Talk about a dirty little secret.

A popular cleaning tool might leave your counters sparkling, but new research shows that the household staple is quietly shedding trillions of microplastics into the environment every month.

Those pesky particles don’t just disappear. They seep into the food you eat , the water you drink and the air you breath . Eventually, they wind up in your body, too — and early evidence suggests they could be doing serious damage once they get there. 3

Behind the magic

Scientists from the American Chemical Society took a closer look at so-called “magic” sponges , popular for their ability to remove grit and grime using water alone.

Their scrubbing power comes from melamine foam, a lightweight yet durable plastic that acts like ultra-fine sandpaper

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