Plastic Free July

Going Plastic Free,

Why small steps matter and better for your health.

Plastic is a world health disaster, the world is choking on plastic, but have you ever wondered how your decisions each day with plastic substances can cause a huge health hazard to you and your families wellbeing.

Virtually all plastic products contain a range of chemical additives that can leach out and enter food, drink, dust and air all around us. Some of the smallest and most volatile chemicals can be absorbed through our skin or inhaled.

Many of these chemicals are known to be toxic, even at low levels. Babies in the womb and young children are at particularly high risk of plastic-related health effects from everyday use.

We know that early development is sensitive to hazardous chemicals. Children have unique exposure because they breathe more rapidly, are closer to accumulated chemicals in household dust and soil, and often put things in their mouths, including toys.

Plastic-associated chemical exposures are linked to increased risks of low birth weight, changes in genital development and appearance, neurodevelopmental impairment, respiratory illness (asthma and bronchitis) in children and premature puberty in girls. Early-life exposures are also associated with obesity and increased blood pressure in children.

Studies have also shown that exposure to some plastic chemicals is linked to poorer sperm health for men, and increased risk of miscarriage, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome for women. Adult exposure is also associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers (including breast cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma).

Community health impacts

As well as being exposed to chemicals during everyday use of plastics, communities nearby to chemical refineries and plastic production factories are exposed to hazardous chemical pollutants released from these facilities into air, water, and soil. And we are all impacted by the carbon emissions from the use of fossil fuels to general plastics.

For example, compounds used or produced in oil and gas extraction by drilling and fracking—such as benzene, butadiene, and formaldehyde—are known to cause leukaemia and lymphoma at all ages, including children. Exposure to these during pregnancy and in early childhood is especially dangerous.

Daily choices to protect human health.

Daily choices, such as shopping bags and coffee cups are easy swaps. We can bring our own natural cloth materials bags and stainless steel or glass cups. Buy from a sustainable brand that uses glass instead of plastic. There are so many ways we can use less plastic, especially single-use items that quickly become waste.

The safest option is to ‘choose to refuse’ and reduce plastic use wherever you can. Swap everyday products you use at home to a brand that is sustainable and doesn't use plastic at all. Small decisions can have a big impact in the years to come, and little things matter.

Restore Health is dedicated to helping with your health journey. Using only high quality safe natural ingredients while packed in convenient sustainable packaging in Glass or 100% plant based home compostable packaging.

Are you using Magnesium at the moment packed in plastic? Why not make the switch to a sustainable brand like Restore Health today!

Comment below on what changes you are making this Plastic Free July.

Reference list

Dr Christos Symeonides, Pediatrician and Clinical Research Specialist at Minderoo Foundation

Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health Global Report Landrigian, Bald et al

The impact of plastics on Human Health Landrigian, Bald Et al