Thanks for article.
Whilst toxicity is a serious concern- microplastics are responsible for serious harm to aquatic life, even when “non-toxic”. Microscopic life at the bottom of marine food webs confuse the plastic particles for food. As there is no nutrition in plastic for the aquatic life, it fails to thrive and grow. Those aquatic creatures that rely upon it further up the food chain, suffer in a knock-on domino effect of starvation. Even larger plastics (Eg LDPE plastic bags) cause direct threats to whales and turtles as they get inadvertently ingested, and cause blockages to the gut. Rapidly deplasticising the economy is needed to address the escalating problem. And that means ending the production of plastic feedstock fossil fuels. Recycling won’t solve the plastics issue.
There is no question flame retardants are entering the aquatic environment- with abundant data demonstrating they are contaminating seafood https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412019342564
– with adverse consequences for all populations (human and aquatic life) who rely on them for food.
Do not use plastic bottles of any type for babies. The replacement chemicals for BPA, such as BPS are also unsafe. Similarly avoid squishy packs of baby foods/yoghurt, as higher levels of plasticisers end up in the contents, and in your child.
Dr Matt Landos