The Air we Breathe Contains Plastic

Recent studies show that microplastic fibres are constantly released into the air from polyester fabrics that we wear. The amount is almost equal to that released during washing. An average of 9 million microplastic fibres are released in each wash cycle and these ultimately end up in water bodies because most wastewater treatment plants cannot filter them.

Research shows that we are ingesting microplastics at the rate of approximately 11 particles per hour – not only through the food we eat and the water we drink but also the air that we are inhaling. The longer the fibres the more damaging they are. Just like other kinds of particles in the air, inhalation of microplastics can cause lung ailments like asthma, lung cancer, etc.

Microplastic fibres have been found in the air not only in major cities but also in remote areas. Scientists investigating lung tissue of several lung cancer patients, found microplastics in their lungs (This was way back in the 1990s.) and they suspected that the presence of microplastic fibres in the lungs may increase the risk of lung cancer.

Research showed that plastic particles might persist in the lungs, especially in people with lung disease and this could cause inflammation. Once inhaled, these tiny particles go deep into the lungs where they may induce lesions in the respiratory system. The smaller particles tend to pass into the bloodstream and cause cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases and may even cause cancer. The body is only able to rid itself of a very small percentage of these microplastic particles entering the body.

Children generally are at greater risk – specially babies who crawl on the floor are the most vulnerable. Babies and toddlers spend a lot of time playing on the floor, where microplastics settle in the form of dust. Moreover, small children play with, and sometimes even chew on plastic toys. Children are more active and breathe more rapidly compared to adults, taking in more air in relation to their body weight. So, they are more vulnerable. Also, their respiratory systems are not fully developed. Researchers studying Tehran’s urban dust found that children may be swallowing as many as 3,200 plastic particles a year. A baby’s first exposure to microplastic particles, however, takes place before birth - microplastics have been found in the placenta.

Though we know that the threat to human health is high, the full health effect of breathing microplastics is not yet fully understood. More research is needed. Workers in textile factories involved in processing of polyester and nylon fibres, are very commonly found to experience breathlessness, coughing, and reduced lung capacity. Researchers suggest that there may be a link between their symptoms and microplastic inhalation.

Approximately 91% of the total plastic that is produced each year enters the air, land and water and ultimately remains there for ever. A study led by Kieran D. Cox and researchers at the University of Victoria in British Columbia found that humans are eating about 250 pieces of microplastic per day, or roughly 94,000 pieces of microplastics in a year.

These microplastic fibres are not just found in the outdoor air but also indoors and huge amounts of microplastic are found in the dust on the floor. The concentration of plastic particles in indoor air is in fact higher. Microplastics are released from plastic objects found in our homes due to friction, or the effect of heat or light. Showering with a body scrub alone may flush 100,000 microplastic beads into the wastewater system and an almost equal amount is released into the air (Environmental Audit Committee of Britain).

The majority of microplastics found in the indoor air, however, come from plastic fibres released from synthetic clothing and textiles used in home furnishings. These plastic fibres from clothes and furnishings also end up on surface of food. They are more harmful when inhaled because they are generally longer.

Very few people are aware that something like this can be happening. Today, synthetic materials, such as acrylic, nylon, polyester, make up almost 60% of global textile production and many people prefer synthetic fibres for curtains and other home furnishings because they are more durable, cheaper and easy to maintain. It is extremely difficult for us to avoid plastic - we are practically surrounded by plastic. It is horrifying! Microplastics are present not only in the food we eat and the water we drink but also in the air we breathe. Not only that plastic particles are also present in the soil! It is high time we try to find a way out – the key is spreading awareness among people.