Microplastics are everywhere - Water filters

Clodius

I was thinking about AeroPress. It’s a plastic container filled with coffee and hot water. I know that it’s a more stable type of plastic, but still plastic, and once it gets scratched you should look to replace it.

Adrianmsmith

Clodius
You can send me the old one for evaluation 😎

delta76

Clodius get a premium
It is pretty hard to scratch inside a aeropress, unless you (almost) intentionally do so

Clodius

@Adrianmsmith don’t have one because of the above

MWJB

delta76 Clodius get a premium

What is the plunger seal made from?

Platypus

delta76

delta76 It is pretty hard to scratch inside a aeropress

I thought coffee grounds were abrasive to some degree, would they not eventually scuff the plastic ones?

Clodius

@delta76 that looks like a rabbit hole I need to keep away from. £200 for one? 😮

delta76

Clodius if you’re worried about micro plastic from aeropress yes. I’m not worried so happy with my original

delta76

MWJB silicone

MWJB

delta76 Which still releases particles under heat & wear.

I had one of the earlier iterations that emitted a gooey slime.

Even if you eliminate the plastics from brewers, you may still find them in your kettle, filtration system, mains piping etc.

So awareness is good, but it’s probably best to be circumspect, a zero tolerance will likely leave you only sourcing water from fresh snowfall! :-)

delta76

MWJB as I said earlier I’m not worried, yet. My take is that you can’t just eliminate micro plastics. Reducing is good (in this case using premium will reduce at least half of particles), but keep a balance between convenience and safety. When the choices are available and easy, I’d pick stainless steel or glass as they are also more sustainable and more easy to clean, but otherwise I just pick some high quality plastic and forget about it
I will likely die because of other causes before micro plastics accumulate enough to cause me health problems

Adrianmsmith

delta76 I will likely die because of other causes before micro plastics accumulate enough to cause me health problems

“Always look on the bright side of life”

🪈🪈. 🪈🪈🪈🪈🪈🪈.

dfk41

Platypus If they got caught between the plunger seal and the case, then yes

delta76

Platypus I don’t have data to back me up but I would assume that the abrasiveness of coffee grounds are not that much - you need a real scratch by utensils to release “real” particles. Of course someone could do a research and tell me how wrong I am - interested to hear.
In any case get a premium and the particles will be cut at least in half, if that is the thing you worry about. In grand scheme of things, my concerns are in this order

if my health problems will kill me in an untimely way
if the world turns in to chaos and we will live through a meaningless war - if we live.
if I lost my job due to AI and can’t get another one to raise my kids
……………..
……………..
……………..
……………..
if micro plastics from other sources accumulate enough in my body to cause harm
……………..
……………..
if micro plastics from coffee-related stuffs add to above thing and make it 5% worse.

So stop worrying and love the bomb!

Clodius

You will now see the Aeropress sales plunge because of this discussion 🤣

Platypus

delta76

I agree completely. I’m not concerned for my own health particularly as more than likely any damage is done but more for the young and our grandchildren. My husband says every generation worries about the next, something’s are better, something’s are worse .

We are lucky living on this side of the world that’s for sure, at least we have some control over the choices we make and the luxury of even having a choice.

Beanmechanic

Yes, it matters but it’s just one of many sources because microplastics are already everywhere.

DaveLeonard

Micro-plastics in my water is not a concern. I live 20 minutes from the nearest town and close to that far from the nearest landfill. Ice Mountain bottled water plant is just a few miles from my place, and they chose here after testing water for purity (and taste) from a wide area. I’m confident about the quality of the well water here. I brew in a glass siphon brewer with no plastic in it or the filter, so not a concern. I am concerned about the food I eat. Because I’m partially disabled and can’t stand for long periods in front of the stove, and no one else living here to cook for me, I eat one microwaveable meal a day that has a plastic tray and film cover.

I read an article a few months back that in doing a dissection of a human brain they discovered almost a teaspoon of microplastics. That’s scary!

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