The issue of microplastics is extensive and troubling. These minuscule plastic particles, some smaller than a human hair’s diameter, have infiltrated every corner of our environment, including soil, water, and even our food supply. Alarmingly, they have also been detected in human blood and various organs.

As a byproduct of mass production and everyday use, these persistent pollutants are so prevalent that studies have found microplastics in the bloodstreams of nearly 80% of people tested, as well as in critical organs such as the brain and testicles.

The presence of microplastics has been associated with numerous health concerns, ranging from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases to potential links with thyroid and colon cancers.

Experts speaking to the Daily Mail suggest that individuals can mitigate their exposure to these harmful particles by taking simple precautions, primarily by avoiding the heating of plastics.

One recommended step is to wash clothes in cold water whenever feasible. Using hot water in laundry can increase the release of microplastic fibers, as the heat causes these particles to break down more rapidly.

Ravyn Williams, an Advanced Cardiovascular Medical Provider and Founder of Taki2Go, emphasizes that, “The kitchen is basically ground zero for all microplastic exposure.” She advises against heating food or beverages in plastic containers or cups, advocating instead for the use of glass or stainless steel alternatives.

Max Pennington, a polymer science researcher and co-founder OF the laundry filtration product CLEANR, told the Daily Mail: ‘Heat increases the amount of energy on something. It can soften it. It can loosen it. It can make the molecules move around faster.’

This means that the hotter the plastic gets, whether in clothing or in food storage, the faster and more abundantly microplastics migrate into the surrounding water they are washed in or into the food the containers hold.  

The hotter the plastic gets, whether in clothing or in food storage, such as paper cups for coffee, the faster and more abundantly microplastics migrate into the surrounding water they are washed in or into the food the containers hold (stock)

To build a defense against microplastics, experts recommend focusing on where people interact with them in the home and, specifically, the laundry room. 

Washing synthetic fabrics like polyester in hot water releases millions of microfibers, with a single hot load shedding hundreds of thousands more particles than a cold wash. 

Experts recommend washing in cold water, installing a specialized water filter or swapping synthetic fibers for cotton.

In the kitchen, avoid single-use plastics.

Williams said: ‘I always say, start in your kitchen. And one of the top things that I recommend is never, ever, ever reheat your food in plastic. 

‘And even if it says BPA-free, these plastics shed microplastics when exposed to heat.’  

Instead, use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel for storage and reheating.

Plastic-lined cups for tea and coffee are similarly leading sources of microplastics in people’s bodies. 

Max Pennington, a polymer scientist and co-founder of CLEANR, explained that the hotter a plastic item gets, whether a polyester shirt or a food container, the faster it releases microplastics into the surrounding water or food

Heat causes microplastics in the plastic lining to leach into the drink.

Last month, a UK research team published a report that tested different products from popular UK brands, including coffee, tea, juices, energy drinks, soft drinks and even tap and bottled water and not a single beverage was free of microplastics.

The study found a direct link between beverage temperature and microplastic contamination. 

Heat acted as an accelerator, causing plastic tea bags or cup linings to shed millions of tiny particles. A single liter of hot tea contained 60 microplastic particles, double the amount in iced tea.

Pennington said: ‘From a personal exposure perspective, drinking a hot cup of coffee in a plastic cup or even, a lot of people don’t realize that paper cups have a plastic lining,’ can be risky.

As research intensifies, the dangers of microplastics accumulating in human blood and tissues are coming into sharper focus. 

A 2024 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last year found microscopic particles of plastics embedded in the fatty plaques of patients’ arteries.

Patients with plastic in their arterial plaque had significantly higher inflammation and were 4.5 times more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die within three years. 

Microplastics were found in every beverage tested, with hot drinks showing significantly higher concentrations. Hot tea contained nearly double the particles of iced tea

The graph shows the sharp rise in global plastic production since 1950, which coincides with the increased microplastic exposure of generations now experiencing a rise in early-onset colorectal cancer

The findings show a strong link, suggesting microplastics contribute to heart disease by increasing vascular inflammation, though they don’t prove the plastics are the sole cause. 

Another 2024 analysis in Environmental Science & Technology found that microplastics exhibit key characteristics of carcinogens that can lead to colon cancer. 

Inhaled or ingested microplastics can trigger chronic inflammation and disrupt cell processes, which are mechanisms known to drive tumor growth. Studies have already linked airborne microplastic exposure to a higher risk of lung cancer. 

And evidence is growing that the toxins impair fertility. A University of New Mexico research team found that microplastics had permeated human and canine testicular tissues, identifying 12 types in 47 canine and 23 human testes. 

Researchers were able to count sperm in canine samples but not in chemically preserved human samples. They found that higher levels of plastic particles in the tissue were associated with lower sperm counts. 

New research out in March also linked higher environmental levels of microplastics to an increased risk of chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. 

The concentration of microplastic pollution was a top-10 predictor for these conditions, ranking alongside major factors like income and air quality.