12 Ways to Reduce Microplastic Consumption

Ultimate guide on how to avoid microplastic exposure to your body

GUIDES AND TIPS

Greenly World

9/5/20239 min read

Microplastics have been shown to be harmful for our environment and ecosystems including marine as well. While the discussion on the effects of microplastics in the human body are still ongoing, microplastic have been linked to toxicity, and to cause inhormonal balances in our bodies, and may or may not be a carcinogenic. We've heard many things causing cancer, and we're not here to scare anyone or misinform either. With more research on this topic, things will more clear on its negative effects, nevertheless, consuming petroleum (mainly what plastic is made of) seems to be not so good, and if it's not good for ecosystems, then surely it can't be good for us either. Below, we've listed some helpful tips to reduce or completely avoid microplastics.

Table of contents

Definition of Microplastics
Where is microplastics mostly found?
Foods with the most microplastics
12 ways to avoid microplastic consumption
Summary


Definition of Microplastics

Microplastics are those small plastic pieces that measure less than 5 mm across, around the width of a pencil. Found nearly everywhere from the items we utilize to the clothing we wear, microplastics have infiltrated our daily lives. While some microplastics can actually be viewed with the naked eye, others are tiny enough to inhale.

These minuscule particles originate from an array of sources. There are two types of Microplastics: Primary and Secondary.

Primary microplastics enter the environment in small form, such as the plastic microbeads utilized for exfoliation in certain cosmetics. Secondary microplastics begin life as larger units of plastic debris like plastic water bottles or medicine containers, eventually breaking down into smaller bits over time.

Though a vast amount of microplastics currently permeate the environment, fresh particles are produced on a daily basis. This reality may not surprise given the explosive rise in plastic manufacturing and usage since its debut in the middle of the 20th century.

In the 1950s the amount of plastic production was roughly 1.5 million tonnes, and today that number is over 350 + million tonnes of plastic produced per year. That's more than 233 times plastic produced each year, and if no regulations are made to hault this production it will only increase.

Where is microplastics mostly found?

Microplastics are found in land and soil (52 %), while the rest (48 %) are found in the oceans, and it is estimated that around 0.8 - 2.5 million tonnes of primary microplastic are found in the oceans.



Surprisingly to some, about two-thirds of microplastic releases come from laundry of synthetic textiles and abrasion of car tires. To be more accurate with the numbers, the following demonstrates the distribution of the source to mircoplastic.

  • 35% synthetic textiles

  • 28% tires

  • 24% city dust

  • 7% road markings

  • 4% protective marine coatings

  • 2% personal care products

  • 0.3% plastic pellets


Where most releases occur during the use phase (49 %), and maintenance phase (28%) of plastic containing products.

Synthetic textile comes in as number one, and to understand why that is, it's important what exactly synthetic textiles are.
Synthetic textiles refer to fabric materials that are manufactured by humans as opposed to naturally occurring fibers like cotton, wool and silk. Synthetic textiles commonly used for clothing include polyester, nylon, acrylic and spandex. Synthetic textiles are produced from petrochemicals via industrial processes which turn oil and natural gas into long chains of polymers. In addition;

  • Synthetic textiles make up over 60% of global fiber consumption at 42.5 million tons annually. Developing economies use a larger proportion synthetics.

  • 6.4 million tons of synthetic rubber are used annually for tires, representing 57% of synthetic rubber applications.

Foods with the most microplastics

Certain Fruit and Vegetables - Fruit and vegetables are healthy however some contain microplastics, and the most known of them probably is the apple. Apples averaged 195,500 particles per gram while similar counts arose in pears at 189,500. Broccoli and carrots also demonstrated heavy contamination levels. As plants cultivate, microplastics situated within soil and water absorbed by roots get taken up. Previous examinations detected microplastic permeating lettuce and wheat roots, denoting absorption from their surroundings.

Flathead grey mulley - A study conducted in 2018 uncovered evidence of microplastic ingestion in local marine life. According to research carried out by The Education University of Hong Kong, microplastic fragments were detected in approximately six out of every ten wild flathead grey mullets examined. On average, each mullet contained 4.3 tiny pieces of plastic, with one individual even identified as having swallowed a startling 80 particles. Saltwater fish and grey mullets obtained from regional markets revealed even higher microplastic content than their wild counterparts, offering further proof of endemic plastic pollution permeating marine ecosystems and food sources.


Beer and plastic water bottles - The manufacturing process and storage in plastic bottles can introduce microplastics, though expected levels are low. Tap water is also suspected to contain microplastics, however bottled water has shown to contain alot more than tap water, and beer has shown to contain the most microplastics.

Salt - Both table and sea salts have been found contaminated, as plastic waste breaks down in oceans and salt pans. According to research co-led in 2018 by Incheon National University in South Korea alongside Greenpeace East Asia, over 90% of sampled salt brands sourced from 21 nations tested positive for microplastic content. Additionally, the Hong Kong Consumer Council's analysis detected alarming per-kilogram concentrations ranging from 114 to 17,200 milligrams of microplastic within salts tested.


Honey - Microfibers have been found in honey samples, likely originating from industrial agricultural practices and pollen collected near cities. The hair of bees attract microplastics through the air since millions of particles float through the air, and these particles are then sent to their hive where they end up in the honey.


Rice - A 2021 study uncovered the presence of microplastic in a dietary staple - packaged rice. Even more alarming were findings showing pre-cooked rice to contain microplastic at a level four times greater. Packaging variations bore no impact on concentration. However, washing rice prior to cooking can diminish microplastic content by 20-40%, demonstrating the potential for mitigation through consumer practices. That's one way to reduce microplastics, which we'll explain later. Down below are the best ways to avoid microplastic consumption.

