Microplastics are a serious public health problem, found in food, drinking water, air and human tissues. Originally considered an environmental threat to marine organisms, today they are particles smaller than 5 mm, resulting from the production of cosmetics, biomedical products or the breakdown of larger plastics such as packaging, tires and synthetic textiles. Nanoplastics smaller than 1 µm have higher cellular uptake and wider distribution in mammalian tissues. Despite growing awareness, legislation is insufficient and a more operative approach is needed to prevent their entry into the environment. Microplastics have been detected in human arteries, placental tissue, blood and other parts of the body. A March 2024 study showed that in the atherosclerotic plaques of 304 patients with microplastics, there were higher inflammatory markers and a 4.5-fold increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death during 34 months of follow-up. The particles weaken DNA repair in cells, cause oxidative stress, inflammation and risks such as cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal effects, reproductive disorders, metabolic problems and cancer.