A review of 3,000 studies implicates microplastics in a variety of serious health problems. These include male & female infertility, colon cancer & poor lung function. The particles also may contribute to chronic lung inflammation, which can increase the risk of lung cancer. 1/ x.com
Tires and degrading garbage shed tiny pieces of plastic into the air, creating a form of air pollution that researchers suspect may be causing respiratory and other illnesses. 2/ x.com
A major source of plastic in the air is driving. Friction wears down tires along with the road surface, sending plastic fragments into the air. 3/ x.com
Microplastics are less than 5 millimeters—smaller than a grain of rice—and they are ubiquitous in the environment. Each year, companies around the world produce nearly 460 million metric tons of plastic. That is projected to reach 1.1 billion by 2050. 4/ x.com
The researchers concluded that microplastics are “suspected” to harm human reproductive, digestive, and respiratory health, with a suggested link to colon and lung cancer. 5/ x.com
Future research on microplastics should investigate additional health outcomes impacted by microplastic exposure and identify strategies to reduce exposure. 6/6
pubs.acs.org
pubs.acs.org
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