GULMARG, KASHMIR, INDIA - MAY 15: Stray dogs search food from the tonnes of litter dumped in the Meadow of flowers on May 15, 2023 in Gulmarg, west of Srinagar, Indian administered Kashmir, India. Gulmarg, also known as the "Meadow of Flowers," is home to the world's highest golf course and a gondola lift that reaches elevations exceeding 4,000 meters. Ski enthusiasts flock to this mountainous region during the winter months to take advantage of the powdery snow. In the summer, however, the resort is flooded with tourists in search of clean, refreshing air due to India's soaring temperatures. Many of these visitors leave behind a significant amount of waste, causing severe ecological threats and endangering villagers who rely on the glacial waters. The accumulation of trash poses a grave danger to the delicate alpine ecology, as well as to the communities that depend on the glacier-fed streams for their water supply. There are no restrictions on bringing food and water up the mountain, despite signs along the road reminding people that plastic is prohibited. Environmental activists caution that all the waste generated in Gulmarg and its surrounding areas is being indiscriminately discarded in the mountains. With more than 2.5 lakh visitors in the last two months alone, Gulmarg the famous ski-resort in Baramulla district continues to attract tourists ahead of the G20 summit. (Photo by Yawar Nazir/Getty Images)
According to a recent study, the increasing amount of micro and nonplastics in the environment is beginning to affect the human brain.
Microplastics can be found in the air, the ocean and even in foods. They can range from five millimeters to one nanometer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Researchers have been studying the existence of these particles in the human liver, kidneys and brain using autopsy samples collected in New Mexico from 2016 to 2024. They found that the brain contained higher concentrations of plastic than the liver or kidneys and that the amount of plastic in all of the organs increased significantly over time.
Scientists observed polyethylene as the most common type of plastic found in human organs. This plastic is used in the production of packaging, plastic bags, toys and storage containers.
Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of New Mexico Matthew Campen said that in the brain tissue of individuals ages 45 to 50, plastic particles were found at a concentration of 4,800 micrograms per gram, making up 0.5% of the tissue’s weight.
“Compared to autopsy brain samples from 2016, that’s about 50% higher,” he told CNN. “That would mean that our brains today are 99.5% brain and the rest is plastic.”
Researchers are still examining how much plastic people take in based on their diet and location. Despite the alarming developments, a 2022 World Health Organization report suggested that plastics pose no threat to human health.
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