Wait, you're not supposed to be here!
So, you might be wondering, what now? My cutting board? Yes, well, maybe. If it's plastic, reconsider. And of course, I'll explain why. Plastic cutting boards, cheap, readily available, you probably have one. You probably think it's sanitary, convienent, and doesn't require as much care as wood. You can put it in the dishwasher without it cracking, you don't have to worry about bacteria getting into it, and its cheaper than a wooden one, what's wrong with it?
Ah, microplastics, all the rage. Each stroke of your knife causes tiny scrapes on the board, which can be visible. Where do you think that plastic is going? Right on your food. According to the American Chemical Society, "we estimated a per-person annual exposure of 7.4–50.7 g of microplastics from a polyethylene chopping board and 49.5 g of microplastics from a polypropylene chopping board." To put that into perspective, thats like eating two whole water bottles per year, just from using your cutting board. Not only does this plastic get into your food and into you, it also goes into the water. From you washing the cutting board or the knife you used, or even the food you cut, it all goes into the waterways and effects the wildlife too. Speaking of washing the food you cut, you might see that as a viable option to avoid consuming those microplastics. According to Food Additives and Contaiminants, "only extensive washing of the meat over longer periods of time (3 min) helped decrease the microplastic count to 0.07 MP/g meat." In their testing of microplastics in meat, only did washing it for three minutes did it help reduce the amount. Even then, there still is some in it that you'll be consuming anyway.
While not very well studied, the effects of microplastics on humans have potential to be dangerous, depending on the chemicals in the plastics and where they travel in our body. We should be keen on what we consume and how we can consume less microplastics, because even though currently it isn't causing us issues, it certainly could later. As you could presume, consuming plastic generally isn't great for us. It's estimated that nearly every human has consumed microplastics and that it is currently running through our bloodstreams. And while we don't know how that'll effect us now, it's important to keep in mind that it can be dangerous and should be taken seriously. The chemicals that are in plastic, even in low dosages, are toxic to the human body and can cause complications. And while the types of chemicals and the amount varies from plastic to plastic, I think we both know it'd be best to try and keep it at a minimum. I know I sound redudant, but so many people don't fully grasp what it could mean for every person on Earth to have potentially toxic material in their body. It's important for everyone to be aware of it and what it could mean for us.
What should you do? I'd recomend switching to a different, non-plastic cutting board. While they took take more care and can be costly, it doesn't mean you need to dish out $50+ on a new cutting board. You can get them secondhand, either from someone you know, or from a secondhand store or elsewhere. You could even make your own, just a piece of sanded wood with some finish. As you may have heard, wood is supposedly less sanitary than plastic cutting boards. I'm here to tell you that's incorrect. Plastic is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. If you read my statement on plastic loofahs, you may remember that bacteria easily breeds on plastic. According to the Journal of Food Protection on their research comparing the bacteria found on plastic and wooden cutting boards, "These results do not support the often-heard assertion that Plastic cutting boards are more sanitary than wood." Their findings suggested that wooden cutting boards are not less sanitary than plastic cutting boards, they also found that applying mineral oil did not effect the results. This stigma that wooden cutting boards are less sanitary may have started when plastic cutting boards were becoming popularized, suggesting that the wooden cutting boards 'absorb' and hold the bacteria. This just isn't true, if properly handled and cleaned between uses, wood has the potential to be more sanitary, or at the very least, just as sanitary. Switch your cutting board, for the sake of your health, and if you care, some animals health as well.