©Hakai Magazine
Hakai Magazine, 1 August 2024
A new study estimates how much microplastic is sprinkled into your food and the air
In Graphic Detail: Mouthfuls of Microplastic
It’s tasteless, odorless, and nutritionally devoid, yet eaten every day. Nearly everyone on the planet unintentionally consumes microplastic—through food, water, and even air. How much? That depends on geography.
Plastic production has increased 240-fold in the past few decades. Over time, these plastics degrade into smaller and smaller pieces that infiltrate the air, soil, and water. To determine how much microplastic people have been eating, drinking, and breathing, researchers from Cornell University in New York analyzed food, water, and air in 109 countries.
According to the study, people in Asia, Africa, and the Americas are now eating and breathing six times more microplastic on average than in 1990.