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The impact of pollution: How plastics are affecting our health

Plastic bottles and other garbage are seen next to a beach at Fiumicino, Italy, near Rome. We breathe, eat and drink tiny particles of plastic. But are these minuscule specks in the body harmless, dangerous or somewhere in between? A small study published Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in the New England Journal of Medicine raises more questions than it answers about how these bits — microplastics and the smaller nanoplastics — might affect the heart.
Andrew Medichini
/
AP

Each year the world produces more than 400 million tons of plastic waste, which has made its way into our landscapes, oceans, air and even our bodies.

And while it’s easy to see the impact that this pollution is having on our environment, its impact on our health can be less obvious.

Dr. Phil Landrigan, a pediatrician and leading expert in environmental health, will be taking an in depth look at this issue as part of St. Luke's Climate and Health Series, and he joined Idaho Matters to talk more.

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Hi, my name is Hannah and I’m the assistant producer for the Idaho Matters show here at BSPR. If you have a suggestion for an Idaho Matters segment, please email idahomatters@boisestate.edu.

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