Microplastics and nanoplastics are everywhere: in the water we drink, the air we breathe, even the food we eat. But one surprising source may be sitting right on your kitchen counter.
A growing body of research shows something simple and a little disturbing: Plastic cutting boards shed microplastics every time you use them.
At The Boardsmith, we believe your kitchen tools should support your health, not compromise it. Here’s what’s happening, why it matters, and why switching to wood is one of the easiest upgrades you can make.
What Even Are Microplastics?
Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic less than five millimeters in size, often invisible, but increasingly unavoidable.
They come from the slow breakdown of larger plastics through friction, heat, pressure, and everyday wear. Over time, water bottles, storage containers, and yes, cutting boards begin to shed microscopic particles.
There are two main types:
-Primary microplastics: manufactured at a small size (like microbeads once found in cosmetics).
-Secondary microplastics: created when larger plastic products degrade — for example, when a knife slices into a plastic cutting board thousands of times.
These fragments don’t simply disappear. Scientists have detected microplastics in drinking water, sea salt, fruits and vegetables, and even human blood and lung tissue. Nanoplastics, which are even smaller, may penetrate cell membranes.
How Plastic Cutting Boards Contribute
Most of us use our cutting boards every day. Each time a knife hits the surface of a plastic board, it generates friction and pressure, the two conditions that accelerate microplastic shedding.
Plastic boards are typically made from polyethylene (HDPE or LDPE) or polypropylene. These materials are valued for being lightweight, inexpensive, and dishwasher-safe, but they are not resistant to knife damage.
Over time, those knife marks deepen into micro-fractures. Eventually, those fractures produce tiny flakes and fibers that detach and mix with the food on the board.
A recent study from the American Chemical Society found that slicing vegetables on plastic boards can release 1,000 to 50,000 microplastic particles per meal, depending on the board’s age and the food being cut.
A few key points:
-Older boards shed faster due to deeper grooves.
-Softer plastics degrade more quickly.
-Dishwashers accelerate breakdown, producing nanoplastics that enter wastewater systems.
Even “eco-friendly” resin or composite boards often contain bonded fibers or phenolic resins that degrade similarly under heat and pressure.
Why Wood Is the Better Choice
If plastic breaks down with every slice, wood responds in the opposite way.
Wood’s cellular structure allows fibers to part and then gently close again when cut, a property that plastic does not have. This “self-healing” effect reduces gouging and minimizes surface damage. It also plays a role in why hardwood is naturally more hygienic and more durable over time.
1. Wood Is Naturally Antimicrobial
One of wood’s most important advantages is something plastic simply cannot replicate:
its natural antimicrobial properties.
Studies from UC Davis and the University of Wisconsin found:
-Bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella die off faster on wood surfaces than on plastic.
-Plastic traps bacteria in knife scars where they can survive for days.
-Wood draws moisture and microbes below the surface, where they naturally break down.
In practical terms: A wood board is often cleaner after a rinse than a plastic board after a scrub.
2. Gentle on Knives, Built for Performance
Knife performance is one of the most overlooked aspects of cutting board choice.
End-grain hardwood offers a forgiving, resilient surface:
-It cushions the blade instead of resisting it.
-It preserves sharpness and edge integrity.
-It reduces wear, keeping knives sharper for longer.
Plastic, bamboo, glass, and stone surfaces all dull knives more quickly, leading to more frequent sharpening or replacement.
For anyone who cooks regularly, that difference is meaningful: It means better edge retention, more control, and better texture in the foods you prepare.
3. Built to Last
A well-made wooden butcher block is a lifetime tool.
When cared for properly, oiled, buttered, and kept dry, a Boardsmith block can last decades. And unlike plastic, wood can be resurfaced and renewed.
Plastic boards, on the other hand:
-warp
-discolor
-absorb odors
-and eventually end up in landfills
Wood, especially end-grain hardwood, is a truly sustainable option because you can maintain it, repair it, and keep it in your kitchen for generations.
4. Safe, Food-Focused Construction
Every Boardsmith board is built with uncompromising attention to safety and durability:
-the only FDA-approved, waterproof, food-safe glue available
-sustainably harvested American hardwoods (maple, walnut, cherry)
-ideal hardness and tight grain structure
-handmade hardwood escutcheons
-rubber feet for stability and airflow
-handcrafted construction in Frisco, Texas
The result is a cutting surface that’s stable, sanitary, and designed for serious cooks.
The Bottom Line: Cook Clean, Choose Wood
Microplastics aren’t going away anytime soon, but the tools you choose can make a real difference. A Boardsmith butcher block is more than just a kitchen tool, it’s a way to cook cleaner, live cleaner, and invest in something that is built to last.
When you prepare food on real wood, you’re choosing fewer microplastics in your meals, a safer environment for your family, and craftsmanship you can feel every time your knife hits the board.