Buzz
New parents are no strangers to surprises in a baby’s diaper. But according to recent studies, it's not just the visible mess that could be worrying. Infant feces may actually be loaded with plastic.
A research team from the New York University School of Medicine published a study in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, where they examined baby feces from six 1-year-old infants. After filtering the samples, they discovered a median of 36,000 nanograms of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)—a common plastic—per gram of feces. This was about 10 times higher than the levels found in adult waste. The team estimates that a baby is exposed to an average of 83,000 nanograms of PET for every kilogram of body weight daily.
How does PET end up in poop? The plastic is everywhere, from carpet fibers to plastic formula bottles and toys, to bedding and clothing. Since babies are constantly exploring, crawling, and touching things, they are at a higher risk of exposure. Whether they are eating, drinking, crawling, or even sucking on a LEGO, they can inadvertently swallow or inhale small particles of plastic. Even newborns' first feces contained traces of it.
There are some limitations. The pilot study analyzed the poop of three newborns, six infants, and 10 adults, which is a small sample size that doesn’t allow for strong conclusions. However, given the widespread presence of PET in everyday life, it's safe to assume that babies are likely being exposed to a significant amount. (And it's not coming from diapers, which are made of polypropylene.)
Should this be a cause for concern? The scientific community hasn’t reached a clear answer yet. Microplastics contain over 10,000 chemicals, some of which are harmful, while others remain poorly understood. They may also carry heavy metals. It's possible that plastics could interfere with normal hormonal, neurological, or endocrine development, making their presence in baby waste alarming. Even though they leave the body in waste, there's a chance they could be absorbed.
A simple step to reduce a baby’s exposure is to avoid heating plastic formula bottles. Opt for glass bottles instead. You can also choose foods that aren't wrapped in plastic. However, completely eliminating exposure in the modern world will be a difficult task.
