Latest news with #microplastics
Zawya
4 hours ago
- Health
- Zawya
Microplastics' escalating threat to South Africa's health, environment
The growing impact of microplastics in South Africa is having an escalating effect on the environment and public health. Recent studies reveal alarming statistics: over 80% of South African freshwater sources contain microplastic contamination, with concentrations reaching up to 10,000 particles per cubic meter in some urban rivers. Health risk Coastal surveys show microplastics in over 90% of sampled beach sediments, threatening marine ecosystems and entering the seafood chain. This problem is compounded by South Africa's high plastic consumption and limited recycling infrastructure, leading to widespread plastic pollution. As plastics degrade, they fragment into microplastics, which are virtually impossible to remove from the environment and can persist for decades. 'Everyday plastic waste, such as bags, bottles and packaging, often ends up in landfills, waterways and the environment, due to inadequate waste management. 'In addition, urban stormwater runoff carries tire dust, synthetic clothing fibres, and plastic litter into rivers and oceans,' notes Nicholas De Beer, director of Fortis X. 'Wastewater treatment plants, many of which are outdated or under-resourced, struggle to filter out microplastics from domestic and industrial sources. 'Additionally, lost or discarded fishing gear along South Africa's coastline contributes significantly to marine microplastic pollution, ultimately seeping into the food chain,' adds De Beer. Microplastics are not just an environmental nuisance; they pose real risks to human health. Toxic environment Globally, individuals are estimated to consume between 11,845 and 193,200 microplastic particles per year, with drinking water identified as the primary source. The toxicity of microplastics stems from both their inherent properties and their to interact with other pollutants, such as heavy metals. Scientific research increasingly links microplastic ingestion and inhalation to a range of health issues: - Chemical exposure: Microplastics often carry toxic additives like phthalates, BPA, and heavy metals, which can leach into food and beverages, disrupting endocrine functions and increasing cancer risks. - Immune system impact: Studies show microplastics can cause inflammation and oxidative stress, potentially impairing immune responses. - Bioaccumulation: Microplastics accumulate in the human body over time, with recent findings detecting microplastics in blood, lungs, and even placentas, raising concerns about long-term effects on development and reproduction. - Food safety: In South Africa, where bottled water and packaged beverages are widely consumed, microplastic contamination directly threatens consumer health. 'These tiny particles are increasingly being found in drinking water, food, and even the air, raising serious questions about long-term health impacts. 'Studies suggest that microplastics can carry toxic chemicals, including endocrine disruptors and heavy metals, which may leach into the body once ingested or inhaled. 'Once inside, microplastics have been shown to trigger inflammation, disrupt cellular processes, and potentially accumulate in organs, though the full extent of harm is still under investigation,' De Beer explains, adding 'given these risks, reducing exposure to microplastics is a critical public health priority.' While conventional plastics are designed to be durable, they degrade into tiny fragments over time rather than fully breaking down. These microplastics persist in the environment, absorbing toxins and entering food chains through marine and freshwater organisms. Says De Beer: 'The cumulative effect of these sources is a growing environmental and health concern, especially as plastic use continues to outpace the development of sustainable waste solutions.' Microplastics represent a hidden but escalating threat to South African health and the environment.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Metal bottle caps ‘surprising' source of microplastic contamination, study finds
Metal bottle caps can be a significant source of microplastic contamination in beverages, a new peer-reviewed study by France's food safety agency finds. Researchers compared microplastic levels in beer, water, wine and soft drinks, and found the substance in all samples, but liquid in glass jars showed the highest levels. The surprising source of the contamination – a polyester-based paint on the glass bottles' metal caps. The findings were 'very surprising', said Alexandre Dehaut, a study co-author with the French agency for food, environmental and occupational health and safety. 'Caps were suspected to be the main source of contamination, as the majority of particles isolated in beverages were identical to the color of caps and shared the composition of the outer paint,' the authors wrote in the study. Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic either intentionally added to consumer goods, or that are products of larger plastics breaking down. The particles contain any number of 16,000 plastic chemicals, of which thousands, such as BPA, phthalates and Pfas, present serious health risks. The substance has been found throughout the human body, and is a neurotoxicant that can cross the placental and brain barriers. It is linked to an increased risk of heart attack and cancer. Diet is thought to be a main exposure route – testing in recent years has consistently identified microplastics in a range of foods and beverages, and packaging is one source of contamination. Researchers in the new study checked beverages in water, glass, metal, and brick bottles, and found microplastics in all. The levels in the glass bottles were highest – about 50 times higher than the plastic. The glass bottles used metal caps, while the plastic bottles came with plastic caps. The plastic caps did not use the same kind of paint as the metal caps, researchers noted. Dehaut said they were led to the paint because the microplastic fragments they found in the beverages seemed to match the paint. Closer scrutiny revealed the microplastics matched material, color and polymeric composition of the paint lining the outside of the caps. It appears the bottle caps are stored post production with thousands of other caps in bags or boxes, and those scrape each other as they are jostled, Dehaut noted. Once the caps are sealed to the bottles, the bits of plastic from the scratches end up in the beverage. The authors were able to see the tiny scrapes and scratches when they placed the caps under a microscope. Sign up to Detox Your Kitchen A seven-week expert course to help you avoid chemicals in your food and groceries. after newsletter promotion Researchers also found that the problem may be easy to solve – the microplastic can be removed from the caps by rinsing and blowing them dry at the end of the manufacturing process. However, Dehaut said the strategy worked in the lab, but it may be more difficult to do on an industrial scale. They also found microplastics that did not come from the paint, meaning the contamination occurred somewhere in the production process, or was in the product's water. Though the dangers of microplastics are coming into sharper focus, the health impacts of those that researchers found in the bottles are unclear because there's so much variation in the type of plastic, and they did not run risk assessments, Dehaut said. Consumers could avoid metal bottle caps. Dehaut said there is little people can do at home about the contamination because the microplastics are already in the beverages. He said the findings point to the need to investigate and avoid contamination further upstream during the production process. 'We should investigate such things, but don't be paranoid,' Dehaut said.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists stunned after finding one of Earth's most remote places blanketed in dangerous material: 'Is it snowing plastic … ?'
Scientists stunned after finding one of Earth's most remote places blanketed in dangerous material: 'Is it snowing plastic … ?' Early findings from an ambitious global research project show that microplastics might truly be everywhere on our planet — even in the world's most remote locations. What's happening? Alan Chambers has gained acclaim for exploring some of the world's most extreme locations. He has skied across Iceland and led a team that walked from Canada to the North Pole. His latest mission, CNN reported, is for an important scientific cause. Chambers is heading up Mission Spiritus, an initiative aimed at assessing the global spread of microplastics and nanoplastics. His goal is to gather samples from remote locations on every continent. "Mission Spiritus aims to deliver evidence-based insights that enable impactful solutions, driving meaningful transformational change on one of humanity's most pressing environmental crises," the organization says on its website. The first journey took place last year, as Chambers and a fellow explorer spent two months skiing from the Antarctic coast to the geographic South Pole. Over the 715-mile journey, the pair filled tins with snow, which were eventually tested by a scientist in Chile. Although the research into those samples is ongoing, initial results have raised some eyebrows. "The researchers found some traces of plastic in (samples from) the middle of Antarctica. The only way it can get there is the wind system," Chambers told CNN. "Is it snowing plastic in Antarctica?" Chambers retrieved samples earlier this year from the world's largest sand desert in Oman's Empty Quarter. This summer, he'll do the same in the Faroe Islands. If the project receives enough funding, Chambers also plans to explore remote locations in Chile, the Comoros Islands, Canada, and Western Australia. Why are microplastics important? Microplastics are tiny, sometimes imperceptible pieces of plastic that are no bigger than 5 millimeters, or the size of a pencil eraser. Tiny pieces of plastic can be manufactured for various uses, such as beads and microfibers, or they can break off from