A new study by the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Environmental Medicine provides a better idea of how prevalent microplastics are in humans. 

Conducted by the New York University's School of Medicine, the research shows microplastics appear in infants at significantly higher rates than adults.

What's causing that is unclear, but there are ways to eliminate plastics from your child's environment.

Amber Chaves began eliminating plastics when she had her first child. It’s a journey she’s been on for several years, leading her to open The Bundle Store.

“When you think of an infant with microplastics in their stool, that’s so much more than adults’ microplastic content in their stool, you’re like, 'how is this happening,'” Chaves said.

From stainless steel containers to lotion in packaging made of sugarcane, Chaves says there are ways to get rid of plastic.

“There are so many products out there that make it really easy to transition to products that have fewer microplastics in them,” Chaves said.

Natalia Martinez works alongside Chaves and owns Play Hollow, a store dedicated to nature-inspired and sustainable products. She says wooden toys make the perfect alternative to plastic ones.

“It’s one of those things that it doesn’t get thrown in the garbage. It’s one of those toys that can just last and go,” Martinez said.

Researchers are unsure what the impact of having microplastics in the human body is, but both Chaves and Martinez believe it’s best to err on the side of caution, especially because it can also help the environment.

“If you’re just doing a little bit, just even a tiny bit, it’s going to make a big impact,” says Cahves. “Because if everybody just does a little bit, that’s huge, such a big ripple effect.”