Plastic pollution is a hot issue nowadays due to the dangers it brings to human and planetary health. A new study found that the world’s tap water is now contaminated by microscopic plastic fibers. This is both dangerous and worrying.
How the study was made
The research was carried out by taking samples of tap water all over the world: from Europe to Jakarta, Beirut and the U.S. The results are not very promising.
83% of tap water tested positive for microplastic fibers. Orb, the journalistic outlet which carried out the study took samples from dozens of countries on five continents.
The results indicated that the amount of microplastic fibers found in tap water differed in each place or country. Some countries had less while others had more.
94% of the U.S tap water was found contaminated with microplastic fibers. The researchers took samples all over U.S, including from the Environmental Protection Agency’s main office.
How is this possible?
Over 300 million tons of plastic is being produced annually and there are many ways through which the plastic fragments can enter into the water system. Some of the most unexpected ways would include tire dust, synthetic fiber clothing or microbeads. It is also important to remember plastic is non-bio degradable, which is a serious threat to the entire ecosystem.
The marine life, seabirds and the human food chain are all in danger due to the plastic pollution. Now, there is another type of pollution with repercussions which need to be studied: the effects of the microplastic in the human body.
Sherri Mason, an expert on plastic pollution has declared for Orb that everything is connected: air, water, soil and even so, human continue to contaminate everything. It is high time we stopped being so careless.
