How to avoid microplastics in your coffee (6 swaps to protect your health)

On average, each of us consumes 39,000 to 52,000 particles of microplastics inadvertently through food and drink every year. That’s about a credit card if plastic every year. And coffee — the ritual many of us love the most — is one thing we can pay attention to in order to reduce this.

With a few intentional swaps, you can cut back on the plastic load in your cup and reclaim your ritual as something that supports your health instead of working against it.

Single-serve pods (like K-Cups) may be convenient, but they’re microplastic factories. Hot water and pressure pull billions of tiny plastic particles from the pod and into your drink. And the waste doesn’t end there — an estimated 56 billion pods end up in landfills every year, where they break down into even more microplastics that leach into waterways and circle right back to us.

Wondering what to do? The simplest solution is to trade pods for brewing methods that don’t rely on plastic. A French press, Chemex, Pourover, quality auto drip machine, or Moka Pot all take a little more intention, but the taste (and peace of mind) are worth it. They even make Glass Aeropress as of recent. 

Best swaps:

• French press or Chemex 

• Stainless steel reusable pods (if you can’t give up your machine)

• Moka Pot for stovetop brewing

2. Avoid plastic mesh filters

That reusable mesh filter in your drip brewer? It’s quietly breaking down every time hot water rushes through. Over months of daily use, that adds up to a lot of invisible plastic in your cup. Stainless steel and paper alternatives aren’t just safer — they often brew a smoother, cleaner cup as they trap more of the fine particles and oils that can give coffee a bitter edge.

 

Best swaps:

• Plastic free auto drip brewers such as The Plastic Free Coffee Brewer by Simply Good Coffee or the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee brewer 

• Unbleached paper filters

• Metal mesh pour-over
  

3. Skip plastic-lined disposable cups (PLA = PLASTIC)

Most paper coffee cups aren’t just paper. They’re lined with a thin PLA coating — a plant-based plastic made from corn starch or sugarcane. Even though it starts with plants, PLA is chemically processed into a polymer, which means it behaves like conventional plastic. Under heat, the lining can soften, flake, and shed microplastics into your drink, and in landfills it lingers just like petroleum plastic.

Think about that next time you grab a to-go latte. Instead, bring your own travel mug. It’s sturdier, keeps your drink hotter on a long commute, and helps reduce unnecessary plastic in your body (and in landfills). And they almost always give you a discount for your own mug (we know that we do).

Best swaps:

• Stainless steel insulated mug

• Ceramic travel mug

• Glass tumbler with silicone sleeve
  

4. Swap plastic gear for sustainable solutions

Coffee gear hides plastic in sneaky places — inside kettles, grinder parts, even brewing chambers you rarely notice. The problem? Boiling water and constant friction wear those parts down, sending microplastics straight into your drink.

Switching to glass, ceramic, or stainless steel isn’t just safer — these materials last longer, preserve flavor, and often make brewing more enjoyable.

This goes for grinders, too. Plastic burrs can dull and shed over time, while ceramic or stainless burr grinders hold up better and produce a more consistent grind.