Many of us know that plastic harms the environment. Fewer people know about the threat from the microplastics. Researchers have found microplastics in the human heart. Scientists in China collected tissue samples from heart surgery patients. There were tiny pieces of plastic in the tissue. They included a plastic commonly used in an alternative to glass, a polythene used in clothing and food containers, and a material used in building.

The scientists found thousands of microplastic pieces in the heart tissue. Chemicals from these are released into the body, which can lead to allergic reactions, cancer, and other problems. The average person consumes around 52,000 pieces a year. Microplastics make up 39 per cent of dust particles in our homes. They are almost impossible to remove from the body. It is critical to limit the amount of plastic we ingest.