Do plastic cutting boards shed microplastics?
Yes, plastic cutting boards shed microplastics. In a 2023 lab study, chopping on polyethylene and polypropylene boards, with and without carrots, released microplastics. Most were round particles under 100 micrometres. Source 1
Polypropylene boards released more than polyethylene: 5–60% more by weight and 14–71% more by count. Source 1
Where does the 50 grams a year number come from?
It’s a modelled estimate, not a measurement of what anyone ate. The researchers scaled up their lab results “based on our assumptions”, in their words. Source 1
Their range is 7.4 to 50.7 g a year from a polyethylene board and 49.5 g from a polypropylene one. By count, that’s 14.5 to 71.9 million polyethylene particles, or 79.4 million polypropylene. Source 1
The researchers say the yearly figures could vary with chopping style, cutting force, how finely food is chopped and how often the board is used. Source 2
Are the particles harmful?
That isn’t known yet. In the study’s early lab test, polyethylene particles didn’t affect the survival of mouse cells over 72 hours. Source 1
That’s a short test on cells in a dish, not a study of people. The FDA says current scientific evidence does not demonstrate that levels of microplastics or nanoplastics detected in foods pose a risk to human health. Source 3
If you’d rather not add plastic while you cook, a solid wood board is a simple swap.
Do wood cutting boards shed particles too?
Yes, wood cutting boards shed particles too. In tests reported with the same research, wood boards shed 4 to 22 times more particles than plastic ones. Those are wood particles, not plastic. Source 2
The researchers didn’t work out yearly figures for wood. The wood particles didn’t significantly change mouse cells’ survival in lab tests either. Source 2
What’s the simple swap?
A solid hardwood board, ideally one piece with no glue. It sheds wood particles, not plastic. Hand-wash it and oil it about once a month.
Many wood and bamboo boards are strips glued together. Use one board for produce and bread and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood, as USDA suggests. Hand-wash with hot, soapy water and oil it monthly.