larger pieces of plastic. No matter how they are created, however, microplastics are everywhere. Along with Antarctica, they're found commonly in our oceans, drinking water, soil, and the air we breathe. They're even in human brains. Do you think Americans use too much plastic? Absolutely Only in some states We're getting better We're doing fine Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The health effects of microplastic pollution are still largely unknown, but new research frequently emerges that paints a worrying picture. Recent studies have linked the issue to health problems such as diabetes, digestive issues, and multiple cancers. What's being done about microplastics? Chambers told CNN his goal is to raise awareness for plastic recycling in an attempt to keep microplastics out of the atmosphere and water. And although reusing and recycling plastic will help (while also promoting the circular economy), so will using less of the material. Whether it's by choosing natural cleaning products or reusable shopping bags and food-storage containers, every time we choose to avoid plastic, we create fewer opportunities for plastic waste. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
How to remove microplastics from your home, room by room
Look around most homes and you'll see plastic everywhere, on food packaging and cleaning products; even the mattress you sleep on and the sponge you scrub the dishes with are probably made from plastic. We know that our reliance on plastic is damaging the environment, but there is also growing concern for how it could be affecting our health. Plastic utensils, when in contact with heat, can leach chemicals into our cooking. Microplastics – plastic debris, sometimes containing toxins – can transfer from plastic chopping boards into our food. Studies have suggested links between microplastics and various health conditions. One way to address these concerns is to rethink our plastic use at home. For Kate Jones, author of a new book, My Plastic-Free Home, and owner of The Natural Living Shop, a refill shop in Lancashire, pregnancy was the start of a big reset and a plastic-reducing journey. She felt overwhelmed by the material things she was told she needed to buy for her baby and questioned the impact that plastic can have. 'It is such a new product in terms of how long we have been on the Earth, and we don't know the full consequences,' she explains. 'We know microplastics contain a number of harmful chemicals, and that the amount of microplastics in the world and our bodies is significantly on the rise.' Jones spent her maternity leave making changes, swapping plastic items for natural materials, and sharing her findings on her Instagram, @my_plastic_free_home. What started as 'an enjoyable obsession' evolved into an online community and is now a book, full of positive advice, tips, swaps and suggestions for living plastic-free. While Jones and her family have eradicated a huge amount of plastic from their home, she encourages other people to start slowly. 'Start with one thing that you'd like to change. When you're happy with that and it's become a habit, look for the next change. For a habit to stick and feel good, it shouldn't feel overwhelming.' Here are some easy swaps to start with. The kitchen The kitchen often harbours a lot of disposable plastic, which Jones says is top of the list when it comes to plastic she'd like to avoid. Food packaging is a key offender, so an easy swap is to use a greengrocer or a veg box delivery service where possible, instead of buying plastic-wrapped fruit and vegetables from a supermarket. Jones says that the sink is another great area to tackle. Use a glass bottle for washing-up liquid refills, or buy dish-soap bars. And opt for wooden dish brushes with tampico bristles that are strong and durable, over cheap plastic brushes. The wooden brush might change colour over time, explains Jones, 'and it is supposed to because it will eventually return to the earth and that is a good thing. We get it into our heads that we need everything to look fresh and new and we need to change that concept.' Jones avoids cheap sponges, which shed microplastics, and uses cellulose sponges made from wood pulp instead. These can go into the top rack of the dishwasher when they are dirty and eventually can be composted. She suggests using wood or glass chopping boards instead of plastic, swapping plastic food containers for glass ones with bamboo lids for the fridge, and using lightweight stainless-steel reusable containers when out and about. Try for plastic-free kitchen utensils and dish soap, and for food containers. Another top tip: Jones has a big basket of tea towels in her kitchen, which she uses for everything from wiping up spills to covering food. The laundry Before you even think about removing plastic from the laundry, you have to consider your clothes, explains Jones: 'If your clothes are polyester, they will shed microplastics every time you wash them. So a good thing to do is to look for natural fibres as much as possible.' Washing powders and tablets