Plastic is widely used in our society for its convenience, but when it breaks down, negative health effects can follow.
Experts at Consumer Reports say there are simple changes New Mexico folks can make to reduce intake. One of the best ways is to look for products that come in recyclable packaging – for example, eggs that come in a cardboard container instead of clear plastic.
Drew Toher, campaign manager for Consumer Reports, said retailers will definitely take notice.
"Consumers can use their purchasing power to push the market towards products with more sustainable packaging," he said. "Consumer choice really, really matters, and you can vote with your dollars."
Another way to reduce the need for plastic is to avoid processed foods, which are much more likely to be packaged in plastic and shipped from afar. You also can make a point to buy things that are locally grown or produced, because they don't need to be shipped and require less packaging.
A bill introduced in the New Mexico legislature this session to ban single-use plastic bags failed to pass. Several cities and counties, however, have implemented their own bans, including Carlsbad, Las Cruces, Silver City and Santa Fe County.
Kevin Loria, Consumer Reports' senior health and food reporter, said single-use plastics currently make up 35% to 40% of plastic production.
"When we look at the amount of plastic that is produced in the world, a lot of it for packaging, half of the plastic ever made has been produced since 2002," he said. "If you look at the amount we produced in 2019, that's expected to triple by 2060."
A 2025 University of New Mexico Health Sciences study detected microplastics in human brains at much higher concentrations than in other organs – and the plastic accumulation appears to be growing over time. Tiny bits of degraded polymers – microplastics are found everywhere – in our air, water and soil. The study found that over the past half century, they've lodged themselves throughout the human body, including the liver and kidneys.
Source: Public News Service
