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Editorial methodology

The MicroPlastics Research Desk

Every article is written and fact-checked by the MicroPlastics Research Desk, a small in-house editorial team. We translate peer-reviewed research into reader-friendly explainers and verify every health claim against the original source paper.

What the desk covers

  • Peer-reviewed environmental-health research summarisation
  • Brand-by-brand product comparisons grounded in polymer disclosure
  • Citation accuracy against original source papers
  • Plain-English explainers for YMYL consumer-health topics
  • Plastic chemistry, food-packaging migration, water filtration

How we work

The MicroPlastics Research Desk is the in-house editorial team behind every article on this site. We are not credentialed clinicians; we are a small editorial team focused on translating peer-reviewed environmental-health research into clear, accurate, citation-grounded consumer guides. Every health claim is verified against the original source paper. Every brand comparison cites the polymer disclosure or the test data we relied on. When a claim is contested in the literature, we say so. When the data is too thin to make a recommendation, we say that too. We do not accept paid placements, sponsored mentions, or undisclosed affiliate priority. For corrections, source disputes, or to suggest a topic, reach the desk via the contact page.

  • Verification: Every health claim is checked against the original peer-reviewed source paper, not summaries. We do not cite summaries of summaries.
  • Disclosure: We name the polymer, the study, and the limitation in every brand comparison. Contested findings are flagged as contested.
  • Independence: No paid placements, no sponsored mentions, no undisclosed affiliate priority. The MicroPlastics iOS app is our only product.
  • Corrections: Submit a source dispute or correction via the contact page. Substantive corrections are made within 5 business days with a visible last-reviewed date update.

All Research Desk articles

288 articles in the MicroPlastics research library, newest first.

September 25, 2026 · 12 min read

Is Caraway Cookware Non-Toxic? What Its Own Filings Show

Caraway’s ceramic pans are PFAS-free, and the ad industry’s watchdog agreed. Its own documents also show an aluminium body, a one-year warranty that excludes coating wear, and cadmium in one cast iron colour’s exterior enamel.

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September 24, 2026 · 12 min read

Are Air Fryer Liners Safe? Paper, Silicone and Foil Checked

Paper liners are coated with silicone, wax or something unnamed, and a September 2026 study found new silicone liners release the most in their first uses. What each type is, what the fryer makers allow, and what to use instead.

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September 23, 2026 · 12 min read

Does Voss Water Have Microplastics? Glass vs Plastic Voss

No study has tested Voss. Three studies found glass-bottled water no cleaner than PET because of the caps, and Voss’s own US report lists US East and West sources alongside Norway. What that means for what you buy.

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September 20, 2026 · 13 min read

Non-Toxic Air Fryers: What Your Food Actually Sits On

We traced air-fryer baskets to the makers’ own documents. Glass fryers still use a coated plate, “stainless” usually means the outside, and SharkNinja lists PTFE for Ninja units made before August 2024.

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July 4, 2026 · 12 min read

Best Plastic-Free Coffee Makers 2026: Drip, Pour-Over and Press Ranked

Chemex, steel presses and ceramic pour-over put no plastic in the hot-water path. Two drip machines now claim the same, Simply Good and Caraway’s new brewer, and we checked what each discloses. Every setup ranked by hot-plastic contact.

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May 30, 2026 · 11 min read

Do K-Cups Have Microplastics? K-Cups vs Other Coffee Pods

Keurig K-Cups, Nespresso, Lavazza, illy and more compared by documented pod materials and brewing conditions. Aluminum, plastic, compostable, and reusable formats ranked by modeled contact, not safety.

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May 18, 2026 · 11 min read

Bottled Water Brands Ranked for Microplastics (2026)

Aquafina, Dasani, Evian, Smartwater, Fiji and more: bottled water brands ranked by microplastic content based on published studies. The lowest-contact and dirtiest brands.

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September 22, 2026 · 12 min read

Titanium Cutting Boards: A Best-Seller Is Half Plastic

A test kitchen found 2 of 3 “titanium” boards were stainless steel, and Amazon’s No. 2 cutting board is titled “Pure Titanium/PP”. What titanium avoids, what it costs your knives, and what to buy instead.

