Tires.
this post was submitted on 02 Apr 2025
40 points (97.6% liked)
Ask Science
9916 readers
99 users here now
Ask a science question, get a science answer.
Community Rules
Rule 1: Be respectful and inclusive.
Treat others with respect, and maintain a positive atmosphere.
Rule 2: No harassment, hate speech, bigotry, or trolling.
Avoid any form of harassment, hate speech, bigotry, or offensive behavior.
Rule 3: Engage in constructive discussions.
Contribute to meaningful and constructive discussions that enhance scientific understanding.
Rule 4: No AI-generated answers.
Strictly prohibit the use of AI-generated answers. Providing answers generated by AI systems is not allowed and may result in a ban.
Rule 5: Follow guidelines and moderators' instructions.
Adhere to community guidelines and comply with instructions given by moderators.
Rule 6: Use appropriate language and tone.
Communicate using suitable language and maintain a professional and respectful tone.
Rule 7: Report violations.
Report any violations of the community rules to the moderators for appropriate action.
Rule 8: Foster a continuous learning environment.
Encourage a continuous learning environment where members can share knowledge and engage in scientific discussions.
Rule 9: Source required for answers.
Provide credible sources for answers. Failure to include a source may result in the removal of the answer to ensure information reliability.
By adhering to these rules, we create a welcoming and informative environment where science-related questions receive accurate and credible answers. Thank you for your cooperation in making the Ask Science community a valuable resource for scientific knowledge.
We retain the discretion to modify the rules as we deem necessary.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
And textiles.
If I had to guess I would say that the majority of micro plastic in humans comes from food packaging and food containers.
When it comes to convenience food (like microwave dinners) everything is packed with plastic. If you poke holes into the seal in order to microwave it, plastic particles find their way into the food, and thus into your body. Plastics are everywhere: the inner lining of a tin can, for example, is made of plastic to avoid that the beverage or the food takes on the taste of the tin can. I assume that if you turn the cap on a soda bottle in order to open it, plastic particles float around in the air nearby the opening and get into the body when you directly drink from the bottle just after you opened it. Every pit of food that is wrapped in plastic will be contaminated with micro- or nano plastic particles, either by mechanical impact (caused by opening the packing) or because chemical components.from the plastic will dissolve into the food over time (hence why bottled water has an expiration date).
Another role into the accumulation of micro plastics into the human body ist that we simply breath it in. micro- or nanoscopic plastic particles from our clothes, from car-and bycicle tires (the most severe micro-plastic pollutant by the way), shoes and things made from plastics in general that are exposed to wear and tear and also to sun light (UV light will disintegrate any sort of plastic).
There is no escape.
There is no escape.
accurate 😭
All systemic issues are marketing opportunities.
There's a quote about Woodstock (the original in '69 or something).
They came in a movement and left a market.
I think about that often.
Seems to me like everything you eat has microplastics:
- salt & sugar
- sea food
- tea bags (even the paper ones)
- rice
- bottled water
- honey (even in glass jars, bees exposed to microplastics deposit them in the honey)
- fruits and vegetables
- meat & plant-based alternatives
Cutting boards
They're a source, for sure, but they're definitely not the largest source.