Making a Single Change Can Cut Your Microplastics Intake From 90,000 to 4,000 Particles per Year

. . .Microplastics are everywhere — in the beauty products we wear, the cleaning supplies we use and even in the food we eat. Research suggests that these particles, smaller than a grain of rice, can harm reproductive, digestive and respiratory health, potentially leading to colon and lung cancer.

In a new scientific paper, three physicians report that switching from bottled water to filtered tap water could cut your microplastic intake by about 90% — from 90,000 to 4,000 particles each year.

“Given the widespread presence of microplastics in the environment, completely eliminating exposure is unrealistic. A more practical approach is to reduce the most significant sources of microplastic intake,” the researchers wrote this week in the Genomic Press.

This advice may be tough to swallow. Bottled water was America’s favorite packaged drink last year, according to industry data, with 16.2 billion gallons consumed, a 2% increase from 2023.

Microplastic exposure occurs when particles break off from the bottle’s inner surface and enter the water, particularly when the bottle is squeezed or exposed to heat. (Read more from “Making a Single Change Can Cut Your Microplastics Intake From 90,000 to 4,000 Particles per Year” HERE)