It isn’t easy to imagine life without plastic furniture, bags, containers, toys and industrial equipment. All of it makes life easier. Plastic is also extensively used for packaging and coverings. Even school books are covered in brown paper and then plastic.

Remember, though, that plastics are not naturally occurring compounds. They are artificially manufactured polymers. Once plastic was invented, everyone’s life changed.

Plastic is mouldable, but it is hardy and indestructible. This means it stays in our environment without being degraded. If you discard cloth or paper, it goes back into the soil. They are biodegradable. Plastic is not. This means that plastic waste piles up everywhere. If plastic is burnt in an attempt to destroy it, it releases toxic fumes.

From a young age, we ingest plastic. It is either breathed in or eaten. Not that anyone makes a meal of plastic — small amounts (nanoparticles) are everywhere. This includes even the milk we drink, which is packaged in plastic.

Plastics tend to turn into toxic products when they are heated. This includes pouring hot liquids into plastic containers or bottles. If the container is damaged, it’s even more likely to leech dangerous chemicals.

Children are exposed to plastics from a young age. They have plastic milk bottles that are sterilised in boiling water. They play with plastic toys. Once they start going to school, they have plastic lunch boxes and water bottles.

Children ingest plastic from scratched and damaged plastic containers, especially if boiling milk, water or other hot liquids are poured into them. Small particles of plastic are ingested, reach the stomach and are eventually absorbed into the blood. The blood then carries these plastic particles to all corners of the body.

These nanoparticles of plastic have profound effects on growing children and adolescents. As the exposure continues over many years, the indestructible particles remain in the body; their concentration increases over time and causes profound health effects.

The brain reacts and responds to the environment with the release of neurotransmitter chemicals. The nanoparticles of plastic block the formation and release of these chemicals. The developing brains of children and adolescents are particularly affected. Cognition and thinking are impaired. Recall and academic performance may be negatively impacted. Eventually, there is a higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurological degenerative diseases.

Plastics can mimic the action of hormones. They can cause thyroid malfunction and interfere with sex hormones. Puberty may be early or delayed. In both men and women, there may be fertility problems.

Continuous exposure to plastics alters the immune system. We become more prone to allergies, fall sick often and take longer to recover. The plastic particles enter the immune cells responsible for fighting viruses and bacteria. The cells cannot get rid of them. They remain there and alter the functioning of cells.

We need to make a concentrated effort to reduce exposure to plastic from a young age.

Here are some ways to reduce plastic exposure:

n If you must use a baby bottle for milk or water, try to buy one made of glass. If you have to use a plastic bottle, do not heat it to high temperatures. If the bottle is scratched or damaged, dispose of it immediately.

n Try to use stainless steel plates and tumblers for children. These can be easily sterilised and are not damaged by boiling.

n Pack your child’s tiffin in a steel box and give him or her a steel water bottle. Engrave the child’s name on it to prevent theft.

n When you reheat food in a microwave oven, do not use plastic containers. Use glass or ceramic vessels instead.

n Do not buy soft drinks in plastic bottles. Most are acidic and will cause some degradation of the plastic container.

n If a plastic container is labelled single-use, do not reuse it.

The writer has a family practice at Vellore and is the author of Staying Healthy in Modern India. If you have any questions on health issues please write to yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in