Why Microplastics Are the New Sugar
The invisible threat in our food, water and bodies. And why real solutions begin with materials, not better waste bins.
By Nanda Bergstein, CAMM Solutions
1. The Danger We Don't See – Until It's Too Late
There was a time when sugar was in everything—and no one questioned it. Breakfast cereals. "Healthy" yogurt. Kids' lunchboxes. Sugar was comforting, harmless, even beneficial. Until decades of research revealed the truth about its addictive properties and links to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Today, we're in a strikingly similar situation—but this time, it's not sugar hiding in our daily consumption.
It's microplastics.
Like sugar in the 1950s, these microscopic particles have quietly infiltrated every aspect of our lives. And like sugar, we're only beginning to understand the true scope of their impact on human health.
2. Microplastics Are Everywhere. And in Everyone.
The numbers are staggering. These tiny particles—invisible to the naked eye—have been detected in:
Bottled and tap water worldwide¹
Sea salt and table salt²
Breast milk and infant formula³
Human blood, lungs, placenta, and major organs⁴
The air in our homes and workplaces⁵
Recent research suggests the average person may ingest approximately 5 grams of microplastics per week—equivalent to a credit card.⁶ While this specific figure has been questioned by some scientists due to methodological limitations, multiple studies confirm we're consuming thousands of microscopic plastic particles weekly through various pathways.
The emerging health picture is concerning. While research is still developing, early evidence from laboratory and animal studies suggests potential links to:
Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress
Hormone disruption and endocrine effects
Reduced fertility and reproductive issues
Cardiovascular complications
Neurological effects⁷⁸
A landmark 2024 study found that people with microplastics in their arterial plaques were twice as likely to experience heart attack, stroke, or death over a three-year period.⁹ While more research is needed to establish causation, the correlation raises urgent questions about long-term exposure effects.
3. The Packaging Loop That's Feeding the Problem
Here's the uncomfortable truth: roughly 40% of all global plastic production goes into packaging—and most of it is designed for single use.¹⁰
But the problem runs deeper than obvious plastic waste. Even materials marketed as "eco-friendly" often contain hidden plastics:
The paper illusion: Most food-safe paper packaging is lined with thin plastic films for moisture resistance. These composite materials can't be recycled in standard paper streams, contaminate composting systems, and eventually break down into microplastics.
The "compostable" myth: Many so-called compostable packages require industrial composting facilities that barely exist at scale—and may still leave toxic residues behind.
The recycling paradox: Perhaps most troubling is our reliance on recycled plastic content as the gold standard for "sustainable" packaging. This approach simply recycles the inherent toxicity of plastics, perpetuating the cycle of microplastic contamination while giving us a false sense of environmental progress.
The result? Our current packaging system is fundamentally designed to fail.
4. What If Packaging Could Disappear—Safely?
At CAMM Solutions, we asked a radical question: What if packaging could return to nature's cycles without leaving a trace?
Not accumulating in landfills. Not breaking down into microplastics in our oceans. But dissolving completely and safely back into the environment.
Introducing CAMM: A new category of packaging material
100% water-soluble and marine-safe
Home-compostable in 90 days or less
Microplastic-free throughout its entire lifecycle
Compatible with existing paper recycling infrastructure
Free from forever chemicals, toxins, and harmful additives
CAMM isn't just another "better plastic" that delays the problem. It's engineered to eliminate the problem entirely by working with natural systems instead of against them.
Rigorous Testing Confirms Performance:
Our claims aren't marketing promises—they're backed by independent scientific validation conducted amongst others by the University of Stuttgart, OWS, Nova Institute, Horiba Laboratories and TUV Austria (details under: xxx):
Commercial Readiness:
Unlike many promising materials that remain stuck in laboratories, CAMM is already scaling:
7,000 tons annual production capacity at our Spanish facility, with rapid expansion planned
Industrial machine compatibility validated by leading equipment manufacturers
Global conversion network established across Europe, with U.S. operations launching
€50M+ investment from strategic partners across the full value chain
Real-World Applications:
Transparent paper bags and airpillows combining CAMM coating with paper in the e-commerce and logistics sector, and film applications for home care, agriculture and construction, just to name a few.
