Could a Low-Plastic Lifestyle Reduce Plastic Intake?

The increasing plastic in our environment has caused plastic-associated chemicals (PACs) to enter our bodies, absorbed from food and drink we ingest, personal care products we use on our skin, and the air we breathe. One recent autopsy study found increasing tissue concentrations over the past several decades.

Prior studies have associated this accumulation with health effects, including a fivefold increase in major cardiovascular events and dementia. To confirm the presence of PACs in humans and to see if, and how rapidly, aggressive reduction in exposure to PACs would reduce levels in the body, an Australian team conducted an observational study in about 200 volunteers who provided blood, urine, and nasal-lavage samples and answered…