Have you ever wondered what's really on your plate? In addition to the nutrients you expect to find, you're consuming an unwanted ingredient: microplastics. These tiny intruders have silently infiltrated our food chain, creating a web of contamination that extends from the smallest marine organism to our table.
The situation is so serious that scientists around the world are sounding the alarm. After more than two decades of intensive research, we finally have a clear picture of the scale of the problem. And believe me, it is not a reassuring picture. But before you panic, take a deep breath. There is hope, but it requires immediate and coordinated global action.
A Journey Through Time: 20 Years of Microplastics Research
Exactly twenty years ago, this article published in the prestigious magazine Science opened the eyes of the scientific world to a problem that had been ignored until then: the accumulation of tiny fragments and fibres of plastic in the environment. These little invaders were dubbed “microplastics,” sparking an entire field of research. Since then, more than 7.000 studies have shed light on the spread of these particles in the environment, in wildlife and even in the human body.
But what have we learned in these two decades? An international group of experts recently took stock of the situation in a very important study which I link here, and the picture that emerges is anything but reassuring. Microplastics are now omnipresent, accumulating even in the most remote parts of our planet. And this is not a problem confined to the environment: there is evidence of their toxic effects at every level of the food chain, from the smallest insects to the predators at the top of the ecological pyramid.
The food chain under siege
Microplastics are not all the same. Some are even intentionally added to products, like microspheres in facial soaps. Others are the inadvertent result of the degradation of larger objects, such as released fibers when we wash a fleece jacket. But regardless of their origin, they all end up infiltrating the food chain.
Secondo Karen Raubenheimer, a lecturer at the University of Wollongong, the main sources of microplastics include:
- Cosmetic detergents;
- Synthetic fabrics;
- Vehicle tires;
- Plastic coated fertilizers;
- Plastic films used as mulch in agriculture;
- Fishing ropes and nets.
But how widespread are these particles? The estimates are alarming. A 2020 study calculated that Between 0,8 and 3 million tons of microplastics enter the Earth's oceans every year. And this may be just the tip of the iceberg: a recent report suggests that the dispersion into the terrestrial environment could be three to ten times greater.
A plastic future?
If you think the situation is already serious, prepare yourself: by 2040, the release of microplastics into the environment could more than double. And even if tomorrow we stopped producing plastic completely, the problem would still exist: the large plastic objects already present in the environment will continue to degrade, releasing new microplastics.
The consequences for wildlife? They are already visible. Microplastics have been detected in more than 1.300 animal species, including fish, mammals, birds and insects. Some animals mistake them for food and ingest them, with dramatic consequences such as intestinal obstruction. But the damage does not stop there: once inside organisms, microplastics release harmful chemicals, amplifying their negative impact, as mentioned, on food chain.
From the environment to the table, the food chain has a point of arrival: us
And us humans? Are we really safe? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Microplastics have been identified in water what we drink, in the air that we breathe and in the food we eat, including vegetables, seafood, table salt, honey, sugar, beer and tea. Sometimes contamination occurs directly in the environment, other times it is the result of food processing, packaging and handling. Result? A study estimates that each of us ingests, on average, the plastic equivalent of a credit card every week.
Research has made great strides, allowing us to identify increasingly smaller particles. Microplastics have been found in our lungs, livers, kidneys, blood and reproductive organs. They have even overcome protective barriers, reaching the brain and the heart. And while we can eliminate some of them through urine, feces and lungs, many persist in our bodies for a long time.
Towards a cleaner future
In the face of this invisible but pervasive threat, what can we do? Public concern is growing, fueled by the realization that food chain exposure to microplastics is likely to be long-term, as it is nearly impossible to completely remove them from the environment.
The good news is that microplastic pollution is a man-made problem (at least there are no deniers on this issue), and therefore it can be solved by man. Some countries have already implemented laws that regulate microplastics, but it is not enough to address the challenge on a global level. This is why it is essential to new Global Treaty on Plastics of the United Nations, whose fifth round of negotiations will begin in November.
The treaty aims to reduce global plastic production, but must also include specific measures to reduce microplastics. Ultimately, Plastics must be redesigned to prevent the release of microplastics. And individuals and communities must be engaged to drive support for government policies.
After 20 years of research on microplastics, there is still much work to be done. But we have more than enough evidence to act now. The food chain is under siege, and only coordinated, global action can protect it. The future of our planet and our health depends on the choices we make today. Are you ready to do your part?
