Where Do Microplastics Come From – Know The Shocking Sources:

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Where Do Microplastic Come From?

In recent years, microplastics have become a major concern due to their presence in the environment and the severe risk to human health. Do you know where microplastics come from and what are the sources of microplastics?

Microplastics come from various man-made sources such as cosmetics, food packaging, clothing, and industrial processes. Not all microplastics are small, but some are less than 5mm, such as microbeads from clothing, plastic glitters, and plastic pellets (nurdles). There are also other forms of microplastics that are created through the degradation or breakdown of larger plastic materials, such as water bottles, fishing nets, plastic bags, microwave containers, tea bags, and tire wear. These plastic particles have a huge impact on our ecosystem, including wildlife and human health.

Among all sources, a significant portion of microplastics originates from textiles or clothing, particularly polyester, acrylic, and nylon.

Primary Sources Of Microplastics Contributing To Plastic Pollution:

Click here to know about types of microplastics.

Microplastic In Cosmetics and Personal Care Products:

Cosmetics and personal care products contribute to microplastics through microbeads. Microbeads are tiny particles smaller than 5mm, often made from materials like nylon, polyethylene, and polypropylene. These spherical plastic particles are used as exfoliants or scrubs in facial products, body washes, and even toothpaste. If your product gives a shiny, polished effect, it may contain microbeads.

When you use these products and wash them off, the microbeads drain into the water system, where their small size prevents filtration, leading them to enter rivers and oceans. This harms the ecosystem as marine animals ingest these microbeads, which then enter the food chain.

Due to the environmental threat posed by microbeads, the USA banned their use in cosmetics in 2015.

Other Industrial Abrasives:

Another significant source of primary microplastics is industrial abrasives. These materials are used to polish, grind, clean, or remove surface layers to prepare the material for coating, painting, or further manufacturing in industries. These abrasives are less harmful to the surfaces being cleaned than traditional abrasives like sand or glass.

While effective for cleaning, these tiny plastic particles often do not recover after use. They can escape into the environment, especially when used outdoors, contributing to microplastic pollution in water bodies and soil, just like microbeads.

Fact: The production of plastic grew rapidly from 1960 to 1987, increasing from 2.9 million pellets to 21.7 million. By 2019, it had grown to 368 million tons, with Asia, especially China, being a major contributor. [sources].

Here is the pie chart based on the provided content, displaying the distribution of percentages by region. The largest share is represented by China at 31%, followed by Africa at 19%, and other regions accordingly

Here is the pie chart based on the provided content, displaying the distribution of percentages by region. The largest share is represented by China at 31%, followed by Africa at 19%, and other regions accordingly

Personal Protective Equipment:

Since the emergence and detection of COVID-19, the use of disposable face masks has rapidly increased to avoid the transmission of the virus. However, this precautionary measure has become a challenge, raising the level of microplastic particles in the environment. These disposable face masks are made from polymers such as polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, polycarbonate, or polyester. Due to the increased demand for face masks, production increased heavily, with China producing up to 14.8 million in February 2020.

Research on marine pollution indicates that in February 2020, different types and colors of face masks were found in the ocean near Hong Kong. [sources]

Secondary Sources Of Microplastics Contributing To Plastic Pollution:

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Microplastics from Synthetic Clothing:

One of the major contributors to microplastics is textiles, specifically synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, spandex, and acrylic, which shed from clothing during washing and cause pollution. 

You would be amazed to know that a single garment can release up to 1900 microplastic fibers per wash, while fleece sheds 170% more than other materials.

An average 6 kg load of laundry can release more than 700,000 tiny fibers, which enter the sewage system. These fibers are so small that washing machine filters do not work well to capture them, and they can stay in different environments such as land, air, and water, entering the food chain and causing pollution.

Due to the large amount of microplastic released, it may pose health risks from chemicals. The fiber level inside homes is much higher than outside, raising concerns, especially for children and the elderly.

Containers and Packaging:

Plastic containers are widely used in our society. Fancy plastic containers are used to store various food items, but many people do not realize that these containers release microplastics and nano-plastics into food and drinks. Plastic degrades over time, especially when in contact with food or beverages, and enters what we consume.

Bottled Water:

We often buy bottled water from the store, but did you know that studies show bottled water contains more microplastics than tap water due to the bottling and filtering processes. A study conducted by collecting samples from 11 different well-known water brands found they were contaminated with microplastics, with an average of 235 particles per liter. Other studies detected 240,000 nano-plastic particles per liter.

