The average Malaysian consumes approximately 5 grams of plastic per week, equivalent to a credit card’s weight. These microplastics enter our bodies through food, water, and air, posing health risks.
Recent study found that rapidly industrializing countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam lead in global microplastic uptake, primarily due to high seafood consumption. Microplastics are commonly found in freshwater and marine environments, ingested by organisms and eventually consumed by humans. The report highlights two main sources of microplastics: (1) dietary accumulation in food and losses from plastic use in food production, and (2) airborne microplastics from plastic material abrasion (e.g., tires).
The study highlights the urgent need for awareness and action to reduce plastic usage and its impact on human health and the environment.
