Plastic Cutting Board (Standard)
Standard plastic cutting boards shed millions of microplastic particles per year directly into food. Rated D — use with caution, replace with wood or bamboo.
This is a rating of this specific product only — not the company. Other products from this brand may score differently.
Plastic cutting boards are one of the most overlooked sources of microplastic ingestion in the American kitchen. Every time a knife crosses the surface, it cuts microscopic plastic particles loose — and those particles go directly into your food. A 2023 study published in Environmental Science & Technology found that a standard plastic cutting board can shed between 7.4 and 50.7 million microplastic particles per year. Polyethylene and polypropylene — the most common cutting board plastics — are not considered toxic themselves, but the microplastics carry surface chemicals and can accumulate in organs.
Why We Rated It This Way
A 2023 peer-reviewed study in Environmental Science & Technology found plastic cutting boards shed 7.4–50.7 million microplastic particles per year into food. This is direct ingestion of plastic with every meal prepared.
Chemical & Health Analysis
Each chemical of concern is broken down below — what it is, where it comes from in this product, what it does to the body, and who is most at risk.
Polyethylene / Polypropylene Microplastics
Knife cuts on board surface
Microplastic particles shed with every cut go directly into food. Microplastics have been found in human blood, lungs, liver, and placenta. Long-term health effects are still being studied but include potential inflammation and chemical leaching from plastic additives.
All health claims are based on published, peer-reviewed research from the NIH, WHO, IARC, and peer-reviewed journals. This information is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice.