Dear Kosterina Family,
For years, we've been hearing about the dangers of plastic - especially when it comes to their impact on our environment. You may have seen viral images of beaches littered with water bottles or animals wrapped in trash bags.
But, did you ever think that plastic could be in your body, too?
In honor of Earth Week, our team has been both shocked and saddened by a recent research paper that shows microplastics were found in human blood for the first time. And, since this is the first time in human history that plastic particles have been found in the human body, the impact on health is unknown.
The only thing scientists know for sure: they contaminate our cells, just as much as Mother Earth.
What are microplastics, anyway?
Microplastics are miniature pieces of plastic that are measured through 'polymer particles.' They are 140 times smaller than a single strand of human hair.
The microplastics found inside our bodies are composed of different types of plastic - like PET, commonly found in disposable water bottles, and PS, which is usually found in food packaging.
But, microplastics aren't just plastics that come from packaging - experts say that we're exposed to microplastics in a variety of ways. They can be found in our food, personal care products, and even in the air.
What can we do about it?
While this all sounds scary - just like we talked about in our blog post on Emulsifiers, reading labels is important. And even more so, it's vital for us all to pay attention to what we eat, drink, and even put on our bodies.
It's impossible to control everything, but experts recommend using as little single-use plastic as possible. And, that doesn't just mean water bottles. This can range from plastic shampoo bottles to cleaning products. We know our Kosterina family loves reusing their glass EVOO bottles in creative ways (and stay tuned for news on our new sustainability efforts)!
The health of our environment links to our own human health very closely.
Here's to using less plastic, for everyone's sake.
Peace, Love & EVOO, Happy Earth Week!
Katina
