News

April 9, 2026  Amsterdam

Dr. Heather Leslie released a comprehensive review of real-world  microplastic contaminants in everyday human exposure scenarios. 

Referencing 350 peer-reviewed scientific studies, evidence is presented showing that common consumer plastic products can collectively shed billions of microplastics at close range. 

Microplastic releases of 60 different polymer types were reported across five major categories: food, indoors, outdoors, children’s products, and personal care and healthcare. Microplastics are being detected in spaces where humans live and can be inhaled, swallowed with meals, and in certain medical procedures, inadvertently injected.

This report shines a light on both known and lesser-known microplastic exposures of everyday plastic usage in our human reality.  Since plastic products are all prone to shedding microplastics to some degree during normal use, the mitigation options people have now concern reducing the use of certain plastic applications by avoiding repurchasing them and/or using them in ways that accelerates shedding (such as heating food contact plastic).

Microplastic sources people may not have expected arise from inhalation of microplastic-polluted air (released from synthetic textiles, tire wear and possibly also stratospheric aerosol injection programs). Other products that shed microplastics are used in healthcare, such as intravenous procedures, implants, contact lenses and tablets. These are examples of difficult sources for individuals to avoid on their own. Mitigating exposure sources like these requires collective action, good governance and manufacturing redesign.

System change is a great ambition and starts with individual actions that are aligned with characteristics of the desired future system.

This report was commissioned by the Plastic Soup Foundation with support from The Flotilla Foundation.

The Plastic Soup Foundation will use this knowledge in campaigns and has developed a PlasticFreeFuture app to help people avoid microplastics when purchasing products. 

 

Download the Full Report       

Download the Summary Report