3 ms·

These are great questions. I think it's impossible to say for sure. It is at once a real problem (because they exist and cause problems) and a boogeyman because

These are great questions. I think it's impossible to say for sure. It is at once a real problem (because they exist and cause problems) and a boogeyman because you never really know where they are and how much is going to be a problem for you. So be completely apathetic. Or always be afraid of everything and perform some purity rituals that give you some peace of mind despite not really knowing anything. Like drinking bottled water only despite that maybe having more, or installing expensive filtration systems without testing before or after for the existence of microplastics or effectiveness of the filter. Or telling your kid not to drink certain water because its not safe, despite having no actual knowledge of any risk. Obviously we should continue to gather more information and remediate what we can but I think there is also a problem with fear-based behavior that just spreads anxiety baselessly.

Semaphor 3y ago
I mean, some things will reduce your plastic exposure without requiring measurements. Glass containers, metal bowls, no non-stick pans. That still leaves open if that results in different health outcomes, but it’s still something you can do without having high-tech measurement devices.
- gniv 3y ago
  I'm not sure that helps. I suspect -- but I would really like to know -- that the sources of microplastics are non-obvious. I've heard of cosmetics, textiles, tea bags, foams as the most likely culprits, rather than plastic containers at room temperature, which I think are pretty stable.
  - Semaphor 3y ago
    > plastic containers at room temperature Part of the issue, though. They often take food that’s above room temperature, bowls might get scratched by utensils, containers might be used in the microwave.
- nonethewiser 3y ago
  Well I'm talking about water specifically. In theory I agree that we can avoid things we know are harming us. But there is a balance to be struck between avoiding things out of an abundance of precaution and paranoia. Let's not forget that mental health issues including anxiety have skyrocketed the past few decades. At some point it has to be measured or else we wouldn't know its harmful. With microplastics and water, you need to know what comes out of your faucet (or whatever you are drinking). You can't just rely on some study analogous to those finding issues with eating teflon or using it on very high heat. And not drinking out of plastic cups seems firmly in baseless anxiety territory.
yakcyll 3y ago
I agree with the perspective that it's impossible to tell exactly, with confidence, how harmful they are and what each of us should do. The topic may not be fresh, but the awareness of the dangers is. If you aren't willing to go with the intuition that having non-degradable artificial compounds in your body sounds 'bad', then I'd personally go for what seems to be a reasonable middle ground, likely what most of us are already doing, which is - stay on the look out. Assimilate trustworthy data (on the question of what constitutes trustworthy data - that which comes from sources striving for integrity and rigor and not from anecdotes), be ready to adjust, steel yourself for possibly drastic changes in the future. Personally, I find the argument that the data we currently have is not enough to force us to make such changes absolutely understandable - but at the same time, I find this kind of inertia unwarranted in the age where the world looked almost unrecognisable just a decade ago.

Semaphor 3y ago

I mean, some things will reduce your plastic exposure without requiring measurements. Glass containers, metal bowls, no non-stick pans. That still leaves open if that results in different health outcomes, but it’s still something you can do without having high-tech measurement devices.

gniv 3y ago
I'm not sure that helps. I suspect -- but I would really like to know -- that the sources of microplastics are non-obvious. I've heard of cosmetics, textiles, tea bags, foams as the most likely culprits, rather than plastic containers at room temperature, which I think are pretty stable.
- Semaphor 3y ago
  > plastic containers at room temperature Part of the issue, though. They often take food that’s above room temperature, bowls might get scratched by utensils, containers might be used in the microwave.
nonethewiser 3y ago
Well I'm talking about water specifically. In theory I agree that we can avoid things we know are harming us. But there is a balance to be struck between avoiding things out of an abundance of precaution and paranoia. Let's not forget that mental health issues including anxiety have skyrocketed the past few decades. At some point it has to be measured or else we wouldn't know its harmful. With microplastics and water, you need to know what comes out of your faucet (or whatever you are drinking). You can't just rely on some study analogous to those finding issues with eating teflon or using it on very high heat. And not drinking out of plastic cups seems firmly in baseless anxiety territory.

yakcyll 3y ago

I agree with the perspective that it's impossible to tell exactly, with confidence, how harmful they are and what each of us should do. The topic may not be fresh, but the awareness of the dangers is. If you aren't willing to go with the intuition that having non-degradable artificial compounds in your body sounds 'bad', then I'd personally go for what seems to be a reasonable middle ground, likely what most of us are already doing, which is - stay on the look out. Assimilate trustworthy data (on the question of what constitutes trustworthy data - that which comes from sources striving for integrity and rigor and not from anecdotes), be ready to adjust, steel yourself for possibly drastic changes in the future. Personally, I find the argument that the data we currently have is not enough to force us to make such changes absolutely understandable - but at the same time, I find this kind of inertia unwarranted in the age where the world looked almost unrecognisable just a decade ago.