5 Ways To Reduce Microplastics In Your Home

4 March 2026

Toby Patrick

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The topic of microplastics is bigger than ever. Microplastics are plastic particles that gradually release from plastic as it degrades, and there has been an urgent call for increased research over fears for the impact it can have on human biology. Aside from benefitting your overall health and gut health, reducing microplastics in your home can also help the environment, reducing single use items and in many cases, also helping you to save money.

Three glass containers with colorful salads, featuring corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, greens, and lentils on a light textured surface.

Microplastics are all over our home, so we’re here with 5 simple swaps you can make to reduce them, support the health of your family and help the environment.

Swap plastic tupperware for glass

Glass tupperware may require an upfront investment, but it is so worth it. Plastic containers can release microplastics during heating or storage, not to mention they don’t last very long and they also can absorb food odours and colours. Instead, if you make a simple swap to glass containers, you will keep them for years, they’re more food safe, they don’t hold smell and it keeps food fresher. When buying, check they’re safe for the microwave and oven, then you’re good to go! You can also make use of glass jars from cooking as storage for things like fruit and homemade sauces in the fridge, so you can get rid of smaller plastic tupperware, too.

Get milk in glass bottles delivered

The milkman is making a comeback, and a great way to reduce microplastics and single use plastic in your home is to get milk in glass bottles delivered! Family companies like McQueens Dairies deliver fresh, local milk straight to your door, with the option to get your milk delivered in glass bottles. It will be dropped outside your front door before 7am (also making mornings easier!). Then when you’re done, simply rinse and put outside your door again. It’ll be collected by the milkman on their next round, washed, sterilized and then re-used up to 25 times! You’re helping the environment, reducing microplastics and you can enjoy fresh milk. They also offer milk alternatives like oat milk in glass bottles if anyone in your house is dairy-free.

Choose stainless steel reusable water bottles

Next up, you should swap out single use plastic bottles, or reusable plastic bottles, for stainless steel versions. Not only will it keep your water colder for much longer (many options for up to 12 hours), but there is no risk of microplastics, they’re more durable and there is no risk of chemical leaching. When you’re out and about, if you pop into any cafe, they’ll more than likely fill your bottle up for you, so you don’t need to worry about buying an extra plastic bottle whilst you’re out. Next Christmas, make this a stocking filler for your whole family and it can make a huge difference!

Swap non-stick pans for cast iron

Swapping your pans that have non-stick coating out for cast iron removes toxic coatings that can release chemicals and microplastics into food. Cast iron pans can last forever when seasoned properly, so are absolutely worth the investment. They’re also so handy for cooking one pot meals, as you can place the entire thing in your oven (of course, making sure to remove very carefully with oven gloves, and being careful after as they’re very good at retaining heat). You won’t look back after making this simple swap!

Switch to bars of soap and shampoo bars

Lastly, get rid of your bottled soaps and shampoos and swap out for bars. Not only can the containers release microplastics, but often the contents of the bottles themselves are full of different chemicals. However, when you choose bars of soap, shampoo and conditioner instead, the ingredients are much more simple and do just as good of a job, if not better as they’re kinder on your skin and hair. You can get bars of soap really easily, more so now than in recent years as more people are making the swap. You’ll save money here too which is an added bonus!

Even one small swap can make a positive impact to our health and the environment, so over the next few months, perhaps budget for one change per month and you can transform your home in as little as 5 months. This is such an exciting project to get started on, and one that will benefit you massively.

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Hurricane Milton's Destruction in Florida and Its Impact Beyond

Paul Francis
Oct 11, 2024
4 min read

Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm, recently ravaged Florida's west coast. With wind speeds peaking at 180 mph, it is one of the most powerful hurricanes in recent memory.

Hurricane forming, picture from space (Alleged)

Milton unleashed catastrophic damage, including flooding, downed power lines, and structural destruction as it made landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane. The devastation has been immense, and while the immediate concern is Florida, hurricanes of this magnitude can have far-reaching impacts beyond the U.S., including potential effects on British weather patterns.

How Hurricanes Can Affect British Weather

Though Britain is not located in the tropics, the remnants of hurricanes like Milton can still reach its shores. When these storms travel across the Atlantic, they often weaken and lose their tropical characteristics but can still interact with other weather systems, causing major disruptions. For instance, hurricanes can influence the jet stream, the powerful winds high in the atmosphere that guide weather patterns across the Atlantic.