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September 21, 2026 · 12 min read

Are Oven Bags Safe for Turkey? The Question Isn’t Microplastics

Reynolds oven bags are FDA-compliant nylon, and USDA prefers them to paper bags. But hot nylon releases oligomers into fatty food, and a July 2026 study found heated nylon-bag leachate toxic to water fleas while PET bags were not.

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August 25, 2026 · 12 min read

The Slow Cooker Liner Is Not a Sandwich Bag

Liners are nylon rated to 400 °F, not polyethylene — the film is nowhere near its limit in a crock. But nylon 6 is made from caprolactam and nylon 66 is not, the manufacturer says only “a blend of nylon”, and that omission decides which migration question applies to dinner.

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July 23, 2026 · 12 min read

Do Ninja Coffee Makers Have Microplastics? Every Model, Where the Plastic Touches Hot Water (2026)

Yes, Ninja coffee makers have plastic in the hot-water path, like most drip machines. Which parts touch near-boiling water, how the DualBrew and thermal models compare, and the lower-plastic setup that keeps the machine.

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July 15, 2026 · 8 min read

Does AquaTru Remove Microplastics? Yes: 96.48%, Certified (2026)

The AquaTru Classic is certified to NSF/ANSI 401 for microplastics at 96.48%, plus lead, fluoride, arsenic and PFOA/PFOS. Nothing is certified for nanoplastics.

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July 15, 2026 · 9 min read

Does Berkey Filter Microplastics? Berkey Hasn't Tested It (2026)

Berkey says it has never tested its elements for plastic particles and cannot claim microplastic removal. The certification record, the EPA stop-sale orders, and gravity-fed pitchers that are certified for microplastics.

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July 15, 2026 · 10 min read

Does Clearly Filtered Remove Microplastics? Pitcher Verdict (2026)

Yes. Clearly Filtered’s Affinity pitcher is independently lab-tested to remove 99.9%+ of microplastics (tested to NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 401, 473) while keeping beneficial minerals. Tested, not certified, for microplastics; how it compares.

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July 15, 2026 · 9 min read

Does Orbit Gum Have Microplastics? The Synthetic-Base Verdict (2026)

Yes. Orbit uses a synthetic petroleum-based gum base, and a 2025 UCLA study found chewing gum sheds 100–600 microplastic particles per gram. Sugar-free does not mean plastic-free, here is the honest verdict.

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June 30, 2026 · 11 min read

Does Instant Coffee Have Microplastics? Nescafé, Starbucks VIA, Folgers & Mount Hagen Ranked (2026)

Instant coffee powder is not plastic: but the jar, the stick pack, the kettle, and the cup decide your exposure. Nescafé Clásico, Taster’s Choice, Starbucks VIA, Folgers (plastic AromaSeal canister), Café Bustelo and Mount Hagen ranked, plus the prep that cuts microplastics to near zero.

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June 27, 2026 · 12 min read

Are Nespresso, Keurig, Lavazza & illy Coffee Pods Plastic? 2026 Brand-by-Brand Microplastic Audit

Five major coffee-pod brands ranked for microplastic exposure: Nespresso Original, Nespresso Vertuo, Keurig K-Cups, Lavazza Modo Mio, illy iperEspresso. Aluminum vs plastic vs compostable: what the polymer disclosure actually says.

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June 26, 2026 · 11 min read

Best Kids Water Bottles Without Microplastics: Camelbak Kids, Hydro Flask, Klean Kanteen Kid Compared (2026)

Camelbak Eddy Kids, Hydro Flask Kids, Klean Kanteen Kid, Owala Kids, Thermos Funtainer, CONTIGO Kids: every major kids water bottle brand ranked for stainless grade, lid plastic, gasket silicone, and microplastic exposure per sip. The lower-plastic-contact picks for school, sport, and travel.

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June 24, 2026 · 11 min read

Microplastics in Iced Coffee: Starbucks, Dunkin, McDonald’s, Peet’s Ranked (Summer 2026)

Iced coffee plastic cups are the worst-case microplastic exposure in any coffee menu: full polypropylene + 20-45 minutes ice-melting contact + acidic + dairy fat extraction. Every major US chain audited with the lower-plastic-contact, same-drink swap.

