Ever feel like you're living in a real-life game of "Where's Waldo?", but instead of finding a striped shirt guy, you're hunting down sneaky plastics?

Hidden plastics are everywhere, from your wardrobe to your bathroom, and even your pantry. These stealthy invaders often go unnoticed, but fear not—We're here to help you spot them and kick them to the curb!

What Do We Mean By Hidden Plastics?

Sources of Hidden Plastics

Kitchen Nightmares

the kitchen has many sources for hidden plastics. Some of them are more obvious than others, but all are easily avoidable.

• Cutting boards: That innocent-looking plastic cutting board. It's shedding microplastics faster than a dog sheds hair in summer. SWOP it out for a wooden board or glass board, and voila! You've just leveled up your eco-game.
• Food containers: Heating up last night's leftovers in plastic? You might be getting a side of microplastics with your meal. Glass and aluminum containers are your new best friend here.
• Tea Time Troubles: Hold onto your teacups, folks! Those fancy tea bags might be steeping more than just Earl Grey. Some contain plastic that releases billions of microplastic particles into your brew. Loose leaf tea is the way to go!
• Food packaging: Did you know that plastic is a frequent flyer in your pantry? Many cans are lined with plastic resins, and even paper-based packaging often contains a thin plastic coating to keep things fresh. Try to stick with glass containers, paper packaging, or bulk goods.
• Kitchen equipment: have an eye out for kitchen appliances that use cheap plastic or non-stick coating for food processing. Especially when heated, your appliances can release toxins into your food and beverages. Just recently, many air fryers have been recalled for their levels of forever chemicals in the non-stick Teflon coating. Teflon or Polytetrafluoroethylene (see... one of those "Polys") is a form of thermoplastic used in non-stick cookware.
  

Plastic Clothing

Your comfy leggings, yoga pants, and even some sweaters might be harboring a secret: synthetic synthetic fibers. Materials like polyester, nylon, acrylic, and spandex are essentially forms of plastic. Each wash sends tiny microplastics down the drain and into the environment. Yikes!

How to Avoid It:

• Opt for natural fibers like cotton, wool, or linen when shopping for clothes.
• Use a microplastic filter or a washing bag designed to trap microfibers.
• Wash your clothes cold to reduce microplastic shedding, prolong your clothes' life, and save energy

Microbeads in Personal Care

Exfoliating scrubs, toothpaste, and even makeup can contain microbeads or hidden plastic particles. These tiny beads are non-biodegradable, contribute to water pollution, and could harm our health.

How to Avoid It:

• Check ingredient labels for terms like polyethylene or polypropylene. As a rule of thumb, anything that says "Poly..." should make you look twice.
  
• Switch to natural skin care products with biodegradable exfoliants like sugar or salt.

Furniture and Decor

That faux leather couch or the plush rug in your living room might look fabulous, but they’re often made from synthetic materials that contain—you guessed it—hidden plastics. Similar to clothes, plastic furniture can shed microplastics that can then leach into the environment or can impact our health.

How to Avoid It:

• Choose furniture made from wood, metal, or natural fabrics like jute and cotton.
• Look for second-hand treasures to reduce demand for plastic-based materials.

The Bright Side

The good news is that once you know about hidden plastics, you can take steps to reduce your exposure. It’s all about making mindful choices and embracing sustainable alternatives.

Plus, every small change you make contributes to a cleaner, greener future. So, go on, be a hidden-plastic detective—your home (and the planet) will thank you!

What are hidden plastics you discovered in your household?

We hope you enjoyed this article. Please feel free to leave a comment below if you want to engage in the discussion.

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