Hai Le's Blog

When you picture the Arctic, you probably imagine one of the most remote environments on Earth with endless white snow and floating sea ice. So it might come as a surprise to learn that scientists have found microplastics in snow, sea ice, seawater, and even on remote Arctic beaches. Fun Fact: Researchers analyzed ice cores from five different regions of the Arctic and found that some contained surprisingly high concentrations of microscopic plastic particles. (Up to 12,000 microplastic particles in a single liter of melted Arctic sea ice!) But how does plastic from cities, roads, rivers, fishing activities, and everyday consumer products end up thousands of miles away in one of the planet's most remote regions? And perhaps even more surprisingly, how does plastic become trapped inside sea ice? In this blog post, we'll trace the journey of plastic from the moment it enters the environment to the point where it becomes frozen within Arctic sea ice. Along the way, we'll e...

We hear a lot about microplastics in bottled water, food packaging, synthetic clothing, household dust, and other everyday products. But once these tiny plastic particles enter our body (swallowed or inhaled), what happens next? Have you ever wondered if they stay inside your body? Does your body naturally get rid of them? And is there anything you can actually do to remove them? Fun Fact: Not all microplastics that enter your body necessarily stay there. Most of the larger particles you swallow appear to pass through your digestive system and leave your body in your stool. Smaller particles, especially nanoplastics, may be more likely to cross biological barriers and enter tissues. So, can you completely remove all microplastics from your body? In this blog post, we'll explore what happens to microplastics after they enter your body, how your body naturally eliminates them, whether detoxes actually work, and the practical steps you can take to reduce your ongoing exposure. ...

Your everyday household items can slowly shed tiny plastic particles into the air, dust, food, and water without you even noticing. From synthetic clothing and kitchen tools to cutting boards and toothbrushes, small amounts of plastic can simply be released through normal everyday use. Fun Fact: Research has found that indoor air can contain significantly higher concentrations of airborne microplastics than outdoor air, with one study reporting levels around 1.8 times higher indoors . That may sound concerning, but the good news is that you don't need to throw away everything you own or live a completely plastic-free lifestyle. Understanding where microplastics come from can help you make simple changes that may reduce your everyday exposure. In this blog post, we'll explore where microplastics are hiding in your home, which everyday items contribute the most, and simple steps you can take to reduce your exposure without making dramatic changes to your lifestyle.

Have you ever wondered how microplastics end up inside the human body? Most people associate plastic pollution with overflowing landfills or floating trash in the ocean. But many don't realize that plastic pollution has become so widespread that tiny plastic particles are now found almost everywhere around us, including in the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe. Fun Fact: According to the World Wildlife Fund , the average person may ingest approximately 5 grams of plastic every week through food, water, and air (roughly the weight of a credit card). While the exact amount is still debated, scientists agree that people are regularly exposed to microplastics from many different sources. Although it's nearly impossible to avoid microplastics completely in modern society, understanding where they come from can help you make informed choices that may reduce your everyday exposure. In this blog post, we'll explore the most common ways microplastics ...

When we think about plastic pollution, we usually picture plastic bags, bottles, or straws floating in the ocean. But there’s a much bigger source of microplastic pollution that almost no one talks about (even though it’s right under our feet). Your car! Every time you drive, your tires slowly wear down and release millions of tiny plastic particles into the environment. These particles are so small that you can’t see them, but they add up fast when you multiply by the millions of cars driving. Fun Fact: Tire wear is a huge source of microplastics. Researchers estimated that tires emit an average of 0.81 kg of particles per person annually, this equates to 3.5 million tonnes of tire particles emitted into the environment every year. And unlike plastic bottles, this pollution is happening quietly, every time a vehicle's tires slowly grind against the road. So in this blog post, we’ll break down how your car releases synthetic rubber particles into the air, soil, and water. You...