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Micro-plastic fibres found in groundwater
News
A new study published in the journal Groundwater has reported micro plastics in fractured limestone aquifers – a groundwater source that accounts for 25% of the global drinking water supply.
Important facts
- The study identified microplastic fibers, along with a variety of medicines and household contaminants, in two aquifer systems in Illinois.
- It is estimated that 6.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic waste have been produced since the 1940s, and 79% of that is now in landfills or the natural environment
Additional Information
What are microplastics?
- Microplastics are plastic particles of less than 5 mm in diameter.
- They enter the environment either as primary industrial products, such as those used in scrubbers and cosmetics, or via urban waste water and broken-down elements of articles discarded by consumers.
Impact of Microplastic pollution:
- The ingestion of microplastics is dangerous for humans as these substances contain high concentrations of toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls
- Microplastics are a major threat to oceans and the marine life. According to a 2017 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) report, microplastics are estimated to constitute up to 30% of marine litter polluting the oceans
