Plastic Consumption: Humans Swallow Astonishing Amounts Yearly

Plastic pollution is a pressing global issue, with microplastics reaching the poles, Mount Everest, and the deepest depths of the ocean. It is therefore unsurprising that humans are consuming plastic, with estimates ranging from 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles a year, or the equivalent of 50 plastic bags, one credit card per week, or a dinner plate (100,000 tiny pieces of plastic) per year. Over a lifetime, this amounts to 40 pounds of plastic, or the amount of plastic required to make a life buoy.

Microplastics are everywhere, including the human body

Microplastics are everywhere. They sit at the bottom of the sea, mix into beach sand, and blow in the wind. They’re also inside us. A 2019 joint study by Dalberg and the University of Newcastle in Australia found that we eat, on average, one Lego brick a week, a dinner plate's worth of plastic a year (100,000 tiny pieces of plastic), and a lifebuoy's worth every decade. Another study in the journal *Environmental Science and Technology* says it's possible that humans may be consuming anywhere from 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles a year. With added estimates of how much microplastic might be inhaled, that number is more than 74,000.

Microplastics have been found in the human placenta and in human faeces. They have also been found in the stomachs of fulmar seabirds in Scotland, and in ocean creatures such as turtles and whales, which have starved due to having stomachs full of plastic.

Estimations of the total mass of ingested microplastics correspond to 50 plastic bags per year, one credit card per week, or a median value of 4.1 μg/week for adults. The first two estimations are based on an analysis that predicts a total ingested mass of 0.1–5 g/week.

It is clear that microplastics are everywhere, including the human body.

Humans may be consuming 39,000-52,000 microplastic particles a year

Microplastics are everywhere. They sit at the bottom of the sea, mix into beach sand, and blow in the wind. They’re also inside us. Last October, microplastics were found in faecal samples from eight people participating in a pilot study to research how much humans might be inadvertently consuming plastic.

Estimations of the total mass of ingested microplastic particles correspond to 50 plastic bags per year, one credit card per week, or a median value of 4.1 μg/week for adults. The first two estimations are based on an analysis that predicts a total ingested mass of 0.1–5 g/week.

A 2019 joint study by Dalberg and the University of Newcastle in Australia estimates that, on average, humans eat one Lego brick per week, a dinner plate's worth of microplastics (100,000 tiny pieces of plastic) per year, and a lifebuoy's worth of plastic per decade. This amounts to 40 pounds of plastic in a lifetime.

This is the equivalent of 50 plastic bags per year

It is estimated that humans consume 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles a year, with the number rising to 74,000 when you include the plastic that is inhaled. This is the equivalent of 50 plastic bags per year, or one credit card per week. Over a lifetime, this can add up to 40 pounds of plastic.

The plastic we consume comes from a variety of sources. Microplastics are found at the bottom of the sea, mixed into beach sand, and blowing in the wind. They are also in our food and water. In fact, microplastics have been found in human placentas and in the stomachs of fulmar seabirds in Scotland.

The impact of ingesting microplastics on human health is still being studied, but it is known to be harmful. The tiny pieces of plastic can accumulate in our bodies over time, and it is possible that they could release toxic chemicals or absorb harmful substances from our environment.

It is clear that plastic pollution is a serious issue, and more research is needed to understand the full extent of its impact on human health and the environment.

The average person eats a Lego brick-sized amount of plastic every week

It is estimated that humans consume anywhere from 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles a year. When you add estimates of how much microplastic might be inhaled, that number is more than 74,000.

A 2019 joint study by Dalberg and the University of Newcastle in Australia found that the average person eats a Lego brick-sized amount of plastic every week. This equates to a dinner plate-sized amount of plastic every year (100,000 tiny pieces of plastic) and a life buoy-sized amount every decade.

Other estimates suggest that the amount of plastic consumed by humans each year is equivalent to 50 plastic bags or one credit card per week.

Microplastics are everywhere. They sit at the bottom of the sea, mix into beach sand, and blow in the wind. They are also inside us.

Plastic has been found in human placentas

It is estimated that humans may be consuming anywhere from 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles a year. With added estimates of how much microplastic might be inhaled, that number is more than 74,000. This equates to around 40 pounds of plastic in a lifetime.

The microplastics probably entered the women's bodies through ingestion and inhalation and then translocated to the placentas. While the effects on the body are unknown, there is an urgent need to assess this issue because these particles could contain chemicals with potential long-term adverse effects for the fetus. They could disrupt immunity mechanisms in babies and interfere with fetal development.

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