For years, microplastics were discussed mainly as an environmental problem: tiny fragments of plastic accumulating in oceans, rivers, soil, marine life, and the food chain. But the conversation has now moved much closer to home. As highlighted in Organic Spa Magazine’s Spring 2026 article, “The Macro Problem of Microplastics,” emerging research has detected microplastics in human blood, lungs, placenta, breast milk, semen, brain tissue, and…
2026 Microplastics Watch Initiative Trends Initiative Co-Chair: Professor Gerry Bodeker, Member at Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, UK and Malaysia Initiative Vice-Chair: Trent Munday, Senior Vice President, Mandara Spa, Thailand Once seen primarily as an environmental concern, the plastic crisis has now crossed a new frontier—into our food, water, air and even our bodies. Microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm (5000…
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Targets Microplastics For decades, the conversation around clean drinking water focused on visible threats: lead pipes, industrial runoff, and bacteria. But as our understanding of environmental health evolves, the threats have become microscopic. In a landmark move, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Dept of Health (HHS) recently announced joint plans to designate microplastics and pharmaceuticals as “contaminants…
Understanding the Microplastics Crisis Framing a Wellness Response
