Plastic products contain harmful chemicals that have been linked to cancer, asthma, allergies, and other health complications. Unfortunately, plastic is present in almost all aspects of our daily life even though it is hazardous to human health. BPAs are in a wide variety of plastics and are dangerous for infant development, thyroid health, fertility and causes miscarriages, IBS, high blood pressure and the list goes on. When plastics are scratched or single-use plastics are reused the chemicals inside them can leach into our skin, food, water and even air. Plastics should be avoided as much as possible by everyone, infants and adults alike. To reduce plastic exposure, you can:
Buy Bulk ingredients from plastic-free shops to reduce plastic packaging on dry foods that leach into the food.
Sleep in Natural Fibers, consider the fabrics you are choosing for your beddings and living environment. Synthetic fabrics shed microplastics into the water you use to wash them and linger in your laundry machine and sinks etc. Synthetic fabrics are also extremely irritating to the skin, eyes and respiratory system. Choose quality natural fabrics like certified organic cotton, linen or bamboo for bedding and upholstery around your home.
Increase Fresh Produce in your diet; increasing the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables your diet is composed of thus reducing the need for food with plastic wrappings or cardboard.
Plastic Alternatives! Look into plastic-free alternatives. For example, you can switch out your plastic food containers for glass ones to store leftovers. Reusable beeswax wraps can replace plastic saran wrap, the infamous metal straws can replace plastic ones, choosing bar soap over bottled soap or using reusable water bottles and mugs rather than single-use options. With the zero-waste movement gaining widespread popularity and traction in past years, finding alternatives to plastic is easier than ever! For more tips check out Eco-Living Guide
Also visit our section on: Child care, Housekeeping and Personal hygiene for more healthy solutions
References:
Statistics Canada. (2021). ASEQ-EHAQ.
https://aseq-ehaq.ca/en/environmental-sensitivities/statistics/
Your Laundry Sheds Harmful Microfibers. Here’s What You Can Do About It.
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/reduce-laundry-microfiber-pollution/
Zero plastic, zero waste – ASEQ-EHAQ