416: Microplastics - a very small big problem

Microplastics; tiny pieces of plastic usually less than 5mm in length, are a growing concern in the food industry. They come from a variety of sources, and the more research that is done, the more it seems they are making their way into every corner of the globe. Microplastics have been found in our oceans, our farmland, and our woodlands. They are not only polluting the environment, they are also finding their way into our food. One study estimates that the average person consumes roughly five grams of plastic per week, that is about the weight of a credit card. So, in this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we ask: How worried should we be, for the planet’s health and our own? And how on earth do we go about eradicating something so tiny, yet so omnipresent? Guests Jeanette Rotchell, Professor of Aquatic Toxicology, University of Hull James Lofty, PhD Research Student, Cardiff University School of Engineering