Last year, I read A Poison Like No Other: How Microplastics Corrupted Our Planet and Our Bodies by Matt Simon. While I knew we were consuming more and more microplastics and that they had some serious effects, I hadn’t really understood the scope of the problem until reading this book. It was both an engaging and horrifying read, highlighting how our plastic crisis might affect the health of younger generations. Since reading that book, I’ve been slowly making more of an effort to reduce the plastic in our lives. Here’s how to avoid microplastics on your homestead.

1. Don’t Store, Prepare, or Heat Food in Plastic

One of the best places to start reducing plastic in your life is in the kitchen. Not surprisingly, food stored in plastic containers contains more microplastics than food stored in glass or metal. This includes your plastic Tupperware at home, plastic packaging from the store, and even canned foods, which are plastic-lined metal containers.

Scientists have also found that the higher the temperature, the more plastics (and other chemicals) are released. Microwaving food in plastic containers, even “good quality” ones, can increase your microplastic consumption. The same goes for heating food in non-stick cookware, especially if its coating is scratched or damaged.

Today, we try to purchase food without plastic whenever possible (though that’s tough in our rural area), grow as much of our own food as we can, and store our food in an eclectic collection of glass and metal containers. We each have a metal water bottle, and we prepare our food with a mix of wooden, cast iron, and stainless steel cookware and utensils.

Other big offenders for microplastics in food include plastic wrap and other plastic kitchenware like straws, cups, water bottles, cutting boards, spatulas, and spoons. Amazing cooks and chefs around the world managed with no plastic in the kitchen for generations, and we can too.

2. Eat Whole Foods to Avoid Microplastics in Food

Thankfully, most homesteaders strive to eat whole foods, but now there’s an even greater reason to. Scientists have found that the more processed your food is, the higher the levels of microplastics are likely to be present. Microplastics are introduced into food at every step of the processing chain. Opting for whole foods instead of ultra-processed foods can reduce your microplastic consumption. While it can be tough on the budget, organic food also tends to be lower in plastic. Pesticides often contain microplastics and contaminate produce on conventional farms.

I’ll admit, I’m not perfect and still occasionally grab ultra-processed snacks (hello, potato chips), but mostly I try to stick to whole foods. It’s better for your budget, your health, and the planet.

3. Change How You Brew Tea and Coffee

Microplastics in tea bags and coffee filters are another sneaky way that plastic is seeping into your home and life. Several recent studies have found that tea bags release billions of microplastic particles into your tea. My husband and I drink a lot of tea, particularly in the winter, and to us, the convenience isn’t worth the risk.

Instead, we’ve switched to loose-leaf tea. We grow some of our own herbal tea, like mint and chamomile. We also purchase some as part of our bulk food order from a small store in Ohio. Whatever we can’t find there, we order from Mountain Rose Herbs. Their tea comes in nice metal containers.

We use metal tea strainers to make our tea. I have one of the globe-shaped ones on a chain from a local shop, and my husband uses one from Mountain Rose Herbs that sits on the mug’s rim.

Similarly, many disposable and reusable coffee filters contain plastic, even the ones that look like they’re made from paper. To avoid these, opt for a stainless steel coffee filter or percolator or French press with metal components. We love our percolator we picked up at a local second-hand store. It’s wonderful for making coffee on the wood stove on chilly winter mornings.

4. Use a Water Filter

Devastatingly, scientists are now finding microplastics in rainwater and groundwater. Thankfully, a new study has found that using a filter can make an enormous difference, removing up to 90% of microplastics, even if that filter is just a budget-friendly pitcher type.

We’ve been using a filter for years for our rainwater, so this isn’t new for us. A filter is definitely worth it, especially if you can find one made of stainless steel like ours.

5. Seek Out Plastic-Free Cosmetics and Toiletries

When thinking about how to avoid microplastics, we often focus on the kitchen, but plastic has taken over our bathrooms too. Today, many of our cosmetics, soaps, and other toiletries are packaged in plastic or contain microplastics. As these are the products we place on our skin, it’s especially important to find plastic-free alternatives.

My husband makes most of our soap at home, and there are some great zero-waste recipes for things like toothpaste and makeup. Even if you don’t have the time or energy for the DIY route, there are now several companies selling plastic-free alternatives in metal or paper packaging. Female homesteaders may also want to look into alternatives to pads and tampons, both of which are made of plastic, like cloth pads, period underwear, or menstrual cups.

