Microplastics in the Body, Should We Be Worried?
The first part in this two part series established what microplastics are. In this second part we are looking at whether they are harmful to humans, and if so, should we be worried?
Microplastics are very likely present in our bodies.
Dr Dušan Materić of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research says ‘We do have plastics in us … I think that is safe to assume’. Plastic is closely tied to our food and drink. Research by Retail Economics found that 70% of UK food packaging is plastic, a higher share than in Spain, Poland, France, Germany or Italy.
If microplastics are in us, are they dangerous? One study on neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia found that in preclinical trials microplastics may contribute to the loss of neurons, yet it found no hard evidence of a ‘causal link’ to harmful effects on the human brain. A second study reported ‘a potential link between plastic pollution and brain disorders’ through animal testing. This shows that at the moment there is no direct evidence of microplastics being harmful within humans. However, scientists believe that there may be a link between microplastics and harms to human health.
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Despite the lack of evidence within humans, microplastics’ negative effect on the environment is well evidenced by scientists. Several studies commissioned by the EU have found that microplastics help deliver pollutants, pesticides and bacteria to soil. Short term effects include more antibiotic resistant pathogens and stunted plant growth. Healthy soil supports both human and animal ecosystems, so taking action and raising awareness of microplastics matters for a more sustainable world.
For the moment, current research has not established that microplastics harm the human body, yet scientists expect evidence of harm to emerge within the next few years. Dr. Desiree LaBeaud of Stanford Medicine urges that ‘all of us need to stop using plastic as much as we can to protect our health’. Given the potential risk to our health and the damage microplastics already cause to ecosystems, we should all act to reduce our plastic use.
This is part two of a two part series on microplastics in the human body. Part one: ‘What Are Microplastics and Are They in Humans?
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For more information contact: info@scarabtrust.org.uk
Image: microorganisms under a microscope - Photo by turek on Pexels (ST ref:1350)
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