Most notably, plastics can release harmful chemicals into our everyday drinking water, and the worst part about it - we are being affected without even knowing. This study shows that not only soil and water can be affected, but the air. We breathe 22,000 times a day, 154,000 times a week and 8,409,600 times a year. And almost every time we breathe, we inhale harmful gases that can cause respiratory issues, and health problems in general.