Microplastics in the Lungs, Blood Tissue: Should I Be Concerned?

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April 19, 2022 – How concerned should we be about microplastics?

Recent risks linked to having microplastics in the body, according to Len Horovitz, MD, an internist and pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital and Weill Cornell Hospital.

“And of course, with plastics, you worry about PCBs, which are [man-made] chemicals that may be ,” he says.

Microplastics can also pose a greater risk to some more than others. People who work in construction, or have hobbies involving cutting or fitting plastics, should be particularly careful.

“You should wear a good N95 mask for the most filtration,” Horovitz says.

But most people should rest assured that this is an area being heavily investigated.

“I think we’re really at the very forefront of any research that’s going to give us information as to whether or not these are disease-causing at this point,” Rizzo says.

In fact, air pollution causes “more concern and disease than microplastics have been shown to do,” he says.

Trending Upwards

Unfortunately for our environment, plastic consumption has skyrocketed over the past few decades.

Less than 10% of the 7 billion tons of plastic produced around the world is recycled, , vowing to never use plastic again may not be realistic right now. But there are still ways you can make an impact, like cutting down on single-use plastics (think: straws, cups, and plates) and avoiding facial cleansers with plastic microbeads.

To learn more ways to lower your plastic footprint, click here.