Is plastic harmful to human health?
For us humans with high IQ, obviously we won't make such low-level mistakes, but can humans really avoid the influence of plastics? After scientists' research, the answer is no! The culprit is plastic particles, which cannot be easily seen by human eyes.
1. Everyone eats a credit card every week
Recently, CNN quoted a new study from Newcastle University in Australia on the 12th, warning that the global average person consumes about 2,000 plastic particles every week, with a total weight of 5 grams, which is equivalent to the weight of a credit card.
According to the research report, these plastic particles are less than 5 mm in diameter, mainly from plastic particles in daily care products such as artificial clothing fibers, toothpaste, shower gel, and various plastic wastes discarded by us. When exposed to the natural environment, these objects containing plastic particles will gradually decompose into smaller plastic fragments, then enter rivers and oceans, be eaten by fish and other marine animals, and eventually become a part of human food chain.
In fact, as early as last October, authoritative media such as People's Daily and Health Times reported an experiment attended by volunteers from eight countries (Austria, Italy, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia and the United Kingdom) at the European Gastroenterology Conference. Researchers said that up to nine different kinds of plastic particles were detected in human excrement for the first time. It seems that the matter of "eating credit cards" is certain.
2. All-pervasive "plastic particles"
Some people may wonder if I can stay away from these plastic particles if I don't eat seafood and fish and have a water purifier at home or drink bottled purified water. Unfortunately, there are also "plastic particles" in bottled water and salt.
A 2-year investigation by new york State University in 9 countries, such as the United States, China and Japan, found that 93% of plastic bottled water in these countries contained "plastic particles". It is said that many countries have started to hold the "Reject Bottled Water" campaign. In addition, a study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology shows that 90% of the salt sold in the market contains microplastics.
There is also an important way for plastic particles to enter the human body-take-out and plastic packaging.
2. All-pervasive "plastic particles"
Some people may wonder if I can stay away from these plastic particles if I don't eat seafood and fish and have a water purifier at home or drink bottled purified water. Unfortunately, there are also "plastic particles" in bottled water and salt.
A 2-year investigation by new york State University in 9 countries, such as the United States, China and Japan, found that 93% of plastic bottled water in these countries contained "plastic particles". It is said that many countries have started to hold the "Reject Bottled Water" campaign. In addition, a study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology shows that 90% of the salt sold in the market contains microplastics.
There is also an important way for plastic particles to enter the human body-take-out and plastic packaging.
Do you think we're done eating these plastics? And ... Toothpaste, shower gel, facial cleanser, cosmetics ... At present, there are 1147 kinds of care products containing plastic particles in the world, and 330,000 plastic particles are contained in an ordinary bottle of frosted facial cleanser. Nowadays, it is a very common practice to add a large number of "plastic beads" into toothpaste, shower gel, nail polish, lipstick, hair gel, cleanser and other toiletries and cosmetics. According to the research report of the United Nations, "these microplastics are difficult to filter in the sewage treatment process, and will eventually be directly discharged into rivers, lakes and oceans".
In addition, the number of micro-fiber fragments formed by artificial chemical fibers is equally alarming. For example, chemical fiber or chemical fiber-containing clothing will separate and form fine particles under the action of washing machine, and these micro-plastics will enter the environment along with washing wastewater. Experimental samples show that each piece of clothing can produce up to 1900 fiber fragments in each washing process.
What to do? You can reduce the intake of plastic particles in the following ways:
1. Eat less salt. I originally advocated less salt (less than 5 grams per day) for health, so I will eat less plastic in my life;
2. Try not to drink bottled water when going out, and drink it with 304 stainless steel cups or glasses.
3. Drink tap water filtered by water purifier at home.
4. Eat less take-away, less processed and packaged food, and go home to cook for yourself.
5. Eat seafood no more than 4 times a month, especially shellfish (Canadian cultured mussels contain up to 13,000 plastic particles per kilogram of soft tissue)
6. Use toothpaste without foaming agent and abrasive. Don't think that toothpaste with bubbles or sand grains when brushing teeth is a good toothpaste. They will only make you swallow more plastic particles and damage your enamel. Choose toothpaste with natural cleaning ingredients and less foaming. Try not to buy cheap chemical synthetic toiletries and products with deep cleaning words such as frosted particles and soft beads.
7. Choose environmentally friendly and soft laundry detergent, and try to wash it by hand.
Speaking of which, do you feel a little scared and desperate? Then say something that can relieve stress. According to a recent survey by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, plastic particles with a diameter of more than 150 microns (1000 microns =1 mm, that is, 0.15 mm) will not be absorbed by human body, but will be discharged together with human feces, and this part of plastic particles accounts for about 90% of the plastic particles in nature. That is to say, most plastic particles will be excreted by us. However, there are still 10% smaller, nanoscale plastic particles that will remain in our bodies and accumulate little by little.