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Here is a bar chart visualizing the microplastic quantities released by various brands based on the provided data. The chart compares the total microplastic densities (MPP/L) for each brand, offering a clear view of the brands that release higher amounts of microplastics. ​​

Leading brands such as Nestlé Pure Life and Gerolsteiner bottles contained the most microplastic particles. Nestlé Pure Life contained 930 particles per liter, and Gerolsteiner contained 807 particles per liter. San Pellegrino, an Italian brand known for its mineral water, had the lowest amount of microplastic densities. [sources]

Fact: Have you ever noticed that the water you buy from the store has an expiration date? That date is actually the expiration date of the bottle, not the water.

Baby Bottles:

We feed babies milk, water, or purees with baby bottles and often use warm water to prepare their meals, especially milk, without realizing we are exposing our little ones to 4.5 million plastic particles per day. Even when using glass bottles, the nipples are made from silicone, which degrades over time. Repeated boiling and sterilization degrade thousands of plastic particles daily, raising concerns about long-term health effects.

Single-Use Plastic Products:

Single-use plastics are those products meant for one-time use (disposable) for convenience and hygiene purposes, but they significantly contribute to plastic waste as they are often non-recyclable. Studies show that when single-use plastic products come into contact with hot or cold water or other materials, they release microplastics, which can affect human cells and harm our body’s defense against oxidative damage.

Fishing Industry:

The fishing industry is another major contributor to microplastics in the ocean and sea. Researchers claim that between 2.4 and 10.8 billion pounds of microplastics float in just the top foot of seawater due to fishing, marine vessels, and other fishing gear. These plastics, along with chemicals from them, such as PBDEs, are found in seabirds and enter the food chain. Both plastic and its chemicals are responsible for plastic pollution.

55% of fish in Indonesia and 67% in North America contain plastic particles.

Sewage Treatment Plants:

In some countries, sewage sludge is used as fertilizer, exposing plastics in the sludge to environmental factors like sunlight, which causes them to break down into microplastics and then enter into drains and water bodies. Some microplastics also pass through the filtration systems of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). 

A study in the UK found that samples from sewage sludge disposal sites on six continents had an average of one microplastic particle per liter, with many of these particles coming from clothing fibers released by washing machines.

Sewage treatment plants clean wastewater mainly from households using physical, chemical, and biological methods in three stages: primary, secondary, and tertiary (tertiary is optional).

The primary stage is a physical process to remove large particles like sand, oil, and solids using filters and settling tanks.

In the secondary stage, bacteria and protozoa degrade organic matter through activated sludge systems, trickling filters, and constructed wetlands.

There is also a third stage to disinfect water and remove nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.

Microplastics have been found in both primary and secondary treatment stages. A 1998 study showed that microplastic fibers are commonly found in sewage sludge and wastewater plant outflows. Studies estimate that about one microplastic particle per liter is still released back into the environment. Most microplastics are removed during the primary stage, but plants cannot fully clean the water of this pollutant.

Tire Wear Causes Microplastics:

Car and truck tires are another major source contributing to microplastics in the environment. The wear and tear of tires release microplastics. Although tire microplastics are considered secondary microplastics, they contribute more than primary ones.

Microplastic emissions from car tires are the highest. Other sources, such as airplane tires, artificial turf, brakes, and road markings, contribute less. Microplastic emissions also vary depending on road types. Some studies suggest that 5-10% of ocean plastic pollution comes from tire wear, while in the air, it accounts for around 3-7%. [sources]

On average, each person contributes 0.81 kg of microplastic emissions per year worldwide.

Shipping:

Shipping has always been a major contributor to plastic pollution. In 1970, one commercial fleet dumped 23,000 tons of plastic into the ocean. After that, an agreement was made to prohibit dumping plastic into the ocean, but shipping still contributes significantly to marine pollution. Statistics indicate that around 23,000 tons of plastic waste were dumped into the ocean in 1970. Despite the agreement, in July 2012, nearly 150 tons of nurdles were accidentally spilled from vessels near the coast of Hong Kong.

At the end of 2013, approximately 86 million tons of plastic were found in the world’s oceans.

Below is a chart representing the distribution of European plastics converters demand by segment in 2019:

SegmentPercentage of Demand (%)
Packaging39.6%
Building & Construction20.4%
Automotive9.6%
Electrical & Electronic6.2%
Household, Leisure & Sport4.1%
Other3.4%

Microplastics come from different primary and secondary sources such as cosmetics, clothing, industrial processes, transportation, packaging and so on. These tiny particles enter into our ecosystem due to our daily activities like washing clothes and using disposable products that we often consider hygienic but they are actually a threat to our ecosystem. 

The impact of these tiny particles is severe as they affect wildlife, human health, and sustainable ecosystems worldwide. Despite various efforts to reduce plastic use, it remains a growing challenge.

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