At a conference in Washington DC last week, a study was presented which claimed its possible for microplastics to be transferred from a mother to a foetus. Although this research was based on rats, previous studies have found plastic in the placentas of pregnant women. Research from 2019 estimated that people usually consume anywhere between 0.1 – 5g of plastic a week. Shockingly, 5g of plastic is the equivalent of eating a credit card a week! The rat-based study concluded that microplastics can have detrimental effects on development, as they can infiltrate every organ of the body.
More research is needed into the effects of microplastics on the human body, the negative effects on other species are obvious. Scientists have identified a disease in seabirds which is caused by eating plastic. ‘Plasticosis’ occurs when fragments of plastic inflame the digestive tract of the bird, leading to deformities.
The answer? Go retro with our kitchen habits and re-popularise the use of glass for food and drink storage. Not only will it be better for your health, it’ll make your kitchen instantly more Instagrammable. For on the go, opt for stainless steel containers and bottles which are equally as non-leaching but a little less fragile.
Taken from an article in The Times, 4th March 2022
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