Putting plastic in the microwave increases your risk of ingesting harmful microplastics. Kinga Krzeminska/Getty Images

Standing near your microwave almost certainly won’t give you cancer, but that doesn’t mean the popular kitchen appliance isn’t linked to health concerns. While glass, ceramic and porcelain are safe to use in a microwave, certain food storage vessels present a clear and present danger when nuked at such high temperatures.

The microwave is an undoubtedly handy tool for reheating leftovers — though better options exist — softening butter, or even quickly cooking meats with this surprisingly effective microwave grill plate, but what you put in the microwave matters to avoid the risk of ingesting microplastics.

Study after study has shown that the resulting chemical exposure from microplastics could pose significant health risks, and they have been linked to increases in medical issues like infertility and even cancer.…