not only are packaged in disposable plastic, they also may contain silicones and parabens, which Jones says, 'aren't good for our waterways and are dangerous to aquatic life.' Although she is an advocate of making your own laundry products (you can find recipes in her book), there are also many eco-friendly laundry products on the market. Try laundry sheets, where the powder is embedded in the paper sheet (an ideal travelling solution and good for handwashing too; try and avoid laundry scent boosters which contain synthetic fragrances. Jones uses natural bleach, also known as percarbonate of soda, which brightens whites and colours. She recommends air drying (cheaper and better for your clothes, plus yet more microplastics are shed in the tumble dryer) and swapping plastic pegs for stainless steel or wooden ones (the plastic ones go brittle in the sun anyway). The bathroom 'The UK has an affinity for putting bleach down the toilet and it is so commonplace and something that I used to do, but it is so bad for the environment,' says Jones. A great alternative is citric acid, which is a disinfectant and eats away limescale. It is simple to use: 'Plunge the toilet so that the water level goes lower, then put a few scoops of citric acid in, leave it overnight, flush it in the morning and it takes away the limescale.' There is a concerning trend on TikTok for mixing bleach with other cleaning products, which creates toxic fumes. Instead, Jones makes her own multi-purpose cleaning scrub: a combination of liquid soap (the soap that you use for washing up) and bicarbonate of soda. 'It is mildly abrasive so it is great on soap scum or cleaning the glass on your shower. It is so effective and you can use it all over your house,' she says. She stores it in a glass jam jar and it has allowed her to dramatically reduce the amount of cleaning products under her sink. She also suggests replacing plastic bottles of shampoo and conditioner with shampoo bars (she recommends Wild Ona and Eco Living) and buying toothpaste in aluminium tubes or glass jars (try or even in tablet form. The garden 'Starting from seed is my favourite tip, says Jones, 'as it avoids so much plastic. It's mindful and it helps you slow down.' Jones starts off her seedlings in little pots made from newspaper – all you need to do is roll the paper around a glass jar (you can use different sized jars according to the particular needs of the plants: longer, thinner ones for sweet peas, for example). Her children enjoy making the pots with her and the seedlings can be planted out into the ground inside their paper containers (seedlings in biodegradable cardboard containers that you can buy online can also be planted out in the same way). Instead of buying plant food, she suggests using nettles soaked in a bucket of water or using banana skins as a natural fertiliser – soak them in water first until they start to ferment (usually it takes a couple of days). Drain the liquid and use it to feed your roses or tomatoes. The bedroom The simplest swap in the bedroom is to switch to natural fibres when it comes to both your bedding and your mattress. Polyester sheets will shed microplastics, so cotton, linen or silk are the natural alternatives. Some of us probably haven't given a huge amount of thought to what our mattresses are made of but most contain foam made from plastic. Memory foam is made from polyurethane, a plastic derived from petroleum. Look instead for mattresses made from natural materials – for example, the British company Naturalmat makes mattresses from natural and biodegradable materials. A word of advice: Jones has not yet swapped her own mattresses for non-plastic ones because they don't yet need replacing and she knows that people rarely want second-hand mattresses. 'Sometimes you need to hang on to some of that plastic to avoid it just polluting the world,' she says, 'because there is no such thing as 'away'. If you put it in the bin, it is just going to go to landfill.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Scientists issue urgent warning about eating CHEESE – as they discover thousands of dangerous microplastics lurking in dairy
Whether it's a mature cheddar or a crumbly feta, cheese is one of the most beloved foods around the world. But in news that will concern fans of the moreish treat, scientists have issued an urgent warning about eating cheese. For the first time, a groundbreaking study has revealed that these dairy products are 'ripe in microplastics'. Scientists believe the tiny plastic particles, measuring 5mm or smaller, could be entering cheese at various stages of production. Their analysis revealed that the most contaminated products were ripened cheeses – those aged for more than four months – with a staggering 1,857 plastic particles per kilogram. For comparison, that means a ripened cheese contains around 45 times more microplastics than bottled water. Fresh cheeses contained 1,280 particles per kilogram, while even milk itself was contaminated with 350 microplastic pieces per kilogram. Worryingly, the long-term effects of these