7 Ways to Trim Microplastics from Your Life

It’s impossible to get rid of them all, but you can cut back substantially with the right changes

Katherine Hobson,

AARP

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En español

Published April 17, 2025

Paul Spella

The more researchers look for microplastics in the human body, the more they find them. The tiny fragments are released when larger plastic items break down in the environment and when they’re shed from plastic-containing packaging or materials during use. Increasingly, researchers are showing that microplastics can make their way into the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and elsewhere.

What isn’t clear is whether they pose a health threat to people. Researchers reported recently that levels of plastic in the brain were higher in people who had dementia than in those who didn’t, but they don’t know whether the plastic contributes to dementia risk or if changes seen in dementia make the brain more susceptible to microplastic accumulation.

In 2024, researchers found jagged microplastics and even tinier nanoplastics in the plaques in some people’s carotid arteries, and those people had a higher risk of heart attack, stroke or death, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. In 2024, researchers published a review of evidence, mostly animal studies, that found exposure to microplastics is “suspected” to harm human digestive and respiratory health, including a potential link to colon and lung cancer.

It’s “highly probable” that microplastics could harm human health, says Philip Kuriakose, M.D., a hematologist and medical oncologist at the Henry Ford Cancer Institute in Detroit. “But it hasn’t been fully proven yet.” The potential for health problems is particularly relevant for older adults, whose bodies are less able to repair the harm that plastics (and the chemicals they may contain) can do to the body, Kuriakose says. Exposure to microplastics could exacerbate existing health problems that are more common with age, such as heart disease and possibly vascular dementia, he says.

Microplastics are everywhere – they’ve even been detected on Mount Everest – and it’s not practical to avoid them entirely. “We’re never going to be able to eliminate plastic exposures, and in some cases, we shouldn’t, because there’s a risk-benefit ratio for everything, and there are benefits of plastics,” says Douglas Walker, an associate professor in the Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health at Emory University, who studies microplastics. “But I do think we should have mindfulness about our plastic use.”

Here are some relatively easy lifestyle changes that can help reduce your exposure, the researchers say:

1. Cut back on single-use plastics.

Plastic pollution accumulates in the environment – including the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. You can do your part by following Walker’s top recommendation: Choose alternatives to the plastics you use once and then toss, such as plastic wrap, bags, cutlery and food and beverage containers, whenever possible.

2. Opt for water from the faucet rather than bottled.

If you have access to clean tap water, it’s a better choice than buying bottled, says Britta Baechler, marine biologist and director of ocean plastics research at the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy. One 2024 study found that an average liter of bottled water contained 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic, 90 percent of them the extremely tiny nanoplastics. While tap water also contains microplastics, bottled water has more, research has shown. That seems to be true even for water sold in glass bottles, suggesting microplastic particles are getting into the water through the packaging process, she says. “For me, that’s evidence to suggest that tap water is best for both you and the planet,” Baechler says. When you’re on the go, fill up a reusable stainless steel or glass bottle. Home-based water filtration is also an option. Look for a filter that has NSF/ANSI 401 certification, which means it can reduce the amount of microplastics in your water.

3. Don’t mix plastic containers and heat.

Walker says he stores and heats up leftovers in a glass container rather than a plastic one. And when he buys foods meant to be heated up in their single-use plastic packaging, he transfers them to a microwave-safe dish or bowl, and then heats them. Some foods shouldn’t even be stored in plastic. For example, it’s a good idea not to store oil-rich foods in plastic containers or to let them come into contact with plastic wrap because the oil can cause the plastic to leach into food, Walker says.

4. Extend that caution to hot beverages.

When your barista hands you coffee in a disposable cup, it’s most likely lined with plastic, even if it’s primarily made of paper. When hot liquid hits that plastic, it releases microplastics into your drink, research has found. Bring your own reusable, non-plastic cup, instead. (Bonus: Some coffee shops will give you a small discount if you BYOC.) Are you a tea drinker? Recent studies have pointed out micro and nanoplastics found in teabags, which can leach particles into the tea. Those kinds of findings “made me change my tea-drinking habits,” Baechler says. “I now use looseleaf tea in a reusable stainless-steel steeper.”

5. Look for alternatives to plastic cutting boards and cooking utensils.

Chopping food on plastic cutting boards is a potentially “substantial” source of microplastics in food, according to a study reported in 2023 from the University of North Dakota. Other options include boards made of glass, marble, bamboo or wood. (Just be sure you understand how to clean and care for them properly.) Plastic cooking utensils such as spatulas can also be swapped out for metal or silicone. Don’t feel you have to get rid of everything in your kitchen immediately. “I do a little bit at a time, and then eventually I’ve taken a lot of [plastic] things out of my life,” says Tracey Woodruff, M.D., a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive sciences at UC San Francisco and an author of the 2024 review of evidence on microplastics and health.

6. Focus on minimally processed foods.

You may have heard a lot about plastics in the ocean – more than 8 million tons of plastic flow from rivers and beaches into the ocean every year, according to the UN Environment Program, and that plastic is gobbled up by the seafood we eat. But fish and shellfish aren’t the only protein source of microplastics. A study published in 2024 looked at 16 types of protein that people commonly eat, including fish and shellfish, pork, beef and chicken, and plant-based proteins such as tofu and meat replacements. “We found there’s no difference in concentration of microplastics,” says Baechler, an author on that study. She and colleagues found at least some microplastics in 88 percent of the samples. One way to trim back on the microplastics you eat: steer clear of processed foods, which had more microplastics than lightly processed foods, Baechler says. And when you shop, try to avoid plastic packaging when possible, Kuriakose says.

7. Vacuum and leave your shoes at the door.

We inhale plastic particles indoors and out. In your home, a vacuum with a HEPA filter can get rid of some of the microplastics, which are present in dust, says Woodruff. Removing shoes at the door also cuts down on tracked-in dust from outdoors, she says. Synthetic fabrics can produce tiny plastic fibers, and dryers seem to disperse those into the air, one study found. To be on the safe side, when you pull the lint filter out of the dryer, clean it out directly over a trash bin and keep it as contained as possible, Baechler says. You can also buy fewer clothes made with synthetic fibers, to the degree that that’s practical.

Bonus tip: Make yourself resilient in other ways.

While you’re being mindful about your exposures, you can shore up your own defenses against all potential threats to your health, Woodruff says. That means adopting habits like a healthy diet, regular exercise, sufficient sleep and not smoking.

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Katherine Hobson is a freelance writer focusing on health, psychology, science and personal finance. She has been a staff writer at The Wall Street Journal and U.S. News & World Report.