Cookies help us deliver the best experience on our website. By clicking Accept you are agreeing to the placement and use of cookies as described in our privacy policy.
Microplastics, tiny plastic particles below 5mm, and nanoplastics below 1 micrometer, have been detected in a wide range of foods and environments. This has generated legitimate scientific concern and, separately, a wave of anxiety-driven questions about whether any food growing system involving plastic components is safe.
The research on this topic is evolving quickly. Here’s what it actually shows, for conventional produce, for hydroponic systems, and for Gardyn specifically.
Key takeaways
- Microplastics have been detected in many commercial foods, including vegetables, primarily through soil contamination (from plastic mulch films and sewage sludge) and plastic packaging.
- Indoor hydroponic systems eliminate two of the primary microplastic exposure routes in conventional produce: plastic-contaminated soil and post-harvest plastic packaging.
- All Gardyn components in contact with food or water are manufactured from food-grade, BPA-free, food-safe plastics : the same standard used in food storage and water filtration.
- The scientific picture on microplastics and health is genuinely evolving, current evidence is concerning but not conclusive on health outcomes.
- Relative to commercial field-grown and packaged produce, Gardyn-grown food has a meaningfully different, and in key ways lower, microplastic exposure profile.
Where microplastics enter the food supply
Understanding how microplastics get into food is necessary to evaluate any specific growing system’s risk profile. The main pathways:
- Contaminated agricultural soil: Microplastics accumulate in soil through plastic mulch films used in conventional farming, sewage sludge applied as fertilizer, and atmospheric deposition. Plants can take up microplastics through their roots and accumulate them in leaf tissue, particularly leafy vegetables.
- Plastic packaging: Plastic bags, clamshells, and modified atmosphere packaging can shed microplastic particles onto produce during handling, storage, and transport. Bagged salad greens, in contact with plastic for days during distribution, have shown microplastic contamination in multiple studies.
- Irrigation water: Microplastics have been detected in surface water and groundwater sources used for agricultural irrigation. Field-grown crops irrigated with contaminated water have higher microplastic exposure than those grown with clean water sources.
- Atmospheric deposition: Microplastics fall from the atmosphere everywhere, including onto crops growing outdoors. Indoor growing environments significantly reduce this exposure route.
How the Gardyn system addresses each pathway
| Microplastic pathway | Conventional produce | Gardyn system |
| Contaminated soil | High exposure, plastic mulch, sewage sludge common | No soil, Hybriponic™ grows in clean water, no soil contact |
| Plastic packaging | High, bagged salad in plastic for days in transit | None, harvested directly from plant to kitchen, no packaging |
| Irrigation water | Variable, depends on agricultural water source | Clean tap water in sealed reservoir, no surface water |
| Atmospheric deposition | High, outdoor open-field growing | Low, enclosed indoor environment limits atmospheric exposure |
| Plastic system components | Not a pathway (produce grown elsewhere) | Food-grade, BPA-free plastics; clean tap water; no leaching under normal use |
The material safety question: are Gardyn’s plastics safe?
The concern about any system with plastic components is whether the plastic itself leaches into the food or water. This is a legitimate question.
All Gardyn components that contact water or plant roots are manufactured from food-grade, BPA-free materials : the same standards required for food storage containers, water filtration systems, and food-contact packaging. Food-grade plastics have been tested and approved for direct food contact precisely because they don’t leach harmful compounds into water or food at the concentrations and temperatures involved in normal use.
The water in the Gardyn reservoir is clean tap water, not heated, not under pressure beyond the pump, and not in contact with materials that would cause degradation or leaching. This is categorically different from industrial plastic applications that do present leaching risks (high heat, UV exposure, acids, long contact times at elevated temperature).
|
Comparing microplastic exposure: Gardyn vs commercial salad
A straightforward comparison of the microplastic exposure pathways for a bowl of salad from a commercial bagged salad vs from a Gardyn system:
| Exposure source | Bagged commercial salad | Gardyn-grown salad |
| Soil contact during growing | High, field soil with plastic contamination | None : no soil used |
| Irrigation water | Variable, often surface or well water | Clean tap water only |
| Atmospheric exposure during growing | High, outdoor field exposure | Low, indoor enclosed environment |
| Plastic packaging contact | High, plastic bag for 5–10 days in transit | None : no packaging |
| Processing facility exposure | Present, washing and packaging operations | None, direct from plant to kitchen |
| Overall relative exposure | Baseline | Significantly lower on key pathways |
|
Frequently asked questions
Do Gardyn plants absorb microplastics from the plastic components?
The food-grade, BPA-free plastics used in Gardyn components are designed for food contact and do not leach at the levels or conditions involved in normal hydroponic operation (clean tap water at room temperature, no heat or UV degradation). Plant uptake of microplastics requires particles to be present in the growing medium, in a hydroponic system using clean tap water and no soil, the primary sources of microplastic contamination present in field growing are absent.
Are microplastics in my tap water?
Microplastics have been detected in tap water at low levels in many locations. A home water filter (carbon block, reverse osmosis) reduces microplastic levels in tap water significantly. Using filtered water in your Gardyn reservoir further reduces any potential exposure from this source.
Is bagged salad a source of microplastics?
Research has detected microplastics in bagged salad greens. The exposure pathways include the plastic bag itself (contact for days during transit and storage), the plastic-contaminated soil the greens were grown in, and the processing facilities. This is an area of active research; the quantities detected are generally low, but the consistent finding across multiple studies warrants awareness.
Should I be concerned about microplastics from my Gardyn system?
The Gardyn system uses food-grade, BPA-free plastics that have been tested for food-contact safety. Relative to commercially grown and packaged produce, which involves soil contact, plastic packaging, and longer supply chains, Gardyn-grown produce has a meaningfully lower exposure profile on the pathways that matter most. This is not a zero-risk claim (no food is zero-risk for microplastics in the current environment), but it is a meaningfully better risk profile.
