Research Shows Plastic Is Making You Sick!
The Problem Is More Pervasive Than You Think
Plastics have become so integrated into our daily lives that we rarely consider their unnatural origin. Sure, they’re convenient, but they also silently destroy our health. Recent research (Project TENDR, 2024) shows that micro and nanoplastics can damage our bodies and transport pathogens that potentially increase disease transmission.
The information in this article is shocking. I would advise everyone who reads this to pay strict attention to the details, because you’re already suffering from much of what will be discussed.
The Plastic Problem
Plastics are made of thousands of chemicals, making them more flexible, more stable, or resistant to fire. However, most of these chemicals aren’t firmly bonded to the plastic itself. Instead, they’re embedded within the plastic's structure, like particles trapped in a framework.
This poses a significant issue because certain conditions increase the likelihood of plastics leaching harmful chemicals. For example, squeezing a plastic bottle, leaving it in a hot car, washing plastic dishes in the dishwasher, or storing fatty foods in plastic containers are actions that can cause compounds like phthalates to seep out. Clothing and carpet made from synthetic materials are also largely plastic and can release both chemicals and micro- and nanoplastics.
This leads to plastic ingestion—about 5 grams each week—roughly the weight of a credit card, according to research by the World Wildlife Fund.
Let’s put this in perspective:
In a year, that’s approximately 260 grams of plastic
Over an average lifetime of about 80 years, that would amount to about 46 pounds of plastic.
A lifetime ingestion roughly equals about 1,600 plastic credit cards or the weight of two medium-sized car tires.
Besides ingestion, estimation of inhalation can add up to 22 million micro-and nanoplastics annually.
How Plastics Enter Our Bodies
Microplastics have been found in the deepest parts of the ocean, on Mount Everest, and inside the human body. Consumer Report’s recent tests of nearly 100 foods found two types of chemicals used in plastic, bisphenols and phthalates, in a wide variety of packaged foods. But these are just the “poster children for a broken system.
There’s clear evidence that just about everyone on earth has been exposed to plastic chemicals. Scientists have identified over 16,000 chemicals used in plastic production, with at least 4,200 being of concern for human health.
Plastics get into our systems in three main ways:
Ingestion: contamination of food and drinks. Plastic contaminants are ubiquitous in plastic bottles and, to a lesser degree, in tap water.
Through breath: Tiny plastic particles float in the air we breathe.
Through our skin: daily life products, plastic-based medical supplies, as well as through the food chain with plastic wraps, bags, and brominated flame retardants, found in electronics, textiles, furniture, and building materials,
Many of these act as "endocrine disruptors"—meaning they mess with our hormones. This can cause numerous health problems:
Fertility issues in both men and women
Early puberty in children
Increased risk of certain cancers
Weight gain and metabolic problems
Other issues: obesity, diabetes, thyroid problems and increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, among others.
The technical report Chemicals in Plastics highlights how women and children are particularly susceptible to these toxic chemicals, perhaps even impacting the next generation. Exposure to brominated flame retardants, found in many plastics, has been linked to brain development problems in children, causing:
Lower IQ scores
Attention problems and ADHD
Learning disabilities
Behavioral issues
The Growing Crisis
At the moment, the plastic problem is getting worse, not better. From 1950 to 2019, annual plastic production increased from 2 million metric tons to 460 million metric tons. By 2060, experts predict this amount will nearly triple.
Despite mounting scientific evidence about the dangers of plastics, regulations remain weak primarily due to the immense economic and political influence of the petrochemical and plastics industries. These powerful lobbies have invested billions in shaping public policy and challenging scientific findings, similar to tactics used by tobacco companies in previous decades.
The Environmental Working Group reports that in the U.S., the Toxic Substances Control Act remains weakened by industry influence, allowing many chemicals to remain in use until proven harmful rather than requiring proof of safety before market approval. Meanwhile, European regulators are setting much stricter limits.
Protecting Yourself
While we can't completely avoid plastics in today's world, we can reduce our exposure:
Store food in glass, stainless steel, or ceramic containers instead of plastic
Never microwave food in plastic containers
Use stainless steel or glass water bottles
Eat less processed and packaged foods
Avoid plastic toys for young children, especially those that might be put in the mouth.
Plastics are a pervasive and dangerous issue. If we don’t figure out solutions, we’re going to face major public health emergencies like we’ve never known. One study estimated that diseases linked to just three plastic-associated chemicals cost the U.S. healthcare system approximately $250 billion in 2018.
You can make changes personally by understanding the risks you’ve just read about and making changes in your life to protect your health.
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