Breathing Easy: Simple Steps to Cut Microplastics at Home
BBC reports that indoor air is filled with microplastics shed from synthetic textiles, and inhalation may be a major exposure route. Adults could inhale about 28,000–108,000 particles daily and babies 19,000–75,000, with indoor air often eight times more concentrated than outdoor air. Sources include clothing, furnishings, carpets, and laundry. Practical reductions include using washing-machine filters and drying outside when possible, opting for natural-fibre clothing, vacuuming with HEPA-filter vacuums and ventilating well, wiping surfaces with damp cloth, and employing multi-stage air filters; air conditioning can disperse particles. While cleaning helps, it won’t eliminate microplastics, and measuring them remains challenging, highlighting the need for broader systemic action to reduce plastic production.
