Microplastics: Erosion of Convenience

By Jessica Mauricio Price, MS, Eco-Healthy Child Care®

October 2024

Walking through my local “Have-Everything Mart,” I try to take stock of the number of items made of plastic. I quickly realize that the task is nonsensical. Passing by the plastic pools, inner tubes, pitchers, cups, and toys (all in the same aisle), I acknowledge that I am in over my head. And that doesn’t even count the plastic packaging around these items! It is easy to see just how pervasive plastic is in our society. But what about the plastics that we can’t see? 

The harder-to-see plastics are known as nanoplastics or microplastics. The difference between nanoplastics and microplastics lies primarily in their size. Microplastics are plastic particles with a size less than 5 millimeters (mm). Nanoplastics are plastic materials less than 0.001 mm to 1 nanometer (nm). For a frame of reference, a pencil eraser is about 5 mm, and a strand of human hair is about 0.04 mm wide. So, some nanoplastics range from 1/40th to 1/40000th the size of a strand of hair!

In general, there are two different categories of microplastics. 

• Primary microplastics are small plastic pellets. These pellets are created and used for consumer products. They are added to different products, like facial scrubs, toothpaste, glitter, or makeup, to name a few.
• Secondary microplastics are larger pieces of plastics that enter the environment and break down. So plastic bags, tires, water bottles, fabrics, furnishings, and the many other plastic products we use daily. These items slowly disintegrate by heat, wind, and daily use. 

All microplastics can eventually break down into nanoplastics. Unfortunately, plastic doesn’t ever decompose completely. It just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces over time that continue to exist in the environment. As plastics get smaller and smaller, it becomes easier for them to move around the environment. Microplastics have been found in water sources, soil, plants, and animals. They are even found in our bodies. The study of microplastics is still relatively new. Scientists aren’t quite sure about the health effects that may occur due to our unintentional eating, breathing in, and drinking of microplastics. However, it appears likely that they will do some harm; scientists just aren’t certain of the extent. 

We aren’t going to be able to avoid microplastics or nanoplastics entirely. However, there are steps that we can take to reduce the amount of plastics that child care workers, children, and their families come into contact with.

1. Take stock of the plastic that you see around you. Be mindful of what plastic you purchase. Reduce the amount of single-use plastics that you use (ie., disposable cutlery, slider storage bags, beverage bottles, and plastic plates and cups).
2. When you can, purchase unprocessed fruits, vegetables, and meats. When food is processed, plastic residue is introduced into the food through the manufacturing process. 
3. Use reusable bottles. During the production of disposable water bottles, chemicals are incorporated into the plastic. For example, phthalates are added to increase the flexibility of the bottles.These chemicals are released into the water especially if the water bottle is exposed to sunlight and heat. Stainless steel, glass, or ceramic bottles are a safer choice.
4. Avoid personal hygiene products with microbeads–found in personal care products, cosmetics, face washes, and more 
5. Avoid using glitter as it is a microplastic that often travels into landfills and waterways. 
6. Find places near you to recycle plastic bottles and single-use grocery bags.
7. Bring reusable bags when you go shopping. 
8. Buy items with less plastic packaging.
9. Use paper straws, bamboo cutlery, and compostable paper plates.
10. Bring your own container for leftovers when you go out to eat. 
11. Support plastic reduction policies in your region.

These actions can help reduce the amount of microplastics and nanoplastics that you come into contact with. But major structural changes need to be made in order for us to turn the tide on the plastic wave in the future. The European Union has restricted microplastics intentionally added to products. Here in America over 500 cities and 28 states had plastic bag legislation in effect as of 2021. 12 states even have single-use plastic bag bans! Companies are looking to make products out of bioplastics. Bioplastics are polymers made from plants, wood chips, and food waste, instead of fossil fuels. Research on bioplastics is ongoing.

While reducing the production and altering the way we use plastics will help, it doesn’t remove what is already in our environment. Thankfully scientists are already working hard to combat this issue! A group of scientists are transforming standard egg-white proteins into a complex filter in order to remove microplastics from seawater. 

We, as a society, have more work to do. We all want comfortable lives. But, we need to take steps to be more sustainable. In the end, we’re trying to do our best. No one is perfect! If each of us can start making small steps to change how we use plastic we can collectively make a difference.  We owe that to ourselves and the kiddos that rely on us.