After shocking new research revealed that we inhale up to 7,000 plastic particles from our clothes, toys and furnishings every day, we suggest nine simple — and surprising — swaps that can make a huge difference to the potentially toxic load lurking in your home…
Metal or glass kettles can be made from plastic
Louise Atkinson shares some simple ways to reduce the toxic burden in your house. She suggests swapping out a plastic kettle for metal or glass.
The majority of kitchen kettles made out polypropylene release millions upon millions of plastic particles into the boiling water. That’s because, when heated, plastic breaks down, shedding particles.
Trinity College Dublin’s study found that a cup of tea made with water boiling in a plastic kettle could have more than 3 million microplastic particles (so called nanoplastics). More than 10,000,000 tiny plastic pieces can also be released in one litre of water, increasing the amount of microplastics you may be inhaling every day.
You can use a metal or glass kettle, or a mixture of them. As long as they are not touching the boiling water, a plastic handle or base is acceptable.
Beeswax cloth covered in plastic wrap
Although clear plastic wrap can be convenient, the chemicals used to make it sticky, stretchy, and reusable make it difficult to recycle. It also breaks down quickly into microplastics due its delicate nature. Plastic particles can leach into food and food that is wrapped in it. They are most likely to become visible when food heated in plastic wrap (such as in the microwave).
Louise said when reheating food in a microwave, swap plastic film for reusable silicone covers which don’t degrade or shed microplastics (file image)
Foods containing any excess oil tend to become a lot hotter when microwaved — hot enough to melt any plastic wrapping.
When reheating food in a microwave, swap plastic film for reusable silicone covers (available from lakeland.co.uk) which don’t degrade or shed microplastics. Don’t let plastic wrap touch your food, but preferably use a plate with a lid instead.
Wrap food in beeswax wraps to extend the shelf life.
Pouch pyramid tea bags to PG tips
The pyramids of premium-priced tea are made from fine nylon mesh (also known as plastic). This can cause microplastics to leach into the tea when it is heated.
Even seemingly harmless paper tea bags often have a crimped edge, which is sealed with plastic-based glue that taints your drink and builds toxins in your compost if that’s where you tip your used tea bags. Manufacturers claim it’s only a small amount but if you’re drinking multiple cups of tea each day the microplastic load can soon mount.
You can go back to the good-old-fashioned tea leaves, or you could choose a brand with folded edges that is sealed with a string, staple or string, like Twinings or PG Tips.
For metal, plastic cooking utensils
Louise advises that plastic kitchen utensils be replaced with wooden or metal ones (file image).
When exposed to heat, any plastic kitchen utensil can start to degrade and release microplastics into the air or the food you’re eating. Regular heating and age cause chemical bonds to weaken in plastic. The chemicals can also leach faster. Although a plastic colander is relatively safe for draining vegetables, it can become unstable if it’s used repeatedly to drain pasta and potatoes boiling water.
If they are regularly heated, the same goes for plastic spatulas.
Choose metal or wooden alternatives. You should also be aware of the fact that placing plastic kitchen utensils into dishwashers can accelerate their demise and increase the likelihood of microplastics getting leaked into the water supply system via the dishwasher.
For paper and wood, ready-to-eat cartons for meal.
Louise explained that many ready-to-eat ready meals are packaged in plastic. But you can minimize exposure by not eating takeout or opting for meals in containers made from compostable materials (file photo).
Pre-made meals most often come in plastic containers, which could leach microplastics into the food when it is manufactured, stored (especially if it contains acidic or fat foods), and when it’s reheated.
One 2020 Nature study has published a report that shows microplastics can also be made by cutting plastic packaging using scissors or knives and torn with your hands.
Avoiding take-out can help reduce microplastic exposure (except for restaurants that use aluminium tray).
Or look for ready meals packaged in wooden or compostable trays (for example from Charlie Bigham’s). Remove all packaging material from the top of your food before heating.
Transfer the food to a plate or dish made of ceramic, glass, or porcelain and seal it with a lid.
For wooden wheels, a plastic toy car can be used
Louise recommends introducing children to robust, wooden and rubber toys instead of plastic ones (file image)
One of the reasons children are at more risk of exposure to microplastics is because they play with, and may even chew, plastic toys and synthetic comforters — ingesting microscopic particles.
Introduce robust, wooden alternatives, ideally made from bamboo or FSC certified wood, painted with non- toxic paints (find a selection at ethicalsuperstore.com).
Also, you can swap your plastic bath toy for rubber tub toys (tikiritoys.co.uk), or synthetic comforters for those made of soft cotton.
For natural fibers, nylon rugs
Louise recommends switching from nylon or polyester rugs to natural fibres such as wool, jute/hessian, sisal or cotton (file image)
Although nylon and polyester rugs are durable and stain resistant, they can quickly degrade, and millions of plastic particles will be released into the atmosphere as your feet scratch and rub the pile.
This applies to environmentally-friendly carpets and rugs made from recycled bottles.
Children can be affected more by microplastics than adults due to their active lifestyles, which can generate more microfibres and spend more time on the ground where they can collect microplastics in the form dust.
Begin with the rooms that children are most likely to use and then switch to natural fibers like wool, sisal, jute/hessian or cotton.
Use wet wipes to clean your face.
Louise said it’s better to use a cotton cleaning cloth or face flannel to clean your face than wet wipes (file image)
To prevent wet wipes from falling apart, around 90% of them are reinforced using plastic.
Research shows that rubbing one microplastic in your hand with water will release more than 1,000 polyester particles into the atmosphere and water.
It’s far better to wash your hands in soap and water, use a cotton cleaning cloth or face flannel to clean your face and reusable, washable cotton pads to remove make-up.
Vacuum cleaners that are old can be used to make vacuum cleaners new
Household dust can be full of microplastics — which is very easy to kick up into the air from the carpet and breathe in.
Vacuuming regularly will certainly help — as long as you remember to change the filter.
Even better, get one with an HEPA (high efficient particulate-air) filter. This filter is designed to get rid of allergens. It also removes microplastics.