Whittier Residents Face Invisible Threat: Why You Should Care About Microplastics in Your Food and Water

In recent weeks, headlines — including our own — have reignited public concern over an unsettling and increasingly urgent health issue: microplastics. These tiny, often invisible particles are showing up everywhere — in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. Now, startling new evidence suggests they are also accumulating in our brains.

Recent scientific reports have revealed that the average human brain may now contain as much as a spoonful of microplastics, a finding that has shocked even seasoned researchers. Early data links this plastic accumulation to neurological disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of cognitive decline. The implications for long-term brain health — particularly among aging populations — are profound and deeply concerning.

What Are Microplastics and Why Should Whittier Care?

Microplastics are defined as plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in length. Nanoplastics, even smaller at under one micrometer, are capable of passing through cell walls, entering the bloodstream, and lodging in vital organs — including the brain.

Marine biologist Dr. Richard Thompson, who coined the term "microplastics" in 2004, warns: “The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat — it’s in it. We’re exposed.”

In Whittier, we’re not insulated from this global crisis. Urban runoff, vehicle traffic, plastic packaging, and even clothing fibers contribute to microplastic pollution in our environment. The San Gabriel River, which runs through our region, is fed by storm drains and treated wastewater — both of which carry microscopic plastic particles from our homes and streets into local ecosystems.

How They Enter Our Bodies

Microplastics come from the degradation of larger plastic items — water bottles, food wrappers, car tires, construction materials, and even synthetic clothes. Once broken down, these particles enter:

• Air (via fibers from furniture and clothing)

• Soil (through plastic-laced fertilizers and irrigation runoff)

• Water (from both bottled water and municipal sources)

• Food (especially highly processed items and seafood)

Shockingly, recent studies indicate that microplastics are even taken up by crops, integrating into plant tissues and eventually into the human diet. And researchers now say a significant portion of the microplastics we ingest can cross the blood-brain barrier, accumulating in the brain and potentially triggering immune responses, inflammation, or disruption of neurological function.

Health Effects and Long-Term Risks

Animal studies already suggest that microplastics can impair reproduction, damage the lungs and gut, and disrupt hormone function. But the new revelations about brain plastic load add an alarming layer of concern.

Preliminary human studies suggest:

• Links to neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

• Increased inflammation in brain tissue

• Heightened risk of dementia and cognitive decline

• Disruption to neurotransmitter pathways that regulate mood and memory

This is not fringe science — these findings are being published by respected academic institutions and peer-reviewed journals. And while research is ongoing, the consensus is building: microplastics are not just an environmental hazard — they are a public health emergency.

The Hidden Danger of Microplastic Disposal

Even if we manage to remove microplastics from our water, food, or environment, destroying them is another problem entirely.

Currently, the only known way to break down micro- and nanoplastics is through extreme heat, often exceeding 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. But this process comes with a grave risk: it releases highly toxic substances — including dioxins and volatile organic compounds — into the atmosphere. These pollutants can contaminate the air, damage ecosystems, and even suffocate life if released on a large scale or in densely populated areas.

This means we are effectively trapped — with no safe, scalable method for eliminating the plastic pollution already circulating through our bodies and environment.

That’s why scientists and environmental engineers are urgently calling for investment in next-generation recycling and remediation technologies. The goal is to develop:

• Molecular-level recycling techniques that can break down plastics into their original, non-toxic elements, such as carbon and hydrogen

• Industrial-scale scrubbers that can capture and neutralize toxic gases released during microplastic destruction

• Green chemistry innovations that allow plastic-like materials to degrade safely and completely without leaving behind harmful residue

Without this, future generations — including residents here in Whittier — will inherit a world saturated in plastics that cannot be safely disposed of or removed.

What Can Whittier Residents Do?

While the scope of the problem is global, there are steps you can take at home to reduce your personal exposure and help push for broader solutions:

1. Avoid Bottled Water

• Use glass or stainless steel bottles instead.

• Bottled water has been found to contain up to hundreds of thousands of plastic particles per liter, especially when left in heat or sunlight.

2. Rethink Food Prep and Storage

• Don’t microwave food in plastic containers.

• Store leftovers in glass, ceramic, or steel.

• Avoid plastic cutting boards, which shed particles during use.

3. Eat Less Processed Food

• Highly processed and packaged foods are often high in microplastic content.

• Choose fresh, unpackaged produce and whole foods when possible.

4. Improve Indoor Air Quality

• Use HEPA filters in your vacuum and air purifiers.

• Wipe surfaces with damp cloths to prevent airborne particles from recirculating.

5. Choose Natural Fibers

• Wear and wash clothes made from cotton, linen, wool, or hemp.

• Synthetic fabrics (like polyester and acrylic) release microfibers with every wash.

6. Advocate for Policy Change

• Urge local leaders and state lawmakers to phase out single-use plastics.

• Support bans on Styrofoam and PFAS-coated packaging in Whittier and across California.

• Back stronger water treatment regulations that include microplastic filtration.

The Path Forward

The sheer scale of plastic pollution makes it impossible for individual actions alone to solve the problem. Dr. Christy Tyler of Rochester Institute of Technology emphasizes, “It shouldn’t all be on the consumer to have to make those choices.”

Indeed, systemic change is needed: from how industries manufacture packaging to how governments regulate plastic use and disposal. Several U.S. states are already phasing out harmful plastic products, and a United Nations treaty to end plastic pollution is in the works — but progress remains slow.

In the meantime, Whittier residents can and should act now to reduce risk, protect family health, and demand cleaner practices in our community and beyond.