Microplastics: No longer a "maybe"
11 days ago
- #health-crisis
- #environment
- #microplastics
- Microplastics are found in human blood, lungs, placentas, brains, and breast milk, contaminating every tested tissue.
- Higher microplastic concentrations are found in diseased tissues of people with chronic illnesses like IBD, dementia, and heart disease.
- Recent studies show a 50% increase in brain tissue microplastic prevalence over the past 8 years, with the burden compounding over time.
- Mice exposed to microplastics develop gut inflammation, hormone disruption, infertility, developmental delays, and organ damage.
- The global plastic load is increasing exponentially, narrowing the gap between human and lab animal exposure levels.
- Even a fraction of the effects seen in mice could lead to a global health crisis in humans due to longer lifespans and accumulation periods.
- Waiting for government intervention on microplastics risks repeating past mistakes with lead, asbestos, and PFAS.