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June 23, 2026 · 11 min read

Best Owala Water Bottles for Microplastics: FreeSip, Twist, Tumbler Compared (2026)

Owala FreeSip, FreeSip Sway, Twist, Big Gulp, Color Shift, Kids Owala: every Owala line ranked for stainless grade, Tritan lid plastic, and microplastic exposure per sip. The lowest-contact Owala SKU and the lowest-contact non-Owala alternative if you want less plastic.

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June 21, 2026 · 11 min read

Do Brita Filters Remove Microplastics? The Elite Does

The Brita Elite cartridge is certified to NSF/ANSI 401 for 99.6% reduction of microplastic particles 0.5–1 µm. The standard white filter has no microplastic claim, and no pitcher is certified for nanoplastics. Brita, ZeroWater and reverse osmosis compared.

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June 18, 2026 · 11 min read

Best Reusable K-Cup Pods: Stainless Steel Ranked for 2026

Swap your disposable K-Cup for a stainless-steel reusable pod and take the plastic cup out of the hot-water path. K&J, EcoFlow, Maxware, iPartsPlusMore, SoloFill, Keurig My K-Cup, Cafilas ranked for stainless grade, gasket silicone, Keurig 2.0 compatibility, cleaning, and cost per cup.

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June 17, 2026 · 11 min read

Does Dunkin’s Coffee Contain Microplastics? Cups, K-Cups, Iced Coffee (2026)

Dunkin’s hot foam cups, iced coffee plastic cups, Original Blend K-Cups, bottled iced coffee, and Dunkin’s bagged ground coffee: every format compared by packaging and use conditions, with lower-plastic-contact, same-drink options for Dunkin’s customers.

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June 16, 2026 · 12 min read

Stanley vs Yeti vs Hydroflask vs Owala: Microplastic Safety Compared (2026)

After the 2024 Stanley lead scare, every water-bottle buyer wants to know which brand is actually safe. Stanley Quencher, Yeti Rambler, Hydroflask, Owala FreeSip ranked for stainless steel grade, lid plastic, gasket silicone, paint chemistry, and real microplastic-exposure risk per sip.

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June 13, 2026 · 11 min read

Does Starbucks Coffee Contain Microplastics? Cups, Pods, Cold Brew (2026)

Hot coffee bought from coffee-shop chains measured about 16 synthetic microplastics per cup, far below lab soak tests of paper cups. Frappuccino plastic cups, Pike Place K-Cups, VIA instant, cold brew bottles: Starbucks every format audited, with the lower-plastic-contact, same-drink swaps.

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June 12, 2026 · 12 min read

Refillable Water Bottle Materials Compared: Glass, Steel, Tritan & Plastic (2026)

Glass, stainless steel, Tritan, HDPE, polypropylene, aluminum-with-liner: every refillable water bottle material ranked head-to-head for microplastic shedding, chemical migration, durability, and weight. The buyer guide for 2026.

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June 10, 2026 · 11 min read

Microplastics in Espresso Machines: PP Tanks, Tubing & Brew Path (2026)

Most espresso machines: semi-automatic, super-automatic, and pod hybrids: have plastic water tanks, plastic tubing, and plastic group-head seals in the hot-water path. Brand-by-brand: which machines minimise plastic-water contact.

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June 4, 2026 · 10 min read

Nespresso Vertuo vs Original: Microplastics and Materials Compared (2026)

Original aluminum pods vs Vertuo aluminum-bodied pods: head-to-head for microplastic release, inner liner contact, brew temperature, and pod-to-cup chemistry. Which is the lower-plastic-contact choice.

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May 31, 2026 · 12 min read

Best Water Filter Pitchers Ranked for Microplastics (2026)

Only three popular pitchers are certified to reduce microplastics: PUR PLUS, Brita Elite and the LifeStraw Home glass pitcher. Clearly Filtered, Epic and Aquagear are lab-tested, not certified, and ZeroWater makes no microplastic claim.

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May 29, 2026 · 11 min read

Best Reverse Osmosis Systems for Microplastics 2026: Only 2 Are Certified

Only the AquaTru Carafe (98.96%) and Classic (96.48%) are certified for microplastics. Waterdrop, GE, Whirlpool, APEC, iSpring, Express Water, Frizzlife and Home Master ranked by what they are actually certified to remove.

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