> Is anyone else freaked out about cleaning their dryer's lint filter given all the new fabric materials?

I used to be. So I spent quite a lot of time researching the issue. Not just google searches, but actually speaking with biologists.

I think that the current microplastic scare is overblown. The "credit card worth of plastic in brain" articles are just ridiculous. Biologically, the body has defenses against microscopic contaminants in blood. There are special immune cells that "eat" insoluble particles and then get excreted (typically in bile).

It looks like I'm not alone in my bafflement: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/01/scary-research-... or https://www.vox.com/climate/475004/microplastics-research-fa...

▲

dekhn 3 hours ago | parent [-]

Nearly every environment-adjacent field has concern nannies who make unrealistic risk assessments which then get regurgitated into guilt-inspiring newspaper articles. This is especially common when there is no way to determine for certain what the actual risk is; some folks fall on the "allow zero risk" side.

	▲	cyberax 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Some concern is warranted. I think that plasticizer or dyes leaching from plastics is a very real problem, so I try to avoid food stored in plastic containers (this includes tin cans, they are often lined with plastic). This is a solvable problem, though. Polyethylene doesn't need plasticizers.