Microplastics and Neoparticles: How Big is Their BIG DANGER and Can We Do Anything About It?

October 27, 2025, the Wall Street Journal, in “The Big Danger of Microplastics: the tiny bits of plastics that are polluting the globe and posting health risks,” by Simon Constable, joined the growing LOUDER VOICES of the BIG DANGER of microplastics and neoparticles or nanoplastics.

I noted that I first started this blog post and collecting articles about microplastics and neoparticles in February, 2023. I am a Bill Maher fan. I saved, among dozens of articles, that, on his March 14, 2025 show, Bill Maher said what scares him most is plastics, plastics in his brain.

This blog post is about what I have collected and discovered about microplastics and

neoparticles or nanopastics. It is time for me to share so you, those I care about, can

decide for yourself what you think.

WHAT ARE MICROPLATES AND NEOPARTICLES?

Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic that are less than 5 millimeters long, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are large compared to nanoplastics or neoparticles, which are much smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

HOW MANY ARE FOUND IN OUR OCEANS AND THE SEAFOOD WE EAT?

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), an international entity whose mandate is to promote sustainable development and prudent use of the global environment, claims there were about 51 trillion pieces of microplastics in our oceans in 2017.

Microplastics were found in 99% of 182 seafood samples, according to a study published in Frontiers in Toxicology, which, itself, refuted some criticism on its website.

WHICH PROTEINS IN OUR FOODS CONTAIN MICROPLASTICS?

According to The Washington Post, January 12, 2024, a study of more than a dozen kinds of protein, including beef, tofu, and breaded shrimp, found microplastics in nearly 90% of the tested samples.

THE EVILS OF PLASTIC BOTTLES AND MORE

I keep hearing that it is not a good idea to drink water from a plastic bottle left in the car, especially a hot car. Here is an article confirming this. See, “I Left a Plastic Water Bottle in a Hot Car. Is it Safe to Drink? Experts Explain some of the Potential Risks,” by Melinda Wenner Moyer, The New York Times, July 29, 2025.

WHERE HAVE MICROPLASTICS BEEN FOUND IN OUR BODIES?

Microplastics have been found in eight organ systems. These are cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, lymphatic, respiratory, reproductive, and urinary, and integumentary, the body's largest organ system, consisting of the skin, hair, nails, and glands. The integumentary system plays crucial roles in protecting, regulating temperature, and sensing the environment, according to the Journal of Global Health.

“The "Big Five" medical journals are the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Annals of Internal Medicine, British Medical Journal, and Journal of the American Medicalm Association.” (August 7, 2025).

When researchers analyzed the tissues of recently deceased humans in a 2025 study, published February 3, 2025, they found that microplastics had accumulated in their kidneys, livers and brains. Bill Maher must have addressed that study!

CAN YOU MINIMIZE YOUR EXPOSURE?

The short answer is yes. See, “How To Minimize Your Exposure to Microplastics: Furniture, Clothing and Food Packaging Can All Shed Tiny Particles that Can End up in Our Bodies,” by Sara Sloat, New York Times, June 7, 2024.

Of course, the recommendation is to avoid single use plastic. Please watch what is used for baby bottles and baby stuff. Kid stuff too. We can swap out plastic cooking utensils, and food storage containers, for those made of glass, steel, or wood, and look for clothing made of natural fibers.

After listing steps you can take, this article, as do many others, concludes, “Experts said these steps could help you limit your microplastic exposure, but only to an extent. And Dr. Tyler acknowledged that it could be difficult for people to cut out plastic entirely, particularly those who purchase synthetic clothing and highly processed foods because they are more affordable.“

“This is why researchers are working toward understanding what plastics might be most harmful to human health. “We have the opportunity to make the right choices, but not everybody has as much power,” Dr. Tyler said. “Some of this is being smart about what you do have control over.”

How can I not agree? I am beginning to believe that it doesn’t matter what I think, as this is one of the BIG DANGERS over which I have no major control, just personal choice. It does not seem that there are clear findings we can rely upon, or ask those we love to rely on Valid and reliable longitudinal scientific studies take longer than my lifetime. This scares me, not for myself as I am in the third third or farther in my life, but for my grandchildren.

In the meantime, we can just pay attention to what we can do and to new studies that are published, evaluating the publications too, please, NOW LOUDER VOICES. Decide for yourself what you think.

With Little Joy,

Mema