These days, the discussion of microplastics seems to be on everyone’s lips – and for a good reason too. As our world continues to plummet into the plastic crisis, microplastics have increased with it, with this material weaving itself into every corner of society. These tiny particles made of plastic are generated from the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic, like plastic pill bottles and water bottles. As a polluter of our world, these materials have the potential to devastate the general environment and the health of animals living within it. Even though we can see some microplastics to know how to avoid them, some are actually too small to detect.
The truth is that microplastics have even wormed their way into our food and drink products, which then end up in our own human bodies. So, to avoid microplastics, you must first know what foods and drinks contain them. Read on for more information!
Bottled Water (Obviously!)
Yes – one of life’s most innocent-looking products is actually stuffed with microplastics! The bottle’s plastic leaches microplastic particles into the water, meaning you might want to swap these out for metal alternatives.
Ready Meals
Ready meals are typically cooked and eaten in plastic containers. When heated, plastic particles weave their way into the food. This means you should avoid heating food up in plastic and opt for cardboard, glass, or ceramic containers instead.
Shellfish
Seafood is a colossal source of microplastics since various marine wildlife species accidentally consume plastic debris within our oceans. This means that plastic fibers exist in the bodies of sea animals, including shellfish, which people then eat. Thus, this might be the right time to try out veganism or just start skipping fish if you’re not yet committed to going fully vegan.
Beer
Bad news, beer lovers. Companies utilize municipal water in the brewing process, meaning that beer gets infiltrated with harmful microplastics. So, you might want to search for a brand that makes use of filtrated water in their brewing procedure instead (or, if you can, cut down on beer!).
Instant Rice
Unfortunately for curry lovers, you serve up your packaged rice with the helping of microplastics. Additionally, pre-cooked rice involves up to four times as much plastic as other packaged types of rice. So, it’s time to stop cooking instant rice and do it from scratch instead.
Key Takeaways
- Firstly, it’s evident that the microplastic problem is enormous and should not be neglected. Plastic appears to have woven itself into almost every aspect of life, meaning we must act to prevent this situation from worsening.
- There are plenty of ways to avoid consuming microplastics. For example, by avoiding plastic-packaged items, you can lower your exposure to microplastics and also reduce the demand for harmful plastic products.
- Furthermore, every individual’s approach to plastic has the ability to impact our environment. By making some eco-friendlier choices and saying ‘no’ to plastic, you can reduce our overall carbon footprint today!
