It’s likely that you have microplastics in your body. Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic found almost everywhere—in the air, water, food, and even products like cosmetics and toothpaste. Over time, larger plastics break into smaller pieces, which can be absorbed into the bloodstream and end up in the lungs, blood, brain, and other organs.
At first, scientists were most concerned about microplastics in seafood, especially shellfish like mussels and oysters. Unlike fish, where we eat only the meat, we consume the entire shellfish—stomach and all—along with any plastic they’ve ingested. In 2017, Belgian scientists estimated that seafood lovers could swallow up to 11,000 plastic particles per year just by eating mussels.
Microplastics are now recognized as a global problem. While we still don’t know the full impact on human health, scientists are studying how they affect our bodies. In the meantime, reducing plastic waste and limiting single-use plastics are key steps to protecting both the environment and our health.
