The Irish EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in their recent research report are highlighting the risk of ingesting micoplastics when eating fish such as trout and salmon or swallowing the tiny plastic particles while swimming. The EPA report shows that water treatment plants are among the biggest sources of microplastics in the environment and that 24 species of molluscs, fish, birds, mammals and crustaceans can be affected if they ingest the tiny plastic particles.
Microplastics are defined as plastic particles less than 5mm in diameter, formed either through the breakdown of larger plastic particles from discarded plastic bottles and other plastic waste, polyester clothing waste or through the addition of plastic microbeads in cosmetic products and household cleaning agents.
Microbeads and other microplastics become trapped in wastewater treatment plant sludge or septic tank sludge, and land-spreading of this sludge on agricultural land poses risks to Irish ecosystems and water supplies. For home owners worried about potential plastic micropolutants in their drinking water supplies, we recommend the installation of a quality point of use water filter or wholehouse water filtration system. Read more…
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