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Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

news.unl.edu

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Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you had better get working on that cabin in the woods. ...where you use a wood stove and inhale far more proven carcinogens instead?

Surely the cabin has a chimney.

Chimneys are for snowflakes.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Every few years we find a new chemical like BPA is bad for us. The companies just made a meme called 'BPA free' and continue making slightly different crap. Goto 1. I still see microwave popcorn bags, teflon pans and plastic tea bags in shops. The local municipality still pretend that it's all being recycled. It needs to be phased out of food industry leaded fuel as phased out of gas.

There's still no replacement (must be at least as cheap), so it will keep going for quite a while. Maybe plant or mushroom fibers can eventually take over some of the market.

Aluminum, glass, paper, bamboo/light wood, cloth, silicone, steel, etc all pretty good alternatives and were widely used before plastic became widespread, what 60ish years ago?

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#103
post #4

> then heated them at full power for three minutes in a 1,000-watt microwave This seems like unrealistic use of a microwave. The liquids are likely boiling for well over a minute. Are people really boiling liquids in the containers they’re serving their infant children? I’m not especially plastic-phobic but I also don’t think a reasonable person would think it is a good idea to boil liquids in their children’s bottle…

https://blog.mambaby.co.uk/feeding/how-to-self-sterilise-the... Popular milk bottle brand instructing users how to sterilize their product with the microwave. Boiling milk bottles is a very common way of sterilization as well.

They probably don't advise serving the water that you used for sterilization to your child.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#104
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The sad thing about people like GP is they'll spread stuff like that for 40 years, and then become silent once they get cancer, COPD, or whatever that quite possibly was at least influenced by their lifestyle decisions. Sorta like those construction workers that are full of bravado at 25, and can barely get out of a chair at 50 because they wrecked their body with improper lifting technique.

I think if you work for 25 years in construction you are bound to wreck your body regardless of what you do. It's hard to not wreck your body in that span of time even if you only do yoga and meditate for that long.

I know many people with 30+ years in construction that are physically fine (I'm ~ 60 ATM).

A good technique and steady approach goes a long way and there are many jobs in construction that don't break the body - crane operator, bobcat | front end loader | etc. operator.

Push up slab building have been around for decades now, if you can avoid being squashed under a giant mass of concrete (not that common) you're not going to be putting your back out (unless you're running at jobs like a bull at a gate).

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#105

I'm one of the most skeptical people when it comes to these types of claims. I think the effects are being exaggerated. However, I've recently begun to replace all plastic containers and dishware from my kitchen with stainless steel and glass. Drinks taste better in glass anyways, and steel is a good non-fragile alternative. And I cook in cast iron. It's almost impossible to avoid plastic, and I'm not religious about…

On the exact same journey as well. Ceramic, glass and cast iron, but still avoiding non-stick coating. My partner has IBD, and various gastro issues. Probably not related, but doing what we can to avoid anything that can make things worse. Still end up nuking plastics though tbh, trying to form better buying + cooking habits, but takes time.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My basic mental model is that my body is constantly consuming chemicals that it doesn't use, be it particulates in the air or substances in the foods I eat or drink. My body is very good at incorporating the substances that it finds useful and ignoring (or killing) the ones that it doesn't, so I don't find myself worrying too much about any particular substance it might take up. To your point, I don't have any partic…

It’s the route into your bloodstream through the lungs that really worries me.

Yeah, I'm always wondering why are people so concerned about what they eat while they are breathing in particulate poisons that have direct access to their blood.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#107
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, there’s just something too suspicious about heated plastics. I feel the same way about those Teflon pans as well. I don’t have any evidence, I just… don’t trust ‘em.

I think intuition is underrated too.

When it comes to small risks adding up, intuition is massively massively overrated. People are awful at estimating it.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it were extremely or noticeably bad for you in the short term, it would be obvious and we would know about it. Generally I assume that I consume microscopic inedible dirt/mineral/etc particles all the time without know it and they most likely pass through my digestive system. I know of course that digestion is complex and that many of these likely are absorbed to varying degrees. I try to not cook with plastic gen…

Why only care about the short term?

Because life is short term. And it will end soon enough in one gruesome way or the other regardless. If you can keep yourself from falling apart too rapidly till then it's all good.

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#109
I never likes the microwave idea of heating the food actually, bombarding atomic particles on water particles? to give them more spin and make them crazy !

my gut feeling tells me this out of order state of particles must be causing some problem along with plastic. I never use microwave for more than 20 seconds even on ceramic plates, albeit never on plastic. I still can have cancer from other sources that i have not identified yet :)

Re: Study finds billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving containers

#110
It's really past time to stop putting more money in the overstuffed pockets of oil companies. Biocompatible plastic alternatives, should have long been an option. More people need to use glass containers, particularly for food or drinks, when viable. Constantly consuming microplastics, is clearly a health disaster.
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