As stated before, plastic waste is a serious issue that many countries around the world try to fight in order to stop it from reaching the environment, but plastic entering our bodies could be a whole other problem that could in turn lead to medical issues.

According to Euronews, the study done by experts at the Medical University of Vienna shows that humans ingest five grams of micro and nanoplastics every week, and previous studies on the matter already found that plastic particles exist in human blood and organs.

Other studies found that microplastic are harmful to unborn babies.

Since the early 1950s, more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been made and 79% of it reached landfills or worse, the environment.

The dumped plastic breaks down with time into micro and nanoparticles that enters the soil and water.

Microplastics, which are between 0.001 and 5 millimeters in size and nanoplastics, which are less than 0.001 millimeters, reach our tables through seafood and even fruits and vegetables.

Water bottles are one of the easiest ways plastic reaches our bodies, and people who drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water every day take in about 90.000 plastic particles over the course of a year.

The study says, however, that "those who choose tap water can, depending on their geographical location, reduce the amount ingested to 40.000 particles."

These particles can also be found in microbeads, which are being used in many health and beauty products.

A research done by the NGO Plastic Soup Foundation shows that 9 out of 10 cosmetics from brands such as L’Oréal Paris, Garnier and Nivea contain microplastic particles.

The effects of ingested plastic to the human body are still largely unknown, as scientists still study the matter, but the study from the Medical University of Vienna states that micro and nanoplastics that enter our digestive system lead to changes in the composition of the gut microbiome.

The changes are related to metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and chronic liver disease.

“The particles can trigger local inflammation and immune response, and nanoplastics in particular have been found to trigger chemical pathways involved in the formation of cancer,” the study added.

There are things you can do to prevent micro and nanoplastics reaching your body, for the most part at least, through microwaving food in china instead of plastic dishes and ventilating your house as often as you possibly can.

Obviously, try to avoid plastic packaging when you buy or order food, if possible and drink filtered tap water if you can, since it dramatically reduces the amount of plastic particles compared to bottled water.