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Well, SiO2 is pretty different from plastic, chemically speaking. And I would expect that we inhale several grams of fine sand dust per week too.

In other words, the amount of "glass" entering your body because you drank a beer is probably irrelevant compared to e.g. Sahara dust (if you're in Europe) in the air around you.



Yes and silicate is an environmental component that's well understood and our bodies have adapted to it because sand has been a thing forever. And glass is chemically inert.


Dust or soil has thousands of components, metals, bacteria, fungi, molds, organic matter, feces etc. It can give you farmer's lung and other illnesses. Plastic is comparatively inert. Weird that there is not environmental movement to reduce soil from the environment.


We evolved to survive breathing in soil.


Silicon dioxide (sand) causes silicosis if inhaled. I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the risk.


Isn't the damage caused physically, not chemically? I think that's the main point


Why would that matter if both kill you?


Asbestos is a silicate…


And, in quantity, even the "harmless" silicates aren't.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicosis


I meant naturally occuring ones like sand. Even glass is kind of related. Didn't want to elaborate too much. But indeed it is.


I suspect that inhaling silicate is probably pretty terrible for you. Much worse than eating plastic.




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