Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘The Plastic Detox’ revolving around six couples as they make significant lifestyle changes in the hopes of overcoming their fertility challenges, we get a documentary unlike any other. It actually shines a light upon how microplastics and plastic-related chemicals have been linked to numerous health concerns over the years, along with how one can manage their exposure to them. That’s precisely what these couples are asked to do over a period of 3 months – reduce their daily interactions with polymers – to see whether their chances of pregnancy really improve or not.
Monique and Bruno Are Currently Preparing to Welcome Baby #3
When Monique Tavares first came across Bruno Pereira, she wasn’t looking for anything because she was still dealing with the aftermath of a failed marriage. She had no idea at the time that he would be the love of her life and the man with whom she wanted to give her daughter, Cecilia, siblings to grow up alongside. Unfortunately, they weren’t as successful as they had hoped, even after almost 2 years of actively trying, resulting in them deciding to be part of this experiment. They had already added 2 adorable little puppies to the family, but they wanted a baby lest they get a third.
Monique and Bruno of San Ramon, California, were genuinely hopeful, but they could never have imagined that the trial experiment would change their lives as it did. After all, they not only welcomed their son Daniel Pereira Tavares on November 26, 2024, while the cameras were still rolling, but they also got pregnant with baby #3. They are thus preparing for a daughter they have already named Camila Pereira Tavares to enter this world as of writing, especially as her due date is March 22, 2026.
In other words, Monique and Bruno’s plastic detox was successful, so they have chosen to stick to the lifestyle changes and be even more mindful about their consumption. As per an interview with Netflix’s Tudum, they are now focusing on “Green baby products, 100% cotton clothes, breastfeeding as priority, nonplastic baby bottles, a fragrance-free environment.” They also reported that their decrease in plastic use has improved their sleep, as well as construction worker Bruno’s “extreme eczema.”
Julie and Eric Now Hope to Fight Against Daily Toxin Exposure on a Higher Level
Julie and Eric Isaac had been trying to have a baby for over 2½ “emotional and demoralizing” years before they learned of how plastic can potentially impact one’s fertility. This was a massive shock for the Brazil-born University of Miami graduate and the multidimensional academic, driving them to participate in Dr. Shanna Swan’s experiment. Unfortunately, their first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, but they were able to successfully try again — their pain became joy when their son was born on February 8, 2026.
“(The experience) completely changed our perspective on environmental hazards and how everyday household toxins can impact health,” Julie and Eric told Netflix’s Tudum in March 2026. In fact, it did so to such an extent that the latter is now planning to attend law school in the hopes of eventually fighting for policy change and regulations around plastic-related chemical exposure. “We don’t want our son, or anyone, to grow up in a world affected by this,” they candidly asserted. “This is a huge issue everyone has the right to be aware of and protected from.”
Julie and Eric have hope because they understand they weren’t alone in their infertility, and they aren’t alone in their determination “to eliminate these toxins from our daily lives.” We should also mention that Eric was a Founder-Pastor at the Neighborhood Church in Miami from 2018 to 2025, but today, he is focused on serving as a Professor at his alma mater, Florida International University. The Honors College Pre-Law Faculty Member from 2020 to 2025 was proudly appointed Assistant Teaching Professor and Undergraduate Program Director in September 2025.
Katie and Tim Have Chosen to Try the Path of In-Vitro Fertilization
While the plastic detox experiment was incredibly successful for some couples, Katie and Tim Olson found themselves struggling despite making the necessary daily lifestyle changes. They had already been dealing with unexplained fertili ty issues for more than a decade, and although his sperm count increased during the process, his sperm concentration decreased. Therefore, with her chemical levels also strangely increasing, they did not end up getting pregnant. Since then, though, they have decided to try In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) in the hopes of possible success.
