By Jason Giovannettone, Climate and Sustainability Director
Dr. Tracey Woodruff from the University of California in San Francisco recently published an article about effective ways to reduce exposure to microplastics.
We have covered the concern of microplastics in previous Green Tips articles, but if you are interested in reading more refer to this article: “Effects of Microplastic Exposure on Human Digestive, Reproductive, and Respiratory Health: A Rapid Systematic Review.”
Some suggestions for reducing your exposure to microplastics include:
- Eat food prepared at home to minimize processed and fast foods.
- When eating out, look for restaurants that are trying to be more sustainable, especially in the use of non-plastic packaging (e.g., Wendy’s uses customer-facing packaging made from cardboard sourced from sustainably managed forests).
- Look for condiments that come in glass jars. Minimize your overall consumption of foods packaged in plastic.
- Pack your own meals when traveling.
- Microwave food in glass instead of plastic containers.
- Minimize the purchasing of frozen vegetables in plastic packaging. At a minimum, transfer frozen vegetables to a non-plastic container prior to microwaving.
- Avoid purchasing water packaged in single-use bottles.
- Resist the urge to use plastic produce bags when purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Cook food in stainless steel or cast-iron instead of nonstick pots and pans.
- Eat as low in the food chain as possible (e.g., fruits and vegetables). Larger animals and fish tend to have higher concentrations of harmful chemicals.
- Dust often and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Microplastics in the air tend to cling to dust, so it is important to remove dust and to use a vacuum that can filter very fine particles from the air.
- Use fragrance-free cleaning and personal care products.
Attempting to follow all of these suggestions can seem like a daunting task. Try to address one at a time until they eventually become a necessary habit.