Plastic In Our Environment And In Our Home

Plastics in the environment and within our own bodies is an area of increasing concern. Plastics entering our bodies take two primary forms: micro plastics, that is to say actual chunks of plastic measuring less than 5 mm, though most are much, much smaller that are eaten, and second, chemicals that leach out of plastic and into our food. Micro-plastics come from many places as larger chunks of plastics are broken down, but one common household source is plastic cutting boards, and glues and resins from various composite and glued wooden cutting boards. As a plastic cutting board is used, microscopic bits of plastic are cut by the knife, flake off, and enter our food. Much of the plastic passes through the body, some of it however is trapped and enters the bloodstream. Recent studies have shown that it embeds in various body tissues, including (alarmingly) the brain.

Plastics used in cooking have been shown to leach chemicals into food. These chemicals are then eaten and often absorbed by the body. Plastic derived chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health problems including problems in hormone regulation, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, birth defects, premature birth, neurodevelopmental disorders, and infertility.

A couple of arguments that you will often hear in favor of plastic cutting boards is that they are nonporous so they will not absorb bacteria, and they can be safely put into the dishwasher. Pristine, brand new plastic is non-porous, however after a little use, sharp kitchen knives cut and scrape groves into the cutting surface. As plastic cannot transport water like natural wood, bacteria can get trapped in these microscopic cavities, and is very difficult to remove.

In theory, plastic cutting boards can be put in the dishwasher, though one recent study found that the bacteria on a plastic cutting board in the dishwasher was simple spread around to all of the other dishes by the spraying water.

If you are interested in reading more, here is a LINK to some supporting research.