Until then, Katie and Tim are proud parents to their two adorable Black Labrador Retriever fur babies; Mabel (born on July 27, 2017) and Winston (born on September 29, 2018). On a professional level, the former prefers to keep her experiences well away from the limelight these days, so all we know for certain is that she is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As for her husband, the Bethel University graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education (class of 2003) has been a proud Realtor at RE/MAX Results since October 2021. It’s also imperative to note that these travel enthusiasts are incredibly family-oriented, seemingly spending most of their free time, weekends, as well as holidays with loved ones in any capacity.
Darby and Jesse Are Enjoying the Joys of Parenthood Today
Twin Falls, Idaho, residents Darby and Jesse Nubbe always hoped to start a family naturally, which is why they spent more than 2 years and $16,000 trying to figure out how to make it happen. Whether it be “weekly blood work, invasive ultrasounds, sperm quality testing, genetic testing, eating well, exercising, daily cold plunging, expensive vitamins, excessive pregnancy testing,” they did it all. Therefore, when they got the diagnosis of “unexplained fertility,” they were heartbroken until they grew even more resolved to succeed, leading to her taking daily vitamins and their participation in the plastic detox experiment.
Darby and Jesse sadly experienced a miscarriage within a month of the experience, but they soon tried again, became pregnant, and had a surprisingly “smooth” ensuing 9 months. They ultimately welcomed a baby boy into this world on February 13, 2026, and have since been strict about everything he plays with, touches, or wears in fear of exposing him to toxic chemicals. Apart from ensuring he only wears cotton, wool, or linen, they have even made “all of his diaper creams and lotions.”
Darby and Jesse told Netflix’s Tudum, “We are cloth diapering with cotton cloth diapers, and plan to exclusively breastfeed to prevent plastic consumption from pumping lines.” Coming to their professional standings, from what we can tell, the former is a Realtor, a bodywork practitioner in Soma Neuromuscular Integration with her own business called Rainmaker Somatics, and a Birth Doula. As for the latter, the University of Washington graduate with a degree in Civil Engineering (class of 2021) has been serving as a self-employed General Contractor at Great Helm Construction since March 2024.
Kate and Erik Hope to Maintain Their New Lifestyle and Routine
Although the drastic plastic exposure detox wasn’t as successful for Kate and Erik Mulder as they had hoped, they did see significant benefits within the 3 short months of the experiment. Therefore, they have decided not only to try and maintain all the changes to the best of their abilities but also improve on them so as to lead a much more natural, organic life. In fact, they told Netflix’s Tudum in an exclusive that their level of exposure has since increased a bit, but they are still trying to reduce plastic and related product use as much as possible.
According to Kate and Erik’s own accounts, changing their wardrobe to a large extent has been the easiest for them because of “how much cotton clothing is available at an affordable price.” The former added that she has even stopped wearing synthetic leggings as loungewear, as the natural ones are especially comfortable when she is cooking with her husband in their home. The Boulder, Colorado, natives still want children of their own, but they seem content as of writing since they make sure to stay busy with extended family, niblings, and their respective careers. However, we should mention that the nature lover and the Director of Product Management at Atlas Digital Group are already proud parents of an adorable Corgi as well as a snake.
Shantal and Nick DiGerolamo Seemingly Prefer to Focus on Their Experiences in Private
Although Shantal and Nick DiGerolamo didn’t get much screentime in the aforementioned original, it appears as if they followed the detox almost exactly as the other couples, but to no avail. Thus, they have chosen to keep the details of their experience and their opinions of the same to themselves, focusing purely on their relationship as well as their respective careers. They currently reside in Costa Mesa, California, where the former serves as the Growth Marketing Manager at Headspace, while the latter is a professional photographer.
From what we can tell, Shantal is originally from Quito, Ecuador, but she has been a resident of California for the better part of her life. She even graduated from California Baptist University with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism in 2014 and a Master’s degree in Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication in 2015. She then truly kick-started her career before finding herself landing the role of Growth Marketing Manager at Headspace in April 2025, all the while serving as a Mental Health Advocate. Coming to Nick, the travel enthusiast appears to be thriving today as a professional photographer for portraits, events, and creative work alike.
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