You may think you’re ingesting a safe, clean product, but you’re really putting synthetic microfibers into your body.
It is one thing to hear about plastic pollution in oceans, lakes, and waterways; it’s altogether another to learn that plastic is in the food, seasonings, and beverages we’re consuming.
The researchers analyzed 159 samples of tap water sourced from 14 countries, 12 brands of beer brewed using water from the Great Lakes, and 12 brands of commercial sea salt, purchased in the U.S. but produced internationally.
Tap water was found to have the highest level of plastic contamination (81 percent of the samples contained debris), mostly in the form of microfibers.
Plastic debris was found in all 12 brands of beer that were tested.
This study is important because it addresses a data gap in the research on plastic fibers.
Most research to date has been done on beads and fragments, but this study has revealed that fibers need far more attention, especially now that they are in our food.
From the study’s introduction: "Plastics are hydrophobic and have been known to adsorb chemicals from the environment… some of which are known reproductive toxicants and carcinogens.
Tap water and salt, in particular, are part of a normal, healthy diet, and cannot be eliminated from one’s diet in an attempt to reduce plastic exposure.
Beer, on the other hand, can be reduced, although many would argue this negatively affects quality of life!