If you haven't seen or read about this, it's pretty alarming. It's certainly making me scrutinize every aspect of my food prep and storage habits. Particularly the "single-use" ones (PET, PETE) that I tend to re-use.
Video: UNM study finds plastic accumulation in brains increased by 50% - YouTube
I read a different story a week or two ago, or maybe it was about different research, and the researchers found that mice would get an increase in microplastic particles after eating (I don't remember if the food was prepared with added microplastic particles or not). The particles would show up in the brain soon after, and the mices' performance on various tasks that required good brain functioning would decrease until the concentration reduced, sometime after the meal.
The whole thing is very worrying, and I consider nanoparticles to be potentially very dangerous too.
The horrific part of all this is that, even if we change the things we do, we will still ingest these microplastics. Think of all the things that come ensheathed in plastic: flash drives, newspapers, caramel candies, cheese. Last week, when I bought some bulk rye malt, the only containers the store offered were plastic. Think of all the things made of plastics: carpet, electrical conduit, bread machines, computer cases, tubes of toothpaste. I used to not worry about to-go cups because I thought they were cardboard, but then I learned they are thermally mixed with plastic.
Pogo was right: we have met the enemy and he is us.
Rob
...about to-go cups ...... I learned they are thermally mixed with plastic.
Wow, I just learned that too. From reading your comment, lol. I can't believe that.
Most plastic packaging is type #1 PET/PETE, the infamous PolyEthylene Terephthalate. It is classified as a "single-use" plastic. And yet I frequently re-use it (storing my bread in plastic bags). I have always thought it was ok for cold food storage (no offgassing), but have not considered the particle release aspect. I'm less concerned about #5 Polypropylene.
Flexible plastic bags are almost universally made from LDPE/#4—low-density poly(ethylene).
A lot of rigid and semi-rigid plastic packaging is HDPE/#2—high-density poly(ethylene), as it's cheaper than PETE.
LDPE/#4 is also a single-use plastic...
Just curious…why are you less concerned with polypropylene?
Many dairy and other food containers are PP and I would think would also be considered single-use.
PP/#5 is considered to be basically inert (does not degrade and doesn't recycle easily) and safe for reuse. My experience with PP agrees with that, with one exception: my 8-yo Aeropress coffemaker is PP and has some 'pitting' on the inside. OTOH, my favorite 10-yo yogurt maker has a PP tub and it has no visible signs of wear, degradation, or discoloring. And makes excellent yogurt!
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Was right about everything. Unfortunately the awareness level is going to be reduced because there will be no more reporting on much of anything useful scientific wise for the foreseeable future. Rescinding the ban on plastic straws as an example. Reducing NIH funding. Our grandchildren are not getting a fair chance. It breaks my heart to think what a fearful legacy we are leaving them.
