More microplastics in glass bottles than plastic: study
Paris, France -- Drinks including water, soda, beer and wine sold in glass bottles contain more microplastics than those in plastic bottles, according to a surprising study released by France's food safety agency Friday.
Researchers have detected the tiny, mostly invisible pieces of plastic throughout the world, from in the air we breathe to the food we eat, as well as riddled throughout human bodies.
There is still no direct evidence that this preponderance of plastic is harmful to human health, but a burgeoning field of research is aiming to measure its spread.
Guillaume Duflos, research director at French food safety agency ANSES, told AFP the team sought to 'investigate the quantity of microplastics in different types of drinks sold in France and examine the impact different containers can have'.
The researchers found an average of around 100 microplastic particles per litre in glass bottles of soft drinks, lemonade, iced tea and beer. That was five to 50 times higher than the rate detected in plastic bottles or metal cans.
'We expected the opposite result,' PhD student Iseline Chaib, who conducted the research, told AFP.
'We then noticed that in the glass, the particles emerging from the samples were the same shape, colour and polymer composition -- so therefore the same plastic -- as the paint on the outside of the caps that seal the glass bottles,' she said.
The paint on the caps also had 'tiny scratches, invisible to the naked eye, probably due to friction between the caps when there were stored,' the agency said in a statement.
This could then 'release particles onto the surface of the caps', it added.
Wine fine
For water, both flat and sparkling, the amount of microplastic was relatively low in all cases, ranging from 4.5 particles per litre in glass bottles to 1.6 particles in plastic.
Wine also contained few microplastics -- even glass bottles with caps. Duflos said the reason for this discrepancy 'remains to be explained'.
Soft drinks however contained around 30 microplastics per litre, lemonade 40 and beer around 60.
Because there is no reference level for a potentially toxic amount of microplastics, it was not possible to say whether these figures represent a health risk, ANSES said.
But drink manufacturers could easily reduce the amount of microplastics shed by bottle caps, it added.
The agency tested a cleaning method involving blowing the caps with air, then rinsing them with water and alcohol, which reduced contamination by 60 percent.
The study released by ANSES was published online in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis last month.
By Rébecca Frasquet, AFP
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Toronto Sun
9 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
More microplastics in glass bottles than plastic: Study
Published Jun 20, 2025 • 2 minute read Drinks in glass bottles had five to 50 times more microplastic fragments than in plastic bottles. Photo by JOHN MOORE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. PARIS — Drinks including water, soda, beer and wine sold in glass bottles contain more microplastics than those in plastic bottles, according to a surprising study released by France's food safety agency Friday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Researchers have detected thee tiny, mostly invisible pieces of plastic throughout the world, from in the air we breathe to the food we eat, as well as riddled throughout human bodies. There is still no direct evidence that this preponderance of plastic is harmful to human health, but a burgeoning field of research is aiming to measure its spread. Guillaume Duflos, research director at French food safety agency ANSES, told AFP the team sought to 'investigate the quantity of microplastics in different types of drinks sold in France and examine the impact different containers can have'. The researchers found an average of around 100 microplastic particles per litre in glass bottles of soft drinks, lemonade, iced tea and beer. That was five to 50 times higher than the rate detected in plastic bottles or metal cans. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We expected the opposite result,' PhD student Iseline Chaib, who conducted the research, told AFP. 'We then noticed that in the glass, the particles emerging from the samples were the same shape, colour and polymer composition — so therefore the same plastic — as the paint on the outside of the caps that seal the glass bottles,' she said. The paint on the caps also had 'tiny scratches, invisible to the naked eye, probably due to friction between the caps when there were stored,' the agency said in a statement. This could then 'release particles onto the surface of the caps', it added. Wine fine For water, both flat and sparkling, the amount of microplastic was relatively low in all cases, ranging from 4.5 particles per litre in glass bottles to 1.6 particles in plastic. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Wine also contained few microplastics — even glass bottles with caps. Duflos said the reason for this discrepancy 'remains to be explained.' Soft drinks however contained around 30 microplastics per litre, lemonade 40 and beer around 60. Because there is no reference level for a potentially toxic amount of microplastics, it was not possible to say whether these figures represent a health risk, ANSES said. But drink manufacturers could easily reduce the amount of microplastics shed by bottle caps, it added. The agency tested a cleaning method involving blowing the caps with air, then rinsing them with water and alcohol, which reduced contamination by 60 percent. The study released by ANSES was published online in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis last month. For more health news and content around diseases, conditions, wellness, healthy living, drugs, treatments and more, head to – a member of the Postmedia Network. World Columnists World MMA Toronto & GTA
