Picking up a case of water bottles for your next party? Think twice. Particles of that water bottle you discard may end up ruining your future.
Each year 353 million tons of plastic waste is generated. While the majority is recycled (only 2% correctly), landfilled or incinerated, 82 million tons are littered. Nineteen million tons of the littered water bottles leak into the environment and 6 million tons ends up in rivers. From that entering the rivers, 1.7 million tons of that plastic ends up in the ocean each year.
Plastic bottles and bags are broken down into smaller particles, called microplastics, by sun exposure, waves and winds. Some plastic starts out as microplastic particles, such as in cosmetics.
Previous studies have already demonstrated that these microplastics enter the brain by crossing the protective blood-brain barrier that functions to prevent entry of some infections and chemical from the blood into the brain. The result is neuroinflammation and interruption of the balance of natural substances (neurotransmitters) in the brain which allow nerve cells to communicate with each other. A recent study now links high levels of microplastics in the ocean to a higher prevalence of neurologic dysfunction, especially in people living near the coasts.
The neurologic damage attributed to exposure to microplastics include impaired cognition, ambulation and ability to perform activities of daily living, even after factors such as socioeconomic status and air pollution have been taken into account.
While further studies are needed to corroborate these findings, it is clear that we need to take action, one water bottle at a time.
If you think you may be experiencing cognitive dysfunction or other neurologic problems, BeCareLink can help you assess your neurologic function on your home whenever and wherever you want.
Reference: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/marine-microplastics-linked-neurologic-dysfunction-2025a10005na?form=fp