From an article published in the journal ACS Nano (please see citation below).

Key Points

• Plastics used in products throughout the global economy gradually break down into tiny, often invisible particles.
• The smallest plastic particles called nanoplastics (NPs) have been detected in kidneys, livers, lungs, and other organs in our bodies.
• This study shows a connection between the presence of common nanoplastics in humans and lower fertility rates and sperm quality.

We've talked about the potential impacts that chemicals in products can play on people who are trying to get pregnant. Like other health issues, the scientific data continues to evolve but the general trend is that we're finding more ways that more kinds of chemicals can negatively impact our bodies. Plastics are a growing target for health research. That's because they are full of hazardous chemicals and when they are used in products they are mechanically, chemically, and biologically broken down into microscopic particles that are now pervasive across our environment and bodies. The limited number of scientific studies done on the smallest of plastic particles, micro and nanoplastics show associations with cancer and cardiovascular diseases, among other potential health impacts. Compared with microplastics, nanoplastics are considered more threatening to our health because of their smaller size and larger surface area.

In our homes, we try and limit our exposures to micro and nanoplastics by choosing products that are made from raw materials that tend to be safer like wood, bamboo, wool, cotton, ceramic, glass, pure silicone, and some kinds of metal.

Feifei Kong, Lu Fang, Yuanyuan Gui, Hongyan Lan, Panpan Zhao, Yinli Zhang, Lingying Jiang, Songying Zhang, and Xiaomei Tong. Polyethylene and Polyvinyl Chloride Nanoplastics in Human Follicular Fluid and Seminal Plasma: Impact on Fertilization and Sperm Quality. CS Nano 2025 19 (30), 27159-27172. DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c00918