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Being Plastic
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Plastic is everywhere now — even in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat — with tiny plastic particles finding their way into our bodies. This paper points out that buildings and construction are a huge source of this problem, since 14% of all plastic made each year goes into building materials, and calls on designers to use natural materials instead of synthetic plastics to help protect our health and the environment.
We live in the Plasticene—amidst plastic air, water, and soil. Microplastics are found on the highest mountain and in the deepest ocean trench. Micro and nano plastics enter our bodies through inhalation and absorption. Many building components are made of synthetic plastic and the construction industry is responsible for 14% of yearly plastic output. Designers can help to change this tragic trajectory by creatively exploring natural polymers and valuing abundant life over the slow asphyxiation of all living things by synthetic plastics.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics in construction and built environment
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Researchers review how the widespread use of plastics in construction — in paints, cement, textiles, and road materials — releases microplastics into the environment through wear and weathering, with entry points into the human body through air, water, and skin contact. The authors propose solutions including high-strength concrete formulations and biodegradable alternatives to reduce microplastic release from buildings and infrastructure.
Plastics and the environment: challenges, impacts, and pathways to sustainability.
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This review pulls together existing research on how plastics are made, used, and thrown away, showing just how hard they are to get rid of once they enter the environment — often breaking down into tiny microplastic particles that can end up in our water, food, and even our bodies. The good news: the authors point to real solutions already in motion, like better recycling technology (including AI-powered sorting), smarter policies, and new biodegradable materials, all aimed at cutting down our plastic footprint. The takeaway for you: reducing plastic waste isn't just about the planet — it's increasingly tied to limiting your own exposure to plastic particles in everyday life
The Invisible Threat: Microplastics Invade Our World and Bodies
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Tiny plastic particles called microplastics are showing up everywhere, in our food, water, and even inside our bodies, because plastic waste keeps breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces. This paper pulls together existing research to show just how widespread the contamination has become, though scientists are still working to understand exactly what health effects these particles cause once inside us. The takeaway: plastic pollution isn't just an environmental issue anymore, it's becoming a personal health question too, one researchers are racing to answer.
From plastic use in the construction and built environment to state-of-the-art circular economy solutions to combat microplastic pollution
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Researchers reviewed how plastics used throughout the construction industry — in paints, pipes, insulation, flooring, and adhesives — degrade over time and release microplastics into the environment, with building paints alone contributing up to 863,000 tonnes per year in the EU. Despite construction accounting for nearly a quarter of plastic use in Europe, less than 0.6% of microplastic research focuses on this sector, leaving a major pollution source largely unexamined.
We are plastic
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This study analyzed microplastic pollution sources, distribution pathways through air, water, and soil, and documented accumulation in human organs, placenta, breast milk, and blood. The authors concluded that human exposure is now effectively universal and called for regulatory action to reduce plastic production and improve waste management.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.