Perth researchers have found the level of plastic chemicals detected within the human body can be reduced by up to 50 per cent in just seven days.

The research, conducted by Plastic Exposure Reduction Transforms Health, observed 211 participants. Sixty participants took part in a controlled environment.

Exposure to plastic chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenols (BPA and BPS) in personal care products, household appliances and food was reduced during the trial

Co-first author, senior research fellow and dietician at UWA medical school Dr Amelia Harray says many of the plastic chemicals detected in the study disrupt hormones within our system.

“Exposure to these chemicals has been associated with increased risk of infertility, of cardiometabolic disorders, of reproductive issues,” she says.

Co-first author, UWA Biologist Dr Andrew Lucas says the trial shows the potential benefit in lowering food exposure to plastic chemicals.

The study developed relationships with a range of local producers, asking them to alter their practices to remove plastics from food preparation, storage, and handling.

Dr Harray says farmers can play an important role in reducing plastic touchpoints in food production.

“When we were speaking to farmers and food producers about changing their behaviours, they were incredibly open because farmers live with the impacts of climate change,” Dr Harray says.

Dr Lucas says tight economic conditions for farmers can limit their ability to reduce plastic touchpoints in food production.

“Changing any of your practices might put you at a competitive disadvantage to other producers that don’t choose to make those changes.

“At the moment nobody is willing to bare the additional cost,” Dr Lucas says.

“If food standards change then everybody in the industry has to follow suit and it doesn’t give an competitive disadvantage to people that are changing out of health concerns.”

Dr Lucas says regulating the level of plastic chemicals consumers are exposed to is not always the answer.

“When a chemical is listed as being potentially harmful and the amount that’s allowed is reduced significantly, the industry responds by changing the formulations of their products,” he says.

“That’s not always a good thing because alternative chemicals that fulfil similar functions can often have similar bad properties.

“For example, there’s much less BPA being detected but much more of a substitute BPS,” Dr Lucas says.

“At the moment it’s not possible for anybody to get as clean a food as we supplied to our participants, but certainly we can all make healthier choices in the way we choose our foods.”

He says knowledge is the key to making better decisions.

“Our hope is that we can develop an intervention that does make a real difference in the health of people living their normal lives in this world.”

Dr Harray says it’s not about perfection, but taking positive steps.

“We are exposed to plastic all the time and no one can live a plastic free life,” he says.

“Every little step that you take will reduce your exposure.”