Once something is woven into the fabric of society, it’s not easy to remove. This has proven to be the case with plastics. In the 1800s, plastics were designed to offer a new option for goods and packaging (1). What was once revolutionary, though, has become more troublesome than anyone could’ve predicted. The inhalation of microplastics has become commonplace for many people due to the large number of companies that opt to use the material. While science has developed enough to understand that plastics cause major harm on a biological level, many people in society have yet to adjust their lifestyles because of how common plastic use is, and the harm done to the body can’t be seen on the exterior. 

UN Environment Programme states that in the early 2000s, the amount of plastic waste we generated rose more in a single decade than in the previous 40 years (2). In 2023 alone, around 400 million tonnes of plastic waste was produced, mainly in the form of plastic bags and plastic bottles(2). Plastic bags and bottles used daily break down until they are extremely small, travel through the wind, and eventually end up worldwide. One liter of plastic water bottle can have an average of 325 plastic particles. Not only that, microplastics can be produced from products that people least suspect. From electronic devices to even clothing, all produce microplastics. These microplastics have been found all the way from Antarctica to the top of Mount Everest (3). 

According to a PubMed article, humans are often exposed to microplastics through inhalation, direct contact, and direct ingestion (4). Once in the bloodstream, microplastics can circulate throughout the body, reaching various organs and tissues. The particles will reach and react with different cells and tissues. For example, the microplastics can reach the main artery. One research found that those who had microplastics were 4.5 times more likely to experience a heart attack, a stroke, or death than those whose arteries were plastic-free (5). The same article points out that, on average, participants who had more microplastics in their plaque samples also had higher levels of biomarkers for inflammation (5). These instances are already hinting at the significance of microplastics to our health. Things even get more complicated with the findings of “nano-plastics,” which are one thousand times smaller than micro-plastics. These are even harder to detect in our bodies and will be able to penetrate through so many layers of protection in our cells. This may lead to more severe and incurable diseases.

Despite the alarming statistics and mounting evidence of the effects of microplastics on our health, public awareness has been relatively low. This is due to the normalized presence of plastics in our daily lives, along with no visible consequences. Additionally, the whole world is so lenient with plastics, so moving away from them will impact the economy and the simplicity of many people’s daily lives. Many companies will try to avoid these issues because the use of plastics benefits them by a large margin. Even the CDC and FDA haven’t released enough warnings and problems around this topic. It may have to do with the amount of money people spend on curing illnesses caused by microplastics. Not much can be done about this other than individuals staying away from as much plastic as possible. Plastics once seemed to improve our lives, and now we should conclude that it never did in the first place.

Works Cited

sciencehistory.org/education/classroom-activities/role-playing-games/case-of-plastics/history-and-future-of-plastics/ 
unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/ 
lung.org/blog/plastic-waste-your-health 
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10151227/ 
scientificamerican.com/article/microplastics-linked-to-heart-attack-stroke-and-death/