Plastics have for years been used to make nearly everything that surrounds us. But along the way, they escaped the confines of packaging and objects and settled in the environment, the food we eat and the air we breathe.
Americans are consuming and breathing in a lot of plastic. Based on available data, Americans take in an estimated 74,000 to 121,000 microplastic particles every year. However, scientists believe the true number is probably much higher, because for some likely sources of microplastics, there were no strong data available.
Microplastics get into food and air in several ways. Many start off as part of larger plastic objects, which over time fragment into smaller and smaller pieces until they become tiny: 5 millimeters or less in diameter. They are breathed in or consumed by animals, and then become our food. The particles float through the air until people breathe them in. They also settle on the food that people eat.
Data shows that for Americans, air, bottled water and seafood were the biggest sources for breathed-in or consumed microplastics. Added sugars accounted for less, and salts, tap water and beer contributed minimal amounts. These estimates are conservative. The included foods only make up about 15% of the average American diet. It's not yet known how much plastic is contained in the remaining 85% of the typical diet.