A disrupted jet stream can bring wet, stormy weather to the UK, with heavy rainfall and strong winds. This phenomenon is known as an "extratropical transition," where a former hurricane combines with other low-pressure systems. Over the years, there have been several examples of hurricanes affecting Britain, demonstrating how these tropical storms can significantly alter the UK’s weather.

Historical Hurricanes That Affected Britain

The Great Storm of 1987 is one of the most well-known examples of a hurricane system impacting the UK. While it was not directly a tropical cyclone, it had origins in the remnants of Hurricane Floyd. This unexpected storm caused widespread destruction across England and northern France, uprooting millions of trees, damaging homes, and resulting in numerous fatalities. The storm was notorious for its meteorologists' underestimation and the surprise it brought to Britain.

Hurricane Ophelia (2017) was another example of a hurricane impacting the UK. Ophelia reached Ireland and parts of Scotland with hurricane-force winds after transitioning into an extratropical cyclone. The storm brought strong gusts, disrupted transport, and left thousands without power.

In 2019, Hurricane Lorenzo brought heavy rain and gusty winds to parts of Ireland and the UK after transitioning into a post-tropical storm. Though it didn’t cause catastrophic damage, it disrupted travel and demonstrated that hurricanes, even weakened, can reach Britain and cause significant weather anomalies.

The Science Behind Hurricanes: How They Form and Strengthen

Hurricanes, like Milton, form under specific conditions: warm sea surface temperatures (typically above 26.5°C), high humidity, and low wind shear. As the warm, moist air rises from the ocean’s surface, it cools and condenses, forming clouds and releasing latent heat. This process fuels the storm, allowing it to intensify. Milton, like other powerful hurricanes, was able to undergo rapid intensification due to favourable environmental conditions, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico, where waters were unusually warm.

One of the alarming trends in recent years is that more hurricanes are experiencing this rapid intensification, partly due to rising sea surface temperatures. Warmer oceans not only provide more energy for storms but also enable them to grow larger and more destructive. This pattern is becoming more common as the climate continues to warm.

The Case of the Missing Snow Crabs: A Warning About Rising Sea Temperatures

One stark example of the effects of rising ocean temperatures is the mysterious disappearance of 10 billion snow crabs in Alaska’s Bering Sea. This unprecedented event has alarmed scientists and fishery managers alike. Snow crabs, which are highly sensitive to water temperature, appear to have migrated or died off due to rising ocean temperatures, which have made their natural habitat uninhabitable.

The Bering Sea, typically cold enough to sustain large snow crab populations, has been warming at an alarming rate. Scientists believe this warming is linked to climate change, as higher global temperatures cause the oceans to absorb more heat. The disappearance of the crabs is a clear example of how rising sea temperatures are disrupting marine ecosystems. In the case of hurricanes, this same warming trend is providing storms like Milton with more fuel, making them more intense and dangerous.

The loss of the snow crabs also has significant economic and ecological consequences. Snow crabs are a crucial species in the food chain, and their sudden disappearance could disrupt the balance of the marine ecosystem in the Bering Sea. This situation underscores the broader impacts of climate change, from ecological shifts to extreme weather events.

The Future: More Hurricanes, Bigger Impacts

If the current trajectory of climate change continues, hurricanes like Milton may become increasingly frequent and intense. Warmer oceans, rising sea levels, and shifting atmospheric conditions create a perfect storm for these extreme weather events to thrive.

The potential for more powerful hurricanes to make landfall, combined with their increasing ability to cross the Atlantic, raises concerns for regions far beyond the tropics.

In the UK, while direct hits from hurricanes remain rare, the country is not immune to their secondary effects. As hurricanes continue to intensify, Britain may experience more frequent extreme weather tied to the remnants of these storms. Whether it’s heavier rainfall, stronger winds, or altered weather patterns, the UK could see a rise in storm-related disruptions in the years to come.

A Call for Action and Hope for Safety

Hurricane Milton is a stark reminder of the growing intensity of natural disasters fueled by climate change. As Florida grapples with its immediate effects, the world must acknowledge the far-reaching consequences of these storms and their connection to the warming planet. From disappearing snow crabs to devastating hurricanes, the signs are clear: the climate is changing, and it’s creating more extreme conditions.

While we hope everyone in Florida stays safe in the wake of Hurricane Milton, we must also take this as a call to action. Without significant steps to mitigate climate change, hurricanes like Milton will only become more frequent, posing even greater threats to communities worldwide.

Britain may be thousands of miles from the hurricane’s landfall, but the ripple effects of such storms are undeniable. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to address the global climate crisis before more lives, economies, and ecosystems are lost.