The team's totals are also not comprehensive. For one, the researchers only estimated how many microplastics we ingest - they didn't measure the concentrations inside people's bodies. More research on microplastics is still needed, and there are some important caveats to note about this study. Opt out of plastic packaging and storage containers when possible, he said, and throw kitchen plastics away when they become etched or scratched. Trasande added that he recommends people avoid dishwashing or microwaving any plastic containers, because the heat can cause toxic, endocrine-disrupting chemicals to leach out into what we eat. Read More: A toxic-chemicals expert is sounding the alarm about 4 cancer-linked chemicals that could be making us sicker and fatter But even if that is the case, we are not safe from the harmful effects of plastic on a larger scale. In a best case scenario, any chemicals in microplastics will simply pass through our bodies without causing damaging effects. "BPA exposure may explain nearly 2% of all obesity in 4-year-olds," Leo Trasande, a pediatrician and public-health researcher at NYU Langone Health who was not involved in the new study, told Business Insider. There's evidence that this BPA exposure can make our bodies turn more calories into fat rather than muscle, and can make our fat cells larger. A survey conducted in 20 by the Centers for Disease Control suggested that 95% of US adults have detectable levels of BPA in their bodies. Microplastics also contain the chemical BPA, which is often used in the lining of canned foods and drinks. P lasticizing chemicals may also be linked to decreases in male testosterone levels. There is some initial evidence this trend may be linked to more plastic use. Over the past five decades, sperm counts have plummeted: Researchers have found that men today produce about half the sperm they did in the 1970s across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Phthalates can also mess with our ability to make babies and can impair normal child development.
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At least one phthalate can cause cancer, according to the US National Institutes of Health. One category of these chemicals is phthalates, which are found in plastic packaging. It's not yet known whether the tiny particles are dangerous for us on their own, but scientists do know that they contain toxic chemicals that have been shown to have detrimental health effects. Evidence shows that microplastics hurt sea life and slow down growth and reproduction rates in fish.
![does chewing on plastic does chewing on plastic](https://www.declawing.com/images/why_do_some_cats_love_plastic_bags.jpg)
But research conducted in other creatures does not look good. The World Health Organization says there isn't yet enough evidence to conclude that microplastic particles are hurting us, since so little data is available. "Unless coughed or sneezed out of the mouth or nasal openings, inhaled particles will either enter the digestive system via mucociliary clearing or remain trapped in the lungs," the researchers said in the study.
![does chewing on plastic does chewing on plastic](https://sustainabilityvoices.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Nuud_26_04_2021.jpg)
The most common microplastics we eat are fibers (like those from microfiber cloths), but we also take in plastic fragments, plastic granules that can be as big as sesame seeds, and tiny bits of foams and films. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) and his wife Michelle eat a cheesesteak and fries during a campaign stop at Pat's King of Steaks Apin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.