12 ways to avoid microplastic consumption

Eco Friendly Water Filter
Invest in an eco friendly water filter for home use and consider eco friendly shower filter as well. Many particles, pesticides and micro plastics unfortunately are in our tap water, and by opting for an eco friendly water filter you'll ensure clean water for you and your family.

Sustainable and Eco Friendly Water Bottle
Earlier we mentioned the plastic water bottles and beer beverages contained significant more microplastics than tap water. To further avoid microplastics, go for an eco friendly water bottle, which are free from harmful chemicals, and made from other materials such as stainless steel and other recycled and natural materials.

Wash thoroughly fruits and vegetables (all foods in general)
The reason why we suggest the eco friendly water filter first, is that it will help with the following problem with the apples and carrots. By doing this, you'll ensure your tap water is clean and when you wash your fruits and vegetables with clean and filtered tap water you're ensuring good chances of removing microplastics. You can also completely avoid apples and carrots, to be on the safe side, but if you love your apples and carrots, we suggest using the tip with filtered tap water. Most supermarkets sell dry fruits and nuts in plastic bags as well, if you don't have another choice but purchasing these, we suggest washing all foods contained in plastic bags before eating them, using a filtered tap water.

Alternative to washing and drying clothes


When clothes is going through the washer and dryer it goes through an additional wear and tear. When clothes get washed in the washing machine, followed by dryers, it generates microfibers and some of those can be consisting of microplastics. The ones made from polyester and other synthetic materials are the most concercing. More interestingly, dryers generate roughly 40 times more microfibers than washing machines, and a single household dryer can release up to 120 million microfibers into the air per year.

To reduce the amount of microplastics released by your washer and dryer, consider the following:

  • Air dry your clothes instead of having a dryer, you'll reduce less microplastics and save money

  • Try to use less water with every load

  • Use normal cycles and avoid delicate wash settings

  • Wash your clothes less often. Go for one time a week instead of two

  • Go for microplastic filter for your washing machine. Yes they exist, and are very efficient in removing microplastic. We've found a very good option for this. They are a 5 star reviewed product from Planetcare. If you're interested in removing microplastic in your washing, then Planetcare is a great option. Go check them here: Planetcare

Buy plastic free salt
Most of the conventional salt we purchase is full of microplastics and other particles. An alternative, is to purchase your salt from plastic free salt places such as saltwerk, who offer clean and natural salt free from microplastics, made in Iceland and made with 100 % geothermal energy, so it's pretty sustainable.
If you live in South Africa, there is a store named Oceanic Salt. View their store for microplastic free salt. Chem them here.
Other alternatives, would be to opt for himalayan salt as well, since it's free from harmful chemicals and is natural in every way.

Don't put plastic wrapped food in microwaves
Plastic containers should be avoided completely in microwaves, sinve they leach plastic when heated. Even, labels saying 'microwave safe' suggests the container won't melt rather than meaning it won't transfer harmful chemicals in your food.

Choose metal and glass containers
Investing in metal and glass containers will benefit, since your food will be stored in better and healthier food storages. Further, by going with metal and glass containers, you'll avoid potential leach from plastic stored foods. Most foods in supermarkets are wrapped in plastics, so in order to not complicate things, and you don't have other options but to buy from supermarkets, we suggest you wash all of your food in filtered tap water and put them in metal and glass containers. This is the simplest solution that won't require a lot of effort. If you have a local organic store near you, then perhaps they may wrap their foods in recycled paper and other alternative wrapping.

Reduce shellfish consumption
Whether you like shellfish or not, it would be a good idea to reduce the consumption of it. Problems occur when bottom feeding shellfish are ingesting microplastics which you later ingest. Reducing shellfish will help to reduce the amount of microplastic, and we're not suggesting going full turkey (literally) instead. With more research and innovation, one could assume or perhaps hope, there will be alternatives to consume more shellfish.

Choose organic honey alternatives
Honey, like shellfish is not a neccesity to everyone's diet, however honey does contain some beneficial health benefits for our immune system. Plus it's tasty so we understand if you don't want to give up honey. We recommend reducing your honey intake and opt for honey made from eco areas, such as one we've found in the U.K. If you reside there, then have a look at Honey Planet

Dont buy (regular) chewing gum
Many people buy regular gum and when they're done with chewing it, they spit on the roads outside where they can stay many many years. Most people are not aware that most chewing gum is made from plastic. We used to chew regular gum until we discovered it contained plastic and stopped it. However, if you really like gum then we suggest going for plastic free gum such as Simple Gum, Honest Gum, Chewzy, among others.

Go with Sustainable and Eco Friendly Clothing
Synthetic clothing, such as polyester is a huge contributor of microplastics, therefore we suggest choosing eco friendly and sustainable clothing. These are mainly made from cotton, hemp, bambus, silk and more. Even better, many of the brands are helping in reducing plastic waste and production and incoorperating a zero waste approach. Although microfibers, will be produced at some level, by choosiig natural and organic material, will result in larger pieces of microfiber (becoming tangled and creates bigger pieces of lint), making it less likely to be released into the air.

Summary

These tips will ensure you'll avoid microplastic consumption as much as possible. We wanted to find alternatives that wouldn't be infiltrating or disturbing quality of life while at the same time avoiding microplastic consumption.
The best is to stay on the safe side and actively try to avoid consuming them in our bodies for better health, and by opting for the above tips you'll contribute to less plastic pollution overall which is great for our planet including all ecosystems.

Clean more frequently at home
Microplastics can be found in air as well, therefore it's important to cleant and dust your home atleast once a week. Open windows more frequently to reduce humidity as well so less substances can float into the air

Sources
IUCN: Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: A global evolution of sources
Greenpeace