Since it was first produced at the start of the 20th century, synthetic plastic – and especially plastic packaging – has been an ever-present fixture in everyday life. Yet all the convenience plastic has given us comes at a price.
When plastic breaks down slowly over time, it produces ever smaller parts called microplastics and nanoplastics – depending on their size. These tiny bits of plastic contaminate water and food sources and can enter humans and other living organisms. Indeed, researchers found that tiny plastic particles can be found in the blood of most adults tested.