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More microplastics in glass bottles than plastic: study
Paris, France -- Drinks including water, soda, beer and wine sold in glass bottles contain more microplastics than those in plastic bottles, according to a surprising study released by France's food safety agency Friday. Researchers have detected the tiny, mostly invisible pieces of plastic throughout the world, from in the air we breathe to the food we eat, as well as riddled throughout human bodies. There is still no direct evidence that this preponderance of plastic is harmful to human health, but a burgeoning field of research is aiming to measure its spread. Guillaume Duflos, research director at French food safety agency ANSES, told AFP the team sought to 'investigate the quantity of microplastics in different types of drinks sold in France and examine the impact different containers can have'. The researchers found an average of around 100 microplastic particles per litre in glass bottles of soft drinks, lemonade, iced tea and beer. That was five to 50 times higher than the rate detected in plastic bottles or metal cans. 'We expected the opposite result,' PhD student Iseline Chaib, who conducted the research, told AFP. 'We then noticed that in the glass, the particles emerging from the samples were the same shape, colour and polymer composition -- so therefore the same plastic -- as the paint on the outside of the caps that seal the glass bottles,' she said. The paint on the caps also had 'tiny scratches, invisible to the naked eye, probably due to friction between the caps when there were stored,' the agency said in a statement. This could then 'release particles onto the surface of the caps', it added. Wine fine For water, both flat and sparkling, the amount of microplastic was relatively low in all cases, ranging from 4.5 particles per litre in glass bottles to 1.6 particles in plastic. Wine also contained few microplastics -- even glass bottles with caps. Duflos said the reason for this discrepancy 'remains to be explained'. Soft drinks however contained around 30 microplastics per litre, lemonade 40 and beer around 60. Because there is no reference level for a potentially toxic amount of microplastics, it was not possible to say whether these figures represent a health risk, ANSES said. But drink manufacturers could easily reduce the amount of microplastics shed by bottle caps, it added. The agency tested a cleaning method involving blowing the caps with air, then rinsing them with water and alcohol, which reduced contamination by 60 percent. The study released by ANSES was published online in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis last month. By Rébecca Frasquet, AFP
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A man prepares to enter the water as the sun rises above the Miribel lake, outside Lyon, France, June 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani) Peak sunshine has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere — the summer solstice. Friday is the longest day of the year north of the equator, where the solstice marks the start of astronomical summer. It's the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the shortest day of the year and winter will start. The word 'solstice' comes from the Latin words 'sol' for sun and 'stitium' which can mean 'pause' or 'stop.' The solstice is the end of the sun's annual march higher in the sky, when it makes its longest, highest arc. The bad news for sun lovers: It then starts retreating and days will get a little shorter every day until late December. People have marked solstices for eons with celebrations and monuments, including Stonehenge, which was designed to align with the sun's paths at the solstices. But what is happening in the heavens? Here's what to know about the Earth's orbit. Solstices are when days and nights are at their most extreme As the Earth travels around the sun, it does so at an angle relative to the sun. For most of the year, the Earth's axis is tilted either toward or away from the sun. That means the sun's warmth and light fall unequally on the northern and southern halves of the planet. The solstices mark the times during the year when this tilt is at its most extreme, and days and nights are at their most unequal. During the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice, the upper half of the earth is tilted toward the sun, creating the longest day and shortest night of the year. This solstice falls between June 20 and 22. Meanwhile, at the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is leaning away from the sun — leading to the shortest day and longest night of the year. The winter solstice falls between December 20 and 23. The equinox is when there is an equal amount of day and night During the equinox, the Earth's axis and its orbit line up so that both hemispheres get an equal amount of sunlight. The word equinox comes from two Latin words meaning equal and night. That's because on the equinox, day and night last almost the same amount of time — though one may get a few extra minutes, depending on where you are on the planet. The Northern Hemisphere's spring — or vernal — equinox can land between March 19 and 21, depending on the year. Its fall – or autumnal — equinox can land between Sept. 21 and 24. On the equator, the sun will be directly overhead at noon. Equinoxes are the only time when both the north and south poles are lit by sunshine at the same time. What's the difference between meteorological and astronomical seasons? These are just two different ways to carve up the year. While astronomical seasons depend on how the Earth moves around the sun, meteorological seasons are defined by the weather. They break down the year into three-month seasons based on annual temperature cycles. By that calendar, spring starts on March 1, summer on June 1, fall on Sept. 1 and winter on Dec. 1. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
