Scientists make unexpected discovery about health impacts of common recreation equipment: 'The first reliable data'
Microplastics have become a major environmental concern, and scientists have long known that the wear and tear of vehicle tires is a significant contributing factor in the amount of microplastics found in the environment.
However, other tires, such as bicycle tires, have not been studied to see how much microplastic they release. Now, though, the University of Bayreuth in Germany has completed such a study.
Researchers from the University of Bayreuth recently released their findings from a study on the amount of microplastics released from the abrasion of bike tires — specifically mountain bikes.
Researchers already knew that 35% of microplastic pollution in Germany comes from vehicle tires, with around 11 grams of microplastics released for every 62 miles driven. What they didn't know was how much mountain bike tires contributed.
According to their findings, the news is good and bad. Mountain bike tires do contribute to microplastic pollution, but these tires only contribute less than 1% of the total, releasing approximately 3.5 grams every 62 miles ridden.
Doctoral researcher Fabian Sommer, who led the team, said, as relayed by Phys.org: "Our study provides the first reliable data on the amount of tire abrasion from mountain bikes under real-world conditions. The results show that while mountain bike tires release microplastics directly into nature, the amount is significantly lower compared to motorized vehicles."
Microplastics continue to be found nearly everywhere, whether in water, soil, food, household products, air, or even the human body.
Science has linked these tiny particles to a host of adverse health effects in people, including inflammation, hormone disruption, and cancer.
Microplastics also harm the environment, as they release chemicals into the water, soil, and air. Research has shown that microplastics may negatively impact animals, particularly fish, which is doubly concerning when considering the risks of people consuming contaminated meat.
Dealing with microplastics will take time, but governments, companies, and individuals have taken steps in the right direction.
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The Microbead-Free Waters Act was passed in 2015, which banned the packaging, manufacturing, and distribution of certain cosmetic products using plastic microbeads.
In 2022, 175 countries agreed to create an agreement to end plastic pollution by addressing recycling issues and the abundance of single-use plastic packaging.
Individuals can help reduce microplastics found in the environment by curbing their use of plastic or making small changes to their lives, such as sometimes riding a mountain bike rather than using a car, since that releases fewer microplastics into the environment.
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