A 2025 pooled cohort study involving 5,306 children from Australia, the U.S., and Canada, published in Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, found that exposure to plastic-derived chemicals before age 5—such as phthalates and BPA—was linked to significantly higher rates of asthma and wheezing in childhood.

A 2025 French study from ANSES found that glass-bottled beverages—like soda, lemonade, iced tea, and beer—contain around 100 microplastic particles per liter, which is 5 to 50 times more than plastic or metal bottles.

A 2025 UCLA pilot study led by Sanjay Mohanty found that a single piece of chewing gum can release between 100 to over 600 microplastic particles per gram, which means a large stick may shed up to 3,000 fragments into your saliva during chewing.

A 2025 clinical study found that over half of carotid artery plaques removed during surgery contained microplastics—and their presence was linked to a fourfold increase in the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or death.