How to reduce your exposure to microplastics

Scientists recommend never microwaving food in plastic — tempered glass such as Pyrex is a good alternative for warming food

Scientists say the “easiest low-hanging fruit” for limiting exposure is to cut down on how much plastic you use: switching to glass food storage containers is one way to reduce your plastic exposure

Microplastics are everywhere. These small plastic particles — often smaller than the width of a human hair — have been found in the food we eat, the liquids we drink and throughout the human body, including in lungs, brains, blood and breast milk.

While researchers are still determining the exact impacts on human health, microplastics (and their tinier variant, nanoplastics) pose a dual threat. The particles themselves can cause harm, as can the chemicals they contain. One recent study linked plastics in blood-vessel plaque to the risk of heart attack, stroke or death from any cause. Other research has found plastic exposure may increase the risk of cancer, Parkinson’s disease and male infertility.