Beware of Toxic Microplastics in Kitchenware
Do you know that you may be slow-poisoning yourself by letting billions of microplastics enter your system daily?

You may be keeping your kitchen spic and span, making sure there are no insects and pests that contaminate food. But do you know that you may still be slow-poisoning yourself by letting billions of microplastics enter your system daily?
Think about your kitchenware. From the tea bags you use for your morning cuppa or the plastic strainer you use to filter the tea leaves, to the plastic chopping boards, plastic storage containers, disposable cutlery and non-stick utensils you use – all contain plastic in some form. And when these leach or get shredded, toxic micro or nano particles of plastic infiltrate food, escalating risk of numerous ailments, including DNA damage, hormonal disruptions and even cancer!
The term ‘microplastics’ was first used by marine biologist Richard C Thompson in 2004. Explaining the term, Dr Sruthy M S Pillai, PhD researcher from Gitam University and an expert in Genetics and Environment Biotechnology, says, “Microplastics refer to miniscule plastic particles of less than five mm, shed by larger plastic items. The invasion of microplastics into our food, air and water is a silent crisis threatening global health. Researchers reveal that daily kitchen activities can cause MPs to enter the bloodstream and accumulate in organs. The use of plastic cookware, non-stick pans, and chopping boards has been identified as a major source of MPs, which infiltrate our food and disrupt critical physiological processes directly or indirectly.”
Global studies
As per a study by McGill University, Montreal, when brewed in boiling water, a single plastic teabag can release 11.6 billion microplastics (MPs) and 3.1 billion nano plastics, as plastic components are used to seal them. Even paper tea bags contain a substance called epichlorohydrin to prevent them from bursting.
As per a 2023 study published in ‘Science Direct,’ funded by NIPER and the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Government of India, concentrations of PFAS (Poly-fluoroalkyl substances) were found in almost 90% of the 108 tea bag samples collected from Indian markets.
A report by Yinai Liu (Environment International, 2024) revealed that a single chopping action on a plastic cutting board sheds up to 300 MPs. Megan Liu, lead author of a study conducted by Toxic-free Future and Vrije University, Amsterdam, says black coloured plastics from electronics are often recycled and incorporated into cooking utensils. These recycled plastics contain alarming levels of toxic flame-retardant byproducts and are linked to fertility problems and other hormonal issues and even tumours.
Infiltration
Dr Hemanth Vudayaraju, senior surgical oncologist and robotic surgeon from Yashoda Hospitals, elaborates on the entry of microplastics in the system. “The key sources are landfills and sea or water sources where discarded non-biodegradable plastics end up. They enter the food chain through fish, seafood, milk, honey, plants – basically everything. When humans eat or drink these products, microplastics enter the body. They also enter through air inhalation, direct skin contact when such substances are handled, and from cosmetics and textiles.”
“Several studies have shown how these microplastics invade every human tissue and bodily fluids and get deeply entrenched in the lungs, bloodstream, saliva, semen, breast milk, placenta, etc., and are even found
in the meconium (excreta) of the unborn foetus,” adds Dr Hemanth.
Triggering health risks
According to experts, long-term usage of plastic kitchenware enhances the risk of metabolic diseases, endocrine disruption, skin allergies, PCOS, infertility, pregnancy loss and even certain types of cancer.
Black-coloured plastics are considered even more toxic as these contain multiple compounds of black carbon pigment.