There is a memorable scene from the movie The Graduate where Ben (Dustin Hoffman) is taken outside at his college graduation party by a friend of his fathers’.  The friend says (regarding Ben’s future) “I have just one word for you: plastics”. 

Fifty years ago, plastics seemed to be a boom in terms of both convenience and commerce.  Now, plastics are doom in terms of environmental harm and human health.  Once plastics are released into the environment (soil and water) they gradually degrade, leading to the formation of micro plastics (smaller than 5mm) and nano plastics (smaller than 1000 nanometers).  These in turn can enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation and skin absorption.  Ninety five percent of Americans have micro/nano plastics in their bodies.  The health consequences are myriad:  interstitial lung disease, increased rates of premature birth, asthma, certain types of cancer, and liver and kidney disease. Now a new concern has recently been reported by scientists at the University of Campania in Italy regarding cardio vascular events.  Their research found 60% of their patients having surgery to remove arterial plaque had micro/nano plastics (MNP) in the plaque itself.  More distressing was that the 60% with MNP had much higher risk for heart attack, stroke or death in the ensuing 34 months than the 40% who did not have MNP. 

What to do?  Unfortunately making a personal choice to use less plastic will not protect individuals since it is primarily the degradation of discarded plastic that is the prime mover.  It will take a global initiative to make a difference.