources:
1 Occurrence of Polyethylene Terephthalate and Polycarbonate Microplastics in Infant and Adult Feces. Junjie Zhang, Lei Wang, Leonardo Trasande, and Kurunthachalam Kannan. Environmental Science & Technology Letters 2021 8 (11), 989-994. DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00559
2 Papadimitriou A, Papadimitriou DT. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Early Puberty in Girls. Children (Basel). 2021 Jun 10;8(6):492. doi: 10.3390/children8060492. PMID: 34200537; PMCID: PMC8226958.
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