Writer Kevin Loria describes the various ways plastics can make their way into foods and ultimately into our bodies and suggests ways to reduce this exposure in this article from consumer reports. He reported on "a preliminary estimate by some scientists that the plastic the average person may be eating and drinking totals as much as 5 grams per week. One research review published in 2019 calculated that the average American eats, drinks, and breathes in more than 74,000 microplastic particles every year. Some scientists say it’s likely that ingesting these tiny bits of plastic could expose us to harmful chemicals."* Properties of different types of plastics are determined by various added chemicals which "have been linked to serious health effects, including other bisphenols (in the same family as BPA), phthalates, and styrene"* He also points out that safety assessment and regulation of these chemicals has been insufficient.
To minimize the impact of these chemicals on your health, Loria lists six ways to reduce exposure to plastics:
1) Drink tap water, not water from plastic water bottles.
2) "Heat food in or on the stove, or by microwaving in glass,"* not in a plastic container in the microwave.
3) "Buy and store food in glass, silicone, or foil,"* not in plastic.
4) Eat fresh food rather than processed, plastic wrapped food.
5) Vacuum to reduce household dust.
6) Think about the bigger picture: "Legislation to limit the use of single-use plastics and plastic production may pull the biggest levers, but joining forces with community-level recycling groups can truly make a difference. Look for so-called zero-waste groups, which can offer guidelines for how to recycle or compost all your garbage—and which lobby for local rules that can restrict throwaway items. When possible, shop at markets that source goods locally, so they don’t require as much packaging and shipping. Seek out groups such as Upstream, a nonprofit working to create reusable takeout packaging for restaurants. And when possible, educate yourself about and support any city, county, and state legislation limiting single-use plastics."*
*Kevin Loria, April 30, 2020, "How to Eat Less Plastic," www.consumerreports.org
To minimize the impact of these chemicals on your health, Loria lists six ways to reduce exposure to plastics:
1) Drink tap water, not water from plastic water bottles.
2) "Heat food in or on the stove, or by microwaving in glass,"* not in a plastic container in the microwave.
3) "Buy and store food in glass, silicone, or foil,"* not in plastic.
4) Eat fresh food rather than processed, plastic wrapped food.
5) Vacuum to reduce household dust.
6) Think about the bigger picture: "Legislation to limit the use of single-use plastics and plastic production may pull the biggest levers, but joining forces with community-level recycling groups can truly make a difference. Look for so-called zero-waste groups, which can offer guidelines for how to recycle or compost all your garbage—and which lobby for local rules that can restrict throwaway items. When possible, shop at markets that source goods locally, so they don’t require as much packaging and shipping. Seek out groups such as Upstream, a nonprofit working to create reusable takeout packaging for restaurants. And when possible, educate yourself about and support any city, county, and state legislation limiting single-use plastics."*
*Kevin Loria, April 30, 2020, "How to Eat Less Plastic," www.consumerreports.org
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