Micro-sizing the Big Plastic Problem:

Our tires and aging garbage are unwittingly becoming a source of air pollution – teaming up to sprinkle tiny pieces of plastic in the air, nicknamed microplastics. Researchers from the University of California - San Francisco suspect that these tiny villains could be behind the rising incidences of respiratory illnesses and even some cancers.

A Research Raincheck on the Plastic Predicament:

A comprehensive review of around 3,000 studies implies that these minute air pollutants could be playing a role in serious health problems. Besides fertility issues in both men and women, colon cancer and poor lung function are also on the list of potential health hazards. In fact, these microplastics could also be causing chronic pulmonary inflammation, which may augment the risk of lung cancer.

Puzzle Piece in an Air Pollution Picture:

Tracey J. Woodruff, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at UCSF, explains that microplastics are essentially particulate matter air pollution, the harmful effects of which we're all much too familiar with.

The Not-so-obvious Offender: Driving:

The very act of driving sheds plastic fragments in the air from the frictional wearing down of tires and the road surface. The reviewed research used primarily animal-based studies, but researchers believe the conclusions would apply to humans as well, given the similarity in exposure levels.

Call for Preventive Actions:

Researchers are urging regulatory bodies and leaders to consider the mounting evidence against microplastics and their potential to cause serious health harms. Preventing further exposures is the immediate need of the hour. The scientists hope that this cry for action will not fall on deaf ears, particularly among the leaders in California.

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