Action item at the end:
“Avoid plastics as much as you can. Reducing your use of ultraprocessed foods can reduce the levels of the chemical exposures you come in contact with,” Trasande said. “Never put plastic containers in the microwave or dishwasher, where the heat can break down the linings so they might be absorbed more readily.”
Here are other tips to reduce exposure:
· Use unscented lotions and laundry detergents.
· Use cleaning supplies without scents.
· Use glass, stainless steel, ceramic or wood to hold and store foods.
· Buy fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables instead of canned and processed versions.
· Encourage frequent handwashing to remove chemicals from hands.
· Avoid air fresheners and all plastics labeled as No. 3, No. 6 and No. 7.
I wish there was an alternative to technical fabrics, since they are all synthetic and basically all like wearing plastic. There’s simply no avoiding them, and no, merino wool, cotton, bamboo, hemp, and any other natural fabric is absolutely not the same as technical fabric. 😮💨
FWIW, minimizing synthetic fabrics is great in the big picture since it’s a major source of particles that can wind up in the water and food supply, but wearing them has minimal-to-zero impact on personal health.
I’d like to see more investigation /reading on laundry. My understanding is the biggest source of pollution is the manufacture, which can and should be more regulated.
However under your control, it’s the laundry that causes the most shedding. Is there a way to filter the laundry or something to minimize the impact of technical fabrics?
I hand wash my technical fabric, then air dry. If that matters, then I’ll keep doing that 😀
Maybe. Sounds like a good compromise
I’ve been avoiding them for 5 years now. It would be more accurate to say “It’s not easy to avoid them”. I don’t shop at “normal” clothing stores at all anymore.
It’s expensive to not wear them.
True, I can’t really afford the alternatives either. Which lead to me being active in the local clothes-sharing community, and I got a sweet deal with the local tailor: I manage her website and she changes/fixes my clothes for free, and lets me look through the clothes that never got picked back up from her shop regularly.
If you’re an athlete, there’s absolutely no way you’re avoiding synthetic fabric. Jerseys are all made from synthetic fabric, for example.
There’s always moderation. My focus so far is for my t-shirts to be cotton. Even that has been a challenge but it was something I could do
If you’re competing, yes obviously.
I run and cycle in cotton, linnen or wool, but I don’t compete anywhere.
I can’t do cotton on the bike, unless it’s for very short trips. Chafing, sweat retention, heat/cold, UV protection, etc. would become very problematic. 😟