Plastic has been found in human breastmilk.

Breastmilk, the foremost form of sustenance that humans have produced, has long seemed superior to formulas, powders, and cow’s milk. It predates factories, artificial additives, and expiration periods. The human body has evolved to provide the best care for the next generation to make sure that they remain fed and healthy. But now plastic has been found in human breastmilk, placental tissue, and infant feces. How is this possible? Unfortunately, politicians (... mostly male politicians…) have failed to protect our bodies and our future from toxins that are increasingly pervasive, flowing through us and infiltrating our health.

Plastic was invented in the early 1900s and it is estimated that it takes 500+ years to fully decompose. Over time, plastic degrades and turns into microplastics (MPs), which are small pieces of plastic that are less than 5 millimeters in size. Numerous scientific studies have found MPs in soil, food, and in the air. Now, they have infiltrated our bodies. Polystyrene nanoparticles have been found in breastmilk and placental tissue because these particles travel from the expectant person’s lungs to their fetal tissue. However, this problem does not just stop with the host– microplastics have been found at increasing levels in infant fecal matter. This means that fetuses are assimilating microplastics in utero and continue to digest these toxins as babies via breastfeeding.

You may be asking: “Is it really that bad?” or “Why haven’t I heard about this before?” MPs and their effects have been creeping up on us for decades. However, especially with the quick and demanding emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of MPs has been greatly overlooked. In addition to the aforementioned direct effects on human health, MPs are already affecting our food products and can cause harsher food insecurity threats. Commercial seafood is infected due to a large concentration of MPs in our oceans. When marine animals feed on this plastic, it leads to potential supply chain issues along with general consumption concerns. A large portion of the human population greatly relies on seafood as a main source of nutrition, so when the quality and safety of this food is compromised, it poses serious risks to many people.

There are too many excuses for babies dying in this country. But, if you care about your kids, you will care about this problem. The environmental policies that are in place are not protecting womens’ bodies and they are not protecting the children of our future. There are already enough laws against our bodies (this heavily includes infertile women, trans women, and anyone else who exists underneath the umbrella of womanhood), we can not let these laws affect our children too.

We have to give our children a fighting chance. Read up more on how microplastics are taking over our bodies and get others concerned as well. It is important to understand what changes have been made and what still needs to be done. We have gone through one massive pandemic this decade, and this is just the beginning of an even longer and more challenging disease. The long term effects of MP exposure and assimilation is largely unknown, and the rates at which the concentrations are increasing are a cause for major concern. Communicate with fellow expectant and current parents and go to your town council and begin advocating for an anti plastic legislation. Grassroots organizations against plastic have already formed and seen success, moving from a local and concerned population to effective statewide campaigns, and it all starts with taking a small group and building up to larger change. I have spent more than a decade of my life doing this work because I want to fight for my future. Firsthand, I understand how confusing it is to start a movement that seems to become bigger than yourself, but I also know how possible it is. After years of working on a local level, my colleagues (Girl Scout Troop 19) and I reached the State of New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy and passed the most impactful plastic legislation in the country. Now, plastic bags face heavy restrictions that continue to be implemented, long after our bill was passed. And it all started in this town. Teaneck, New Jersey. We fight so hard for our children and their health should be one of our government’s top priorities. Microplastics are incorporated into human bodies from birth; it is a foreign toxin that is in fetuses, in breastmilk, in you. The fact that this issue has been able to escalate unregulated for so long, to the point where this toxin is in our bodies– in our children’s bodies– is indicative of a need for immediate action.