Scientists issue warning after making disturbing find in chewing gum: 'The people I talk to are always surprised ... when they find out'

Purchasing a pack of gum can result in an unexpected source of plastic pollution winding up in your mouth.

What's happening?

As detailed by Futurism, microplastics expert David Jones of the United Kingdom's University of Portsmouth revealed in an essay published in The Conversation that most modern chewing gum contains "a variety of oil-based synthetic rubbers" that can enter our bodies and pollute the environment when spat out.

Most chewing gum contains a synthetic gum base that binds the ingredients together, but that isn't even the worst of it. Jones pointed to a 2014 chemical analysis by the University of Arkansas that determined chewing gum "can contain everything from styrene-butadiene, which is what tires are made of; polyethylene, the chemical used for plastic bags; and polyvinyl acetate, which is better known as wood glue," per Futurism.

"The people I talk to are always surprised, and disgusted, when they find out they've been chewing on a lump of malleable plastic," Jones wrote. "Most manufacturers just don't advertise what gum is actually made of — they dodge around the detail by listing 'gum base' in the ingredients."

Why is this important?

Plastic being found in chewing gum is yet another discovery that shows how we unknowingly allow potentially harmful chemicals to enter our bodies and also pollute the environment.

Gum is typically improperly discarded and challenging to clean up when it's stuck to the pavement or underneath chairs, benches, or tables. Eventually, it will degrade and break down into microplastics, though Jones noted that the process could take decades.

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Still, microplastics are incredibly invasive and can be found everywhere from food and drinks to the atmosphere, and even inside our bodies. These tiny particles take hundreds of years to break down, and there are signs they can lead to significant health risks, such as cancer, heart disease, and reproductive issues.

What's being done about this?

There are industry-funded initiatives to raise awareness for the need to properly dispose of gum waste and contribute to clean-up efforts, but Jones compared the campaigns to "plastic manufacturers paying for litter pickers and bin bags at volunteer beach cleans" and made it clear that "neither addresses the root cause of the problem."

This discovery highlights how plastic can pollute the environment in unusual ways. You can make a difference by opting for plastic-free alternatives, like reusable bottles and natural fiber clothing. Every effort, no matter how small, can contribute to a healthier lifestyle and a cleaner planet.

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