How dishwashing plastic containers fuels heart issues and pollution
When these containers are cleaned, microplastics and nanoplastics are released since the items are exposed to chemical, thermal and abrasive cleaning processes with high temperatures up to 158 degrees, according to a report from the University of Queensland.
A single dishwasher cycle containing a full load of common household plastic items could release around 920,000 micro and nano particles into wastewater or 33 million particles per household per year globally, the report adds.
'Even seemingly harmless everyday actions can have cumulative environmental consequences,' Dr. Elvis Okoffo from UQ's Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences said. 'The introduction of plastics into the environment carries a potential risk of adverse impacts on environmental and human health.'
These plastic particles are small enough to pass through water filtration systems, meaning they can reach the environment and can accumulate in marine life and drinking water sources, according to Earth.com.
These microplastics can enter human arteries causing a link to heart attacks and strokes, the New England Journal of Medicine found.
'Patients with carotid artery plaque in which [microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs)] were detected had a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke or death from any cause at 34 months of follow-up than those in whom MNPs were not detected,' the New England Journal of Medicine wrote.
While the release of microplastics in dishwashing machines is quite minor in comparison to other sources of plastic pollution, Okoffo still urges homeowners to take steps to reduce this pollutant.
'Removing this pollutant before it can enter the environment is better than implementing costly measures after the pollutant has already been released,' he wrote.
One way to reduce the creation of microplastics is by handwashing plastic items at a lower temperature rather than dishwashing them, according to The Cool Down.
Opting for a more eco-friendly material like wood, glass or ceramic when it comes to shopping for kitchen utensils can also help.
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