What volume of plastic do you see? The list is vast and
includes plastic bottles, pens, food containers, and even your phone case.
Despite its pervasiveness, most people are still unaware of how plastic
pollution affects human health. Have you ever considered the detrimental impact
on your health of the daily increase in plastic pollution?
Take a look around. As of right now. What volume of plastic
do you see? The list is vast and includes plastic bottles, pens, food
containers, and even your phone case. Despite its pervasiveness, most people
are still unaware of how plastic pollution affects human health. Have you ever
considered the detrimental impact on your health of the daily increase in
plastic pollution?
Although plastic has become a need for society, we rarely
pause to consider how it might be hurting our health.
ALSO, READ: Scientists Found Microplastics in Human Blood for the First Time
Plastic is often treated with toxic chemicals to enhance its
qualities. Many of these additives can be released into the environment when
exposed to diverse atmospheric conditions because they do not bond to the
chemical structure of the plastic. These chemicals can enter our bodies
through the skin, evaporate into the atmosphere, or be ingested through food or
beverages. Given that all of them are extremely poisonous by nature, it is
crucial to understand exactly what compounds are utilized and take precautions
to avoid them.
The most common additives for plastic are:
BPAs are frequently found in food and drink packaging.
Recognizing the risks BPAs pose to human health, the EU has already begun to
restrict and prohibit their usage.
- The
plasticizers: They are present in practically all plastic
items we use on a daily basis, from children's toys to car seats, and are
frequently utilized to make PVC more flexible.
- Flammable
substances: utilized extensively in electrical equipment to
promote fire safety. Some of these compounds have been outlawed by the UN
because they are deemed dangerous for both people and the environment.
The following is a list of the five main ways that plastic
enters our bodies and harms human health:
1.
Seafood we eat is contaminated with plastic.
Nearly one-third of the microplastics found in 114 marine
species by scientists end up on our plates. While some of the chemicals added
to plastic to improve its performance are thought to be endocrine disruptors,
which influence how hormones work normally, others, known as retardants, may
prevent children's brain development. Researching how microplastics affect
human health is quite difficult. How much contamination might harm us today is
a subject about which we currently know very little.
According to the current study, people are only likely to eat
very little levels of microplastics from fish, according to the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization. Scientists are still worried about how
marine plastics will affect human health. Before we can fully comprehend the
effects of consuming contaminated seafood, further research needs to be done.
However, it is obvious that this cannot reasonably be a healthy addition to our
diets. Even if the effects of plastic pollution on human health have not yet
materialized, they are getting worse with each passing day as we consume more
tainted seafood.
2. We
consume plastic through packaging.
Many plastic items that come into contact with food
directly, such as plastic packaging, kitchen utensils, and beverage inside
coatings, contain BPAs. BPA is converted to Bisphenol A in the liver and
excreted from the body through the urine.
BPA has been discovered in the urine of 95% of Canadians,
giving you a sense of the extent to which we are exposed to this plastic
ingredient. The major issue is that BPA is an endocrine disruptor, as was
already mentioned. The human endocrine system controls a variety of vital
bodily processes:
- Metabolism
- A heartbeat
- Digestion
- Fertility
In order to lessen the negative impacts of plastic on human
health and overall well-being, consumer movements around the world are now
calling for BPA-free packaging.
3.
Bottled water we drink contains microplastics.
The World Health Organization (WHO) revealed disturbing
findings in 2018 that only 17 out of 259 examined bottles of water were
plastic-free, revealing that 90% of them contained microplastics. Even though
there is currently insufficient data on the effects of microplastics on human
health, most experts concur that this is an increasing area of worry and that,
if it is killing thousands of species worldwide, it can't be healthy for humans
either.
ALSO READ: Health Hazards of Cooking With Natural Gas
4. from
our clothes, we absorb plastic.
It's true what you read. Seventy percent of the 100,000 kg
of fibers consumed globally in a year are synthetic, according to research from
the Global Apparel Fiber Consumption. Plastics are made from petroleum,
including synthetic fibers like polyester, acrylic, rayon, and nylon, which is
the same oil we use to fuel our cars. Every day, we breathe in microplastics
that are continuously discharged into the air by our garments. When it comes to synthetic fabrics, polyester
is the worst for the skin and is treated with thousands of toxic, hazardous
chemicals throughout production.
is the biggest and most permeable organ in our bodies, and
it has the capacity to absorb up to 60% of the chemicals we directly contact it
with. Synthetic textiles also prevent your skin from breathing, allowing
microorganisms to flourish and trapping odors.
These microfibers also play a small but significant role in the
pollution of the oceans by plastics: every time we wash synthetic clothing in a
washing machine, microplastics are released into the environment through the
wastewater from our homes. Up to a thousand microfibres from our clothing may
be released into the water supply during a single load of laundry.
5. We
all breathe plastic.
This is a problem that many individuals in the Global North
find difficult to understand, but for those who live in the Global South, it is
a serious health risk. People frequently have no alternative but to burn their
rubbish outside when there is poor waste management. This is a very typical
technique that makes it simple for chemicals from plastic to enter the body
while we breathe normally. 5 billion people worldwide do not have access to
controlled trash disposal or waste pickup, according to research released
in March 2018. As a result, about 9 million individuals per year pass away. The
problem is still present in Europe, but it is concealed inside enormous
structures called incinerators.
The purpose of incinerators in Europe is to burn waste and
produce heat, which is then converted into energy. Isn't that lovely?
Unfortunately, it has been demonstrated that incinerators discharge significant
amounts of dioxin into the air, one of the most hazardous compounds known to
man. When it does not enter our atmosphere directly, it is gathered in
hazardous ashes. The carcinogenic incinerator ash that Sweden dumped on Norway's
coast was recently exposed.
While we do not yet have sufficient knowledge of the real
extent to which plastic pollution impacts human health, it is obvious that
rising pollution levels are not good for us. Many additives in plastic are
thought to be exceedingly toxic for both people and the environment.
Even while we don't suffocate on plastic bags like seabirds or turtles do, the quantity of hazardous chemicals in our regular plastic coupled with our ongoing exposure to this material raises serious concerns. To effectively combat the negative impacts of plastic on human health, it is critical to understand and be aware of these effects. It is crucial for society to move away from single-use plastics and toward more sustainable alternatives.
Interesting article, huh? Learn more about how marine life
is impacted by plastic pollution. By becoming Plastic Neutral with us right
away, you may reduce your personal plastic consumption and lessen your
environmental effect. Take your first one today. Small steps lead to huge
improvements.
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give up attempting to maintain your healthy habits.
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