New report reveals troubling details about 'microwave-safe' containers: 'People think they're making a harmless choice'

A new study has shown that microwave-friendly plastics aren't as safe as advertised, as the microplastics they shed can cause health risks. 

What's happening?

Greenpeace examined 24 published research papers around microplastics and found that even containers marketed as "microwave-safe" still shed a range of harmful particles into food, including over 4,200 substances ranging from bisphenols, phthalates, and PFAS to antimony and others. 

One of the studies reviewed suggested that microwaving released four to seven times more microplastics than equivalent oven heating. 

"People think they're making a harmless choice when they buy and heat a meal packaged in plastic," said campaign lead Graham Forbes, per The Independent. "In reality, we are being exposed to a cocktail of microplastics and hazardous chemicals that should never be in or near our food."

Worse still, this leaching happens outside of heated environments, too. The report flagged scratched plastic and long-term storage as other sources of contamination. 

Why are microplastics important?

Once ingested, microplastics can be the source of all kinds of health risks. 

"At least 1,396 food contact plastic chemicals have been found in human bodies, including several which are a known threat to human health, linked to conditions such as cancers, infertility, neurodevelopmental disorders, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases like obesity and Type 2 diabetes," the Greenpeace report stated. 

What's being done about microplastics?

Greenpeace has called on the world's governments to enact legislation that combats false advertising in plastics and bans single-use plastics. 

"Governments must act now by delivering a strong global plastics treaty that protects human health and cuts plastic production at the source," said Forbes, per The Independent.

An internationally binding agreement would generate the most impact, but individual jurisdictions have already made progress. The Canadian government recently upheld its single-use plastic ban, while the European Union is working to ban plastic packaging on some fruits and vegetables. 

You can do your part by cutting down on plastic use. Not only is this better for your health, but it also cuts ties with the polluting oil industry, which keeps plastic flowing into supply chains. 

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