Microplastic dangers and the innovators finding solutions, plus 8 ways to protect yourself

Six couples who want to start families but cannot conceive are the focus of a new Netflix documentary, The Plastic Detox. The couples – two of which have been trying to get pregnant for over two years, while one has been attempting for a decade – strip as much plastic from their lives as possible over three months to see if this will help. “Fertility worldwide is going down, and it is tightly linked to chemicals that are commonly used in plastic,” says epidemiologist Dr Shanna Swan in the trailer for the documentary, which airs from March 16. Swan, the expert consultant for the film and a professor of environmental medicine at New York’s Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, also notes that while more than 1,100 chemicals are banned from personal care products in the European Union, very few are in the United States. “To have a child – I believe it is a fundamental human right,” she says. The documentary aims to discover whether people can raise their fertility by lowering their exposure to chemicals that are in plastic. It is a timely experiment. In a February 2025 report, the World Health Organization notes that microplastics – polymer particles smaller than 5mm – have been found “in the land, sea and air, across the food chain and throughout the human body”. Regarding microplastics, it asks: “Are we facing a new health crisis?” The full extent of microplastics’ impact on our health is not yet known, it adds, but studies indicate that they can increase the likelihood of heart attack, stroke and even Alzheimer’s – and that urgent action is required. There is also evidence linking microplastic exposure to inflammation, cognitive disruption, hormonal imbalance, and oxidative stress linked to cancer. In a report also published in February 2025, researchers found that human brain samples taken in 2024 had 50 per cent more microplastics in them than similar samples did in 2016. To tackle the problem, some governments have implemented bans on single-use plastics (SUPs) such as plastic water bottles and disposable cutlery – a major microplastic contributor – with mixed effectiveness. Hong Kong started banning SUPs on April 22, 2024 – on Earth Day. Restaurants can no longer provide plastic cutlery, straws, stirrers or plates for dine-in or takeaway. Styrofoam (EPS) containers are also banned. Hotels cannot provide complimentary plastic-bottled water and toiletries such as shampoo and toothbrushes in disposable plastic containers. Large restaurant chains and hotels have largely adapted by switching to plastic alternatives – such as bamboo disposable cutlery – but many local eateries continue to use up their existing stock of plastic items. On other fronts, public- and private-sector innovators are finding clever solutions to the microplastics problem – in mopping it up and in offering alternatives. Here are some examples: In the US state of Texas, researchers found a way to remove up to 93 per cent of microplastics from water with polysaccharides made from okra and fenugreek. The substances in the slimy strings from okra and the gel from fenugreek seeds trapped microplastics better than a commonly used synthetic polymer, they found. This provided a better, non-toxic way of treating water. Scientists at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology created a transparent cellulose cardboard that can be used as a hot beverage container and can biodegrade. The challenge is that the material costs about 1,000 times as much to produce as current plastics. Indian entrepreneur Kruvil Patel came up with the idea of edible spoons as an alternative to plastic ones – flavoured with spinach, chocolate, mint and masala. He founded the brand Trishula in 2019 to make this idea a reality. Now available in the US, Australia and Germany, Trishula also sells edible barbecue skewers, ice-cream spoons, sporks and straws. It drew US$500,000 in funding from the US business reality TV show Shark Tank in 2021. It has since partnered with Domino’s Pizza to create edible pizza savers, and with Nestlé to create a two-piece edible fork for Maggi cup noodles, made just from wheat flour and salt. New York-based “farm to closet” clothing brand EDN makes zero microplastic underwear and T-shirts from organic cotton and natural rubber elastic. Founded in 2025, it aims to combat endocrine disrupters inherent in the chemicals used in our clothing. Scores of other brands across the globe have similar plastic-free lines, including No Nasties, in India, and both Industry of All Nations and Olderbrother in the US. California-based water brand Loonen is known for its microplastic-free spring still or sparkling water in glass bottles. Clara Sieg co-founded the company after she started worrying about microplastics in water when she was pregnant with her daughter. Loonen’s water comes from a pristine spring source and is transported in sealed stainless steel tankers, flows through stainless steel lines, and is purified with a non-chemical, physical membrane, never touching plastic. Responsibility for cutting plastic use ultimately lies with the individual, and self-education is the best form of defence, says Keilem Ng, an environmentalist and anti-plastic advocate based in Hong Kong. “We need to help people find solutions that work for them, without [the solutions] seeming like a big sacrifice,” she says. Ng’s 8 simple ways to reduce microplastic ingestion Clothing - Wash less. Most apparel has synthetic content and each wash causes microplastic fibres to shed. If an item is not dirty, wear it again before washing. - Choose clothing made of cotton, bamboo, wool or linen over synthetic fibres such as polyester or nylon. Food and beverages - Using a water filter at home can reduce the consumption of microplastics. - Reduce kitchen items made of plastic and instead choose ones made of metal, glass and other non-plastics over non-stick pans, plastic spatulas and storage boxes. - Dine at restaurants that use non-plastic tableware and cutlery. Buy supermarket food that is less heavily pre-packaged, and reduce consumption of takeaway food that comes in single-use plastic containers. Home - Replacing sheets, blankets and pillows made of synthetic materials with ones made from natural materials will decrease inhalation of shedded microplastics in the bedroom. - Vacuum often and use a home air purifier to reduce microplastics in the home, including airborne ones. Out and About - Always carry your own reusable bottle when you are out and avoid buying plastic bottled drinks. Many places in Hong Kong now have free water fountains for convenient water refill, including MTR stations. Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.

Microplastic dangers and the innovators finding solutions, plus 8 ways to protect yourself

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Microplastics have been linked to human health issues from low fertility to heart attacks. But some pioneers are fighting back

Microplastics have been linked to human health issues from low fertility to heart attacks. But some pioneers are fighting back