Pure Earth Collection is on a mission to spread awareness about the dangers of microplastics and the importance of creating a plastic free nursery. They’re concerned about recent *research that reveals findings of up to twenty times more microplastics in baby poo than adult poo. Relative to their body weight, this means that babies have 200 more microplastics in their bodies than adults.
What are microplastics?
Primary microplastics are manufactured in sizes deliberately less than 5mm and secondary microplastics are those which have been broken down by the weathering of other plastics, such as baby’s bottles.
Examples of primary microplastics include the microbeads used in cosmetic products (now banned, thankfully), many soft toys, kids’ fleeces, outwear and blankets. Polyester and recycled polyester are some of the lead sources of primary microplastics, which is mind-blowing when you consider how widely the fabric is used.
It’s the chemicals added to the plastics in the production process that present a serious health risk. Three of those chemicals you might have heard of: BPA, phthalates and flame retardants.
The danger of microplastics
We consume microplastics from inhalation, they’re in the air we breathe and our household dust, as well as drinking water, and our diets. Babies and small children are more exposed to synthetic fabrics as they tend to explore the things around them with their mouths.
It’s thought that effects of ingesting microplastics can include cell damage, hormone disruption, reproductive issues, cancer and increased mortality, as well as a strong link to obesity. This is why we should be looking at plastic free nursery options when it comes to creating a baby’s bedroom and play space. Pure Earth Collection’s twelve key essentials are a great place to start:
*sources: 1. Occurrence of Polyethylene Terephthalate and Polycarbonate Microplastics in Infant and Adult Feces. Junjie Zhang, Lei Wang, Leonardo Trasande, and Kurunthachalam Kannan. 2. A Review of Human Exposure to Microplastics and Insights Into Microplastics as Obesogens. Kurunthachalam Kannan and Krishnamoorthi Vimalkumar.