The latest food group is the micro plastics we’re wearing — and digesting

Hot Buttons

This week, we’re talking about microplastics and what they’re doing to the environment and our bodies. We’ve heard plenty about the giant plastic trash island out in the Pacific and beaches across the globe littered with plastic bottles and bags. But we’re talking about plastic microfibers, the ones that make up the majority of apparel produced today. These nearly invisible fibers have been found at nearly every depth of the ocean, and they’re showing up in the food chain and our bodies. They are commonly found in apples and carrots, lettuce and broccoli, and they’ve recently been found in 24 of 36 samples of human breast milk. Dr. Alexis Jackson from the Nature Conservancy joins the pod to help us understand the enormity of the challenge ahead.

Have a question for Christina, Rachel and Shilla? Give us a call at [phone]. We might feature your voicemail in an upcoming episode.

Resources:

• The Guardian on the first study to quantify the microfibers problem
• The New York Times on California’s new plastics law
• Sourcing Journal on studies of microplastics and apparel
• The Nature Conservancy’s Dr. Alexis Jackson

Hot Buttons is a production of Post Script Media. The show is hosted by Christina Binkley, Rachel Kibbe, and Shilla Kim-Parker. Follow the show on Twitter.

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