Next time you grab your plastic container, reflect on the effects it might have on your body.

It’s a Sunday night and you’re meal-prepping for the week trying to keep up with the promise you made to yourself to cut down on eating out. You bring out the plastic and old takeout containers from  the cupboards, and begin to distribute your latest stir-fry creation. You’re practically a social media fitness influencer – planning  ahead, eating home cooked meals… you might be surprised that this seemingly innocent process might be causing your body massive amounts of damage.

Research coming out in the last couple years from various universities and government organizations from around the world have proven that commonly used chemicals in the production of all plastics break them down into microplastics, which might be harmful to our health.

What are microplastics? Microplastics are the result of the natural breakdown of discarded plastics. Most commonly, ultraviolet rays from the sun cause the plastic to become brittle, releasing the chemicals within the plastics into the air and the remaining to break down into small debris, eventually becoming about five millimeters or smaller, almost down to a microscopic level. They are currently found left behind on most packaged and canned foods, most water you drink, clothing made with synthetic materials, and even floating around on the air you breathe. 

What makes it dangerous are things called phthalates. In layman’s terms, they are chemicals added to plastics to increase transparency, flexibility, and durability. Some commonly used types of phthalates are BPA and paraben. The damage these cause is immense. They seem to mostly affect the body’s metabolism; they can lead to a zinc deficiency, affecting your body’s enzymes, and affect fat storage and breakdown, compromising the integrity of your cell membranes (which are composed mainly of fatty acids). Phthalates have also been shown to damage your liver and pancreas as well as your thyroid gland (which synthesizes key hormones). Because each one of these chemicals deserves its own article, this story will focus on a specific one: Bisphenol A (BPA).

The National Institute of Environmental Health and Science defines Bisphenol A  as a chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastics. The chemical gives impact-resistant properties to plastic, so it is often used in engineering. But why should you be worried?

BPA mimics the hormone estrogen and it interacts with both male and female estrogen receptors. It can cause damage to cells through oxidative stress, the chemical reactions that occur in your body when reactive oxygen species accumulate, affecting fertility.

In male mice who were exposed to BPA, researchers reported lower sperm counts, diminished sperm quality and lower testosterone. In female mice, they observed decreases in the hormone estradiol (an estrogen-based hormone involved in the menstrual cycle, among other functions), a reduction of healthy eggs and how well the eggs would be able to be implanted on the uterus wall. 

BPA can also cause issues to the unborn, as it has been found to affect the placenta — developing fetuses cannot break down BPA, making them more susceptible to its effects, leading to developmental issues in utero and post-birth. 

Research is still being done on the extent of the damages microplastics cause, but it’s mostly agreed upon that continued exposure is not good. They have also been linked to birth defects, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. 

An article from the CBC shared a study from the University of Victoria about the amount of microplastics Canadians consume on average. The study looked at water bottles and various plastic packagings, including synthetic clothing and found that the average Canadian consumes roughly 70,000 to 121,000 particles per year, depending on their lifestyle. Adult males were found to contain the most amounts, while younger females were found to have the least. The study found that the average of microplastic particles consumed per year exceeded 100,000 in individuals who consumed pre-bottled water.

So what can we do to limit our exposure? 

An easy way to start is by switching to BPA-free water bottles and watching out for recycling labels. Though research suggests that they’re just as bad, type three and seven plastics are marginally safer. Other simple measures include utilizing glass bottles and charcoal water filters, and switching to porcelain or Pyrex food containers. It’s also suggested to not microwave your food with plastic and to limit the purchase of products without a BPA-free label. While microplastics have not been found to be deadly, it can’t hurt to reduce your exposure.