Plastic in the Human Body - Dramatic Headline Confuses the Science

There is considerable scientific consensus that plastic is found in the human body. However, researchers have called some of these studies into question. When the media report on this kind of scientific disagreement, they often use dramatic headlines that imply that an entire field of research has been undermined. But is this really the way that science works?

Microplastics are found in the air we breathe and the food and drink we consume; therefore, it is no surprise that some of it ends up in the human body, with scientific studies discovering micro and nanoplastics in the blood, tissues, organs and brain. 

In January 2026, The Guardian published the article ‘A bombshell’: doubt cast on discovery of microplastics throughout the human body, which revealed how researchers have challenged the reliability of some of these studies on micro and nanoplastics. One of the criticisms focuses on the technical difficulty in identifying tiny plastic particles, especially in human tissue. The sensationalist headline suggests that studies that find plastic in human bodies can no longer be trusted. 

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In contrast to the headline, it is more accurate to say that there is a large body of evidence to show that plastic is in the human body, but our current analytical techniques and possible environmental contamination make it difficult to quantify plastic in human samples. In other words, there is further scientific work to do. 

The Microplastic Research Group points out that it’s good scientific practice to question the methods and reliability of studies. Some studies will hold up to scrutiny while others won’t. Analytical standards and procedures may need to be refined and further studies can be developed. Scientific knowledge is constantly improving in this way. Scientists challenging studies does not mean that a whole area of microplastics research is ‘debunked!’ or ‘disproven!’ as some headlines might suggest.  

Misleading media headlines on environmental issues are not uncommon. We have seen this with climate change, as any uncertainty or criticism amongst scientists gets dramatised, ultimately spreading misinformation and leading to general public scepticism. 

Past environmental disputes have shown how vested interests weaponise uncertainty, insisting that we should wait until we have all the available evidence before introducing regulations. However, policy makers need to assess risk based on the best available science at the time.

Delaying action due to normal scientific debate could have dangerous repercussions for human health. We need to act now.

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For more information contact: info@scarabtrust.org.uk

Images:

newspaper stand - Photo by Hümâ H. Yardım on Unsplash (ST ref: 1396)

Chemist holding vial  - Image by Bermix Studio on Unsplash (ST ref: 1226)