6. Choose Toys Made from Natural Materials for Young Children

One of the saddest parts of reading A Poison Like No Other was realizing that we really don’t understand how this plastic exposure will affect younger generations. We’re seeing the negative impacts of microplastic exposure in older adults, and those adults likely had a childhood that was much lower in plastic exposure than today’s kids. In 1950, the world produced two million tonnes of plastic each year. We now produce over 450 million tonnes annually.

This youngest generation will experience a life that’s filled with plastic from infancy, and we don’t fully understand what that will mean. Opting for toys made from natural materials is one way to reduce plastic in your kids’ lives. It’s especially critical for children under the age of three who put toys in their mouths.

7. Avoid Plastic in the Garden

Microplastics in agriculture have become increasingly common, and it’s no wonder. Industrial agriculture uses so much plastic that there’s now a word for it: “plasticulture.” Black plastic mulch warms the soil and keeps it free from weeds, plastic flats hold tender seedlings, clear plastic warms hoop houses, and plastic drip tape gets rolled out each spring and thrown away each fall. While it’s tough to change our industrial food system, we can change what we do on our homesteads.

To avoid plastic, use biodegradable mulches like straw, old leaves, or wood chips. Instead of seed trays, use paper pots, soil blocks, or compostable pots. While hoop houses are tough to replace, glass cold frames and greenhouses are excellent small-scale DIY projects. Using soaker hoses or purchasing and reusing thick drip tape can eliminate some plastic waste. You can also opt for tools like hoes and watering cans that have all-metal and wooden components.

8. Opt for Natural Flooring to Reduce Microplastics in Your Home

The air in our homes is now full of microplastics, and a large part of that may come from our flooring. The worst offenders? It’s not carpet. It’s the hard synthetic flooring, like the wood alternatives available at most home supply stores.

Sadly, it’s children who are most affected by microplastics in the air in homes. Microplastics and dust are heavy, so they stay closer to the floor, at a perfect level for young children to breathe in.

Running out to replace your floors isn’t possible for most folks, but if you’re building a new homestead or renovating an old property, selecting natural flooring will help reduce microplastics in your home. Real wood and tile are great options. In some homes, these types of flooring can feel cold, but you can pair them with area rugs. Again, when buying rugs, look for those made from natural materials like wool and sisal.

If you’re building a homestead from scratch, you can also take this a step further and opt for natural materials like wood or cob for the entire build.

9. Up Your Cleaning Routine

Most homesteaders I know would rather spend more time in the garden or barn and less time indoors cleaning, but recent evidence suggests it can make a big difference in your health. Microplastics often get caught up in dust on our home’s surfaces and float through the air in our homes. Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter, which catches tiny particles, and dusting often with a damp cloth can reduce the microplastics you’re breathing in at your home.

How you clean also matters when you’re trying to reduce microplastics in your home. Commercial cleaners often container microplastics and come in plastic packaging. Homemade cleaning options, like those made from baking soda and vinegar, are great alternatives.

Plastic sponges are another major source of microplastics. A recent study found that they release up to 6.5 million pieces of microplastic per gram. This number gets even worse when, like most people, you add soap and hot water to the mix!

Cotton washcloths are a cheap, easy alternative. They last a long time, and whenever they get too dirty, you can toss them in the washing machine. For strong scrubbing power, steel wool is a great plastic-free option.

10. Stop Buying New Plastic Clothing When Possible

Switching to an entirely natural wardrobe isn’t always affordable or even practical. I certainly can’t afford to replace every piece in my closet with new linen, wool, or cotton garments, nor would I really want to. My sports bra, which contains both polyester and spandex, makes running more comfortable, and those quick-dry shorts I have are a lifesaver on multi-day kayaking trips. Plus, throwing away these items to buy new ones just contributes to more waste in landfills, more pollution from the garment industry, and likely more human suffering.

Instead, I try to keep these garments as long as possible, using them until they’re truly worn out. When I need new clothes, I try to opt for used and natural fibers where I can.

One of the most interesting things I learned from A Poison Like No Other is that newer synthetic garments shed far more plastic than older ones. I would have thought the opposite was true — that they may shed more as they break down  — but science shows otherwise. So keep wearing that Patagonia fleece until you can’t anymore before you run out and buy a new one.

Sadly, there is no way to avoid all microplastics, but you can reduce them on your homestead. Making changes can be challenging, but slowly adding these swaps to your homesteading lifestyle over the next year can make an enormous difference.

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