The kitchen is the best point to start since all kinds of plastic bits can get into the food—the cooking and storage of food promote this.
Lisa Erdle, PhD, a toxicologist, explains some of the health risks associated with small plastic particles. Research suggests they may be implicated in cellular damage, inflammation, hormone disruption, cardiovascular disease, and possibly even brain disorders.
A large study published in Heliyon posits kitchens to be among the greatest sources for these plastic bits, with all the different kitchenware, pots, and food holders made of plastic.
Here are five kitchen changes easy to implement for the home cook to help eliminate small plastic bits from a kitchen. Jenni Brandon, PhD, a scientist studying plastic pollution, points out that, despite their bright colors and easy use, plastic cutting boards are one of the greatest sources of very small plastic pieces.
Brandon says that slicing on plastic boards liberates small plastic bits into your food. She also says that plastic cutting boards release millions of these tiny plastic particles each year from just a single item in your kitchen.
On the plus side, a wooden cutting board is tough and hygienic, for when one thinks of cleanliness. And don't believe anything you hear about germs. Science shows there is no great germ difference between wood and plastic boards if the boards are washed well.
When exposed to intense cooking temperatures, the plastic tools—from spatulas to spoons and tongs—might release microplastics into your food. The right choice—so to speak—would be tools in stainless steel, wood, or top-grade silicone that respect heat and do not give out microplastics to the food. In a way, silicone is very much like plastic: simple to clean and very flexible, except that it does not release those microplastic particles.
There comes another surprise contender of plasticky insults—microfiber towels: they absorb liquid quickly but are made out of plastic-based materials such as polyester. Dr. Erdle says to go for home cloth made of real fibers, not fake ones, to reduce plastics in the kitchen. Cotton, further, is great at holding water and is pretty durable—perfect for kitchen towels. The even better news? Non-plastic cookware, like ones made of stainless steel or iron, is actually quite believable. They are way tougher and do not have that fake nonstick layer made of Teflon.
Beeswax wraps may be used instead of the throwaway plastic wraps. These covers are natural, can be reused, and break down within half to a full year. Silicone bags are another good alternative to plastic zippered bags. You can freeze, boil, and put these in your dishwasher for cleaning, and they do not emit tiny bits of plastic.
Tiny bits of plastic exist almost everywhere, and it is very tough to cut them out of one's life. According to Dr. Brandon, "It's too much if you try to get rid of all plastic at once."
Instead, some suggest replacing items as they wear out, giving preference to the ones that touch food, and going for solutions that are sustainable. As more comes to light on how small plastics can harm your health, those small changes in your kitchen help reduce these tiny particles in your life.