Microplastics, Mega Health Crisis

Recent evidence indicates that humans constantly inhale and ingest microplastic through contaminated seafood, including fish and shellfish. Additionally, microplastics have been found in tap water, bottled water, and even commonly consumed beverages, such as beer and salt. In fact, a new study estimates that the average adult consumes approximately 2,000 microplastics per year through salt

A recent study report by Delhi-based environmental research and advocacy organization Toxics Link regarding the presence of microplastics (MPs) in salt and sugar in India is quite alarming to say the least.

Microplastics are known to cause comprehensive health hazards in almost all parts of the human body. A blog by Zana Shabani Isenaj, Project Coordinator -Healthier Kosovo, on UNDP web site warns that different chemicals can leach from our plastic water bottles, knives and dermatologic products to enter our bodies. These compounds are linked to serious health issues such as endocrine disruption, weight gain, insulin resistance, decreased reproductive health, and cancer.

Microplastics are now inescapable - so much so that scientists have discovered their presence in human testicles, writes Kate Ng, Trending Lifestyle Reporter of Yahoo Life.

A new study published in the journal Toxicological Sciences analysed tissue samples from 23 human testes and 47 canine testes. Microplastics were found in every sample, with researchers saying the discovery may be linked to a decline in sperm counts, says Yahoo

Professor Xiaozhang Yu, one of the study authors, told the Guardian he was initially sceptical that microplastics could penetrate the reproductive system.

He was "surprised" by the results for both dog and human testes. As the tests in the study were taken from postmortems in 2016, Prof Yu warned that the "impact on the younger generation might be more concerning" due to the increasing volume of plastics in the environment.

So, it appears that there is no escape from microplastics as they are found even in drinking water.

Toxic Link says an Indian consumes 10.98 grams of salt per day on an average, which is more than double the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of 5 grams per day. With the per capita consumption of sugar of approximately 10 spoons per day, the average Indian eats almost 18 kg of sugar per year. Since humans consume food products containing salt and sugar throughout their lives, the intake of microplastics is also expected to be substantial.

In recent years, the UNDP blog says, a silent menace has emerged, threatening the environment and human health. Microplastics, tiny particles of plastic less than 5 millimetres in size, have infiltrated our oceans, soil, and even the air we breathe. With their omnipresence, microplastics have become a matter of growing concern for the environment and human health.

Recent evidence indicates that humans constantly inhale and ingest microplastic through contaminated seafood, including fish and shellfish. Additionally, microplastics have been found in tap water, bottled water, and even commonly consumed beverages, such as beer and salt. In fact, a new study estimates that the average adult consumes approximately 2,000 microplastics per year through salt.

Isabelle Gerretsen, features correspondent of BBC writes that a new study has found that bottled water can contain up to 100 times more tiny pieces of plastic than was previously estimated. The average litre of bottled water contains almost a quarter of a million nanoplastic fragments, according to a study by researchers at Columbia and Rutgers universities in the US. The researchers analysed five samples of three common bottled water brands and found nanoplastic levels ranging from 110,000 to 400,000 per litre, with an average of around 240,000. The scientists say much of the plastic appears to be coming from the bottle itself and that it is not known whether the ingestion of plastic poses a serious health risk.

There have been reports that even green tea bags that we dip in hot water expecting many health benefits also contain MPs. The vast majority of brands on the shelves have mesh tea bags that are composed of 20-30% plastic. A single standard tea bag releases 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into every cup of tea, says Organic India website quoting a study.

I filed an RTI application to know the government's take on the MPs and the work being done to educate the consumers. The application is now under process at ICMR.

Meanwhile, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched an innovative project to tackle the growing concern of microplastic contamination in food while recognising the fact microplastic pollution as an emerging threat that requires immediate attention.

The primary objectives of the project include developing standard protocols for micro/nano-plastic analysis, conducting intra- and inter-laboratory comparisons, and generating critical data on microplastic exposure levels among consumers. This study is being implemented in collaboration with leading research institutions across the country, including the CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (Lucknow), ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (Kochi), and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani).

A good beginning, but in India there is always a wide gap between policy and implementation. Covid had taught us many lessons and we have forgotten all of them after the viral effect died down. There have been many declarations on public health issues and the need to strengthen the network, pan-India. The rising awareness about healthcare has definitely led to an increasing number of people opting for health insurance. But policy premiums are getting criminally expensive and on top of that we are coughing out GST on them.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has taken up the issue with the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman asking her to consider reducing the GST on insurance premia as it amounts to imposing tax on future uncertainty. Instead of looking into the core issue, the FM said Gadkai’s letter was publicised without his permission. This is not even a decent diversion tactic that the BJP indulges in on any burning issue.

The government appears to give tacit support to scientifically unproven drugs being marketed by Baba Ramdev rather than worrying about public health.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, with approximately 70 per cent occurring in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). India’s cancer scenario is burdened with oral cavity cancer being the most common among men. In fact, India accounts for almost a third of the global incidence and mortality related to oral cancer.

Research by Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, Director, ACTREC (Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer), and his team found that the total cost of lost productivity due to premature oral cancer mortality in India in 2022 was $5.6 billion, representing 0.18 per cent of the combined gross domestic product.

Dr Sudeep Gupta, Director, Tata Memorial Centre said "As per the latest GLOBOCAN (Global Cancer Observatory) statistics, the proportion of deaths from oral cancer were 55 per cent of the oral cancers diagnosed, making it a real public health crisis.

This is just one public health concern. There are a host of other health problems such as heart diseases, diabetes, blood pressure, neurological disorders and so on that the Centre and States will have to address. In fact, I strongly feel healthcare, apart from education, gives an excellent opportunity for Centre-State cooperation, irrespective of polit(r)icks.

Not just an employable, but healthy generation is important for the nation to develop. Rhetoric such as a five trillion-dollar economy can wait. Let us focus onburning issues such as MPs and mega health crisis.

(The columnist is a Mumbai-based author and independent media veteran, running websites and a youtube channel known for his thought-provoking messaging.)