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“One of the first places as far as microplastic pollution is concerned is indoor environments. There have been a number of studies that have quantified just how much of this stuff is in the air, and that’s coming in large part from the clothes that we’re wearing,” Simon said, noting that some plastic fibers inevitably flake off and fall on the ground as they degrade over time. “Some two-thirds of clothing is now made out of synthetic fibers. That’s plastic.”
Simon added that, compared to adults, infants and toddlers likely have a higher concentration of microplastics in their bodies.
“This is largely due to plastic bottles for formula,” he said. “If you are preparing infant formula in a plastic bottle, there’s a calculation that something on the order of a million particles are coming off per day. And that’s ingested per baby.” He also cautioned against freezing or microwaving plastic containers, and suggested using glass products whenever possible.
Given the dearth of research and data on the issue, Simon said, it will likely take as long as another decade to find clear evidence of impacts to human health. But early studies don’t look promising, he added, particularly because many plastics contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA).