11 Ways to Eat Less Plastic—Because, Yes, It’s in Your Food and More

It’s no secret that we have a serious plastic problem, with microplastics overwhelming our everyday environment (like our food, our drinking water, and even the clouds in the sky).This unfortunate reality impacts natural landscapes, wildlife, and our own bodies.

It’s not all grim: There are so many actions that we can take to not only reduce our reliance on plastic but to cut down on our literal consumption of the material. Read on to get a deeper insight into the current state of plastic pollution, how microplastics impact the body, and ways you can eat less plastic (because yes, we’re all eating plastic).

The Plastic Problem

Whether you’re privy to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch or have seen massive piles of plastic waste at your local dump or recycling facility, we’ve all been exposed to some piece of the plastic pollution problem.

This ubiquitous material is typically made from fossil fuels like natural gas and oil that are then refined, treated, and eventually turned into plastic.

“More than 10 billion metric tons of plastic have been produced globally to date, and plastic production has increased by more than 18,300 percent in the last 65 years alone,” says Erica Cirino, communications manager of Plastic Pollution Coalition and author of Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis. Over 430 million metric tons of new plastic is produced every year globally and this number increases year after year, Cirino adds.

And while the large pieces of plastic that can be seen with the naked eye are wreaking plenty of havoc already, microplastics are equally (if not more) concerning. “All plastics break up, not down; in other words, they do not benignly biodegrade like trees or plants. Instead, plastics break apart into smaller pieces of plastic that remain plastic—these are microplastics, and even smaller particles called nanoplastics,” says Cirino.

How Plastic Influences Our Health

Everyone is impacted by the problems caused by plastic pollution, but some are harmed more than others—a predicament known as environmental injustice. “The mostly low-income, rural, Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities on the frontlines of the plastic and fossil fuel industrial infrastructure and activities face elevated health risks from pollution and industrial accidents such as explosions and fires,” Cirino explains.

But regardless of whether you’re on the frontline of plastic production (and pollution) or not, microplastics don’t discriminate, as they’re small enough to enter any human’s body through breathing, eating, drinking, and absorption through the skin.

“Plastic particles are widespread in modern human diets including in our drinking water sources (both tap and bottled), other beverages like soda and alcoholic beverages, fish, livestock, game, produce, spices, salt, and processed and packaged foods,” says Cirino.

These tiny pieces of plastic can contain any mix of over 16,000 chemicals. “At least 4,200 of those chemicals are known to be toxic—and they can absorb chemicals from the environment and harbor microorganisms like bacteria and viruses,” explains Cirino.

And while experts are just beginning to understand the full extent of the negative health consequences associated with microplastics, we already have some pretty concerning evidence.

“Over the past several years, scientists have detected the presence of tiny plastic particles all throughout people’s bodies, including inside the heart, bloodstream, veins, lungs, placenta, feces, testes, semen, breast milk, and brain,” Cirino explains. Microplastics have even been detected in the plaque build-up on arteries of patients undergoing treatment for heart disease.

“And it’s known that at least a few thousand common plastic chemical additives are hazardous and linked to cancer, hormonal and reproductive problems, immune system issues, respiratory diseases, and many other health problems,” Cirino adds.

Plus, a shocking 2021 study found that the average modern person may be consuming up to the equivalent of a credit card’s worth of microplastics every week.

11 Ways to Eat Less Plastic

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by these facts, you’re not alone. But you should know that you can make changes on an individual level to reduce your consumption of microplastics. No one is going to be perfect in every regard here (it’s nearly impossible to do so!), so don’t stress too much. Small actions can make a big difference for both your health and the environment. Let’s jump right in.

1. Avoid plastic food containers and kitchen tools

Plastic food storage containers, regardless of the temperature they’re sitting at, can result in microplastics leaching into the food it’s holding. So, the more you can avoid plastic food containers, either at the grocery store, restaurants, or at home, the better. Not all of this is in your control, but you can invest in glass food storage containers to make a difference at home. You might also reassess your cooking utensils, mixing bowls, cutting boards, and any other plastic tools you’ve got in your kitchen.

2. Avoid heating food in plastic containers

If you already have a cupboard full of plastic food storage containers that you’re not ready to part with, that’s okay. But try not to heat up your leftovers in them. Heating accelerates the leaching of microplastics into food.

3. Choose kitchen tools made with safer materials

Instead of plastic, opt for stainless steel, glass, ceramic, or wooden kitchen tools and food storage containers. These are generally much safer for you, low in or free of microplastics, and help to divest from the plastic industry. BTW, silicone options are going to be slightly better than straight up plastic products, but they do still contain some plastic and are typically made with fossil fuels.

4. Reach for reusable water bottles

Plastic is rampant in the water industry, with many bottled waters (even so-called high quality brands) teeming with plastic. This leads to leaching that only increases over time, even if the bottles are kept cold. Thankfully, there’s a plethora of beautiful glass and stainless steel reusable water bottles on the market today to help you skirt this concern.

5. Reduce fast food trips

While a trip to your favorite fast food establishment is a fun indulgence every once in a while, it’s best to limit these as much as possible, particularly when watching your microplastic intake. Fast casual restaurants are notorious for serving food and drinks in plastic packaging, though some are starting to serve their food in untreated paper materials, which is a major win.

6. Opt for fresh, whole foods as much as possible

As if we needed another reason to choose more fresh, whole foods, concern around microplastics is certainly one to add to the list. These nourishing options generally include fruits, veggies, whole grains, dried legumes, fresh fish, poultry, meat, nuts, and seeds. Not only are these options better for your health, but they are going to have significantly less (if not zero) microplastics than packaged and processed foods. Bulk shopping is an excellent way to really cut down on any plastic packaging these foods may otherwise be sold in, too.

7. Be selective of high-fat products

Higher-fat products, like dairy, may be more susceptible to microplastic leaching than other options. This August 2020 review and June 2014 study both found phthalate (a common chemical found in plastic) concentration to be higher in products with a high fat content. This is partly due to the fact that phthalates and many other plastic chemicals are fat-soluble.

8. Look for alternative water filtration

Filtering your water at home is a great way to increase its healthfulness while also relying less on bottled water. But when microplastics are a concern, plastic water filter basins are not the best route. Rather, look for stainless steel and glass water filters that can help reduce your water’s interface time with plastic.

9. Opt for digital receipts

Digital receipts don’t only save trees, but they also reduce our interactions with microplastics and plastic chemicals. Paper receipts are often printed on bisphenol-A (BPA) or other plastic chemical-coated paper.

10. Crack a window

Microplastics and plastic chemicals can be found in our everyday environment, too, like our cars, carpets, furniture, curtains, mattresses…the list can go on and on (unfortunately). Opening a window in these environments can do a world of good for reducing how much of these materials we’re inhaling.

11. Choose fragrance-free products

On the self-care side of things, fragrance in many products like soaps, perfumes, cosmetics, and more may contain plastic chemicals, like phthalates. This is partly because these chemicals help fragrances last longer. However, given that we can absorb microplastics through the skin, this is concerning. If a fragrance-free life sounds boring, opt for high-quality organic essential oils (in glass bottles) instead. These are generally a much safer choice and are linked to many wonderful benefits!