CAMM dissolves safely in water, leaves no residue, biodegrades fully, and supports existing infrastructure. Most importantly: it protects people and ecosystems while maintaining commercial viability.
5. It's Time to Rethink Materials—Like We Rethought Sugar
We didn't solve the sugar crisis with better dental floss or stronger toothbrushes. We solved it through transparency, regulation, public awareness—and most importantly, better alternatives.
The same approach is needed for microplastics:
Upstream innovation, not downstream damage control. Instead of better recycling programs for problematic materials, we need materials that don't become problems in the first place.
Materials-first thinking. Every packaging decision should start with the question: "What happens to this material at the end of its life?" If the answer involves breaking down into persistent particles and/ or shedding toxic chemicals, we need different materials.
Systems-level change. Individual action matters, but systemic change requires regulatory frameworks that incentivize truly sustainable materials while phasing out those that create permanent pollution.
The question isn't whether we can afford to transition away from conventional plastics. It's whether we can afford not to, quite similarly to the climate crisis – the two also being co-dependent.
6. The Path Forward: From Crisis to Opportunity
The microplastics crisis represents one of the greatest material challenges of our time—and one of the greatest opportunities.
Companies that move first to adopt genuinely sustainable packaging materials will gain competitive advantages in:
Regulatory compliance as restrictions tighten globally
Consumer trust as awareness of microplastic risks grows
Supply chain resilience by reducing dependence on petroleum-based materials
Innovation leadership in the rapidly expanding sustainable materials market
The window for action is narrow but the opportunity is immense. Early adopters won't just avoid future regulatory headaches—they'll help create the sustainable packaging standards that others will be forced to follow.
The Bottom Line
Microplastics are the new sugar: invisible, pervasive, and potentially dangerous to human health. But unlike sugar, which took decades to address, we have the opportunity to act decisively now.
At CAMM Solutions, we're not just predicting the future of packaging—we're building it consciously.
Ready to eliminate microplastics from your packaging footprint? Let's turn the page on plastic pollution. Together.
Sources and References
Koelmans, A. A., et al. (2019). "Microplastics in freshwaters and drinking water: Critical review and assessment of data quality." Water Research, 155, 410-422. DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.02.054
Karami, A., et al. (2017). "The presence of microplastics in commercial salts from different countries." Scientific Reports, 7, 46173. DOI: 10.1038/srep46173
Ragusa, A., et al. (2021). "Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta." Environment International, 146, 106274. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106274
Leslie, H. A., et al. (2022). "Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood." Environment International, 163, 107199. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107199
Brahney, J., et al. (2020). "Plastic rain in protected areas of the United States." Science, 368(6496), 1257-1260. DOI: 10.1126/science.aaz5819
Senathirajah, K., et al. (2021). "Estimation of the mass of microplastics ingested – A pivotal first step towards human health risk assessment." Journal of Hazardous Materials, 404, 124004. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124004
Jin, H., et al. (2024). "Potential Health Impact of Microplastics: A Review of Environmental Distribution, Human Exposure, and Toxic Effects." Environment & Health, 2(1), 1-15. DOI: 10.1021/envhealth.3c00052
Demokritou, P., et al. (2023). "Using a model of human intestinal lining to study nanoplastic cellular entry." Harvard Medicine Magazine. Retrieved from: https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/microplastics-everywhere
Marfella, R., et al. (2024). "Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events." New England Journal of Medicine, 390(10), 900-910. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2309822
European Environment Agency. (2023). "Nearly 40 percent of plastic demand comes from the production of plastic packaging." Retrieved from: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/maps-and-charts/nearly-40-percent-of-plastic