Plastic, and how to get rid of it without polluting, is becoming one of the main challenges our planet faces. Every year we generate more plastic waste, most of which is just piling up. Plastic is polluting everywhere, whether in landfills or forming its own bigger-than-Texas landmass in the Pacific ocean. Our original plan to combat plastic pollution, recycling, has failed since we produce more than we recycle. Now studies are telling us we’ve actually reached the point where plastics are polluting our bloodstream. We spend so much time around or in contact with plastic that microplastics have made their way into our bodies. So, what is this microplastic madness, and what can we do about it? Which companies are tackling the issue?
Microplastics are in our ecosystems
According to National Geographic, microplastics began appearing in marine wildlife like fish and shellfish a few years ago. Although that may seem minor compared to where we’re at now, scientists immediately saw the dangers of microplastics in seafood. Since we consume seafood, any microplastics in our food will end up in our bodies. By 2017, it was confirmed that microplastics were in our food chain.
This situation becomes more dangerous the higher up you are on the food chain. Those high up in the food chain consume more harmful substances when we eat many of the smaller links in the chain. So, at the top of the food chain, humans are vulnerable to microplastics in our environment and those in the foods we eat. Sure enough, we soon found that microplastic madness has made its way into our systems.
What can we do?
Since it’s still a new phenomenon, we don’t know the long-term effects of having microplastics in our system. However, it’s safe to assume any long-term effects from microplastics on our system are negative. Especially since the short-term effects are harmful to our cells. Some companies have noticed the threat and are taking action. Bioshield Supplements, for example, is a supplements company that has products designed to boost our bodily processes.
With some chemical help, our bodies can effectively get rid of microplastic in our systems. According to their site, the average person consumes the equivalent of a credit card in microplastics every week. That’s 52 credit cards a year. While there are many scientists working on biodegradable plastic alternatives worldwide, we still need to address the plastic already in our bodies. With the help of companies like Bioshield and their supplements, we can start flushing plastic from our systems ASAP.