microplastics on human health remain unclear. Microplastics are now almost ubiquitous in our food supply chains and even in our bodies. The tiny fragments of plastic have been found everywhere, from bottled beer and chewing gum to teabags. Previous investigations have found titchy plastic specks in powdered and packaged milk, yoghurt, butter and sour cream. However, this is the first time they have been discovered in cheese, with the shockingly high levels leaving researchers gobsmacked. The researchers believe that cheese contains more microplastics than other dairy products due to how it is produced. When milk is made into cheese, the liquid whey is removed, leaving only the solid curds. In their paper, published in the journal npj Science of Food, the researchers explain that this process reduces the total mass, 'concentrating solid components, including any MP [microplastic] fragments.' Joint research by University College Dublin and Italy's University of Padova found that the majority of the microplastics in dairy products are made up of the polymers PET, polyethylene, and polypropylene. These microscopic fibres and pieces suggest that most of the microplastics in dairy are being added during the manufacturing process. The researchers write: 'These findings point to synthetic textiles as a likely source of fiber contamination, potentially introduced through filtration systems, protective clothing (such as lab coats, gloves, or hairnets in laboratory or food processing settings), remnants of synthetic materials, or airborne fibers.' Larger, irregular plastic fragments found in the cheese were likely produced by the breakdown of plastic packaging, processing equipment, or machine components. However, the high levels of microplastics in milk also suggest that these contaminants might be entering dairy products earlier in the production process. Previous studies found that raw milk samples contained an average of 190 microplastic particles per litre. Milk may even become contaminated through microplastics in the feed given to animals. Since microplastics are so tiny, they are able to pass through cell membranes in the body, moving from food in the stomach, into the blood, and then into milk. This is the same reason that microplastics have now been detected in human breast milk. Currently, research investigating how microplastics affect human health is in its infancy, but there is a growing body of evidence suggesting they could be harmful. Since plastics contain chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic, scientists are concerned that a buildup of microplastics could damage tissues in our bodies. In rodent studies, exposure to high levels of microplastics has been found to damage organs, including the intestines, lungs, liver, and reproductive system. In humans, early studies have suggested a potential link between microplastic exposure and conditions such as cardiovascular disease and bowel cancer. For this reason, the researchers warn that the levels of microplastics in dairy products must be studied further to keep customers safe. The study said: 'Given the complexity of the dairy sector and the extensive use of plastic materials along the entire production chain, understanding the pathways through which microplastics enter dairy products is crucial for ensuring food safety and assessing potential health risks.' Industry journal FoodNavigator added: 'Cheese is ripe in microplastics, a groundbreaking study has revealed. 'It's not just water and fish, microplastics are abundant in cheese too, a new study discovered. 'The research, which is the first time academics assess the presence of microplastics in cheese, found that ripened cheese contained the highest amount of particles.' URBAN FLOODING IS FLUSHING MICROPLASTICS INTO THE OCEANS FASTER THAN THOUGHT Urban flooding is causing microplastics to be flushed into our oceans even faster than thought, according to scientists looking at pollution in rivers. Waterways in Greater Manchester are now so heavily contaminated by microplastics that particles are found in every sample - including even the smallest streams. This pollution is a major contributor to contamination in the oceans, researchers found as part of the first detailed catchment-wide study anywhere in the world. This debris - including microbeads and microfibres - are toxic to ecosystems. Scientists tested 40 sites around Manchester and found every waterway contained these small toxic particles. Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic debris including microbeads, microfibres and plastic fragments. It has long been known they enter river systems from multiple sources including industrial effluent, storm water drains and domestic wastewater. However, although around 90 per cent of microplastic contamination in the oceans is thought to originate from land, not much is known about their movements. Most rivers examined had around 517,000 plastic particles per square metre, according to researchers from the University of Manchester who carried out the detailed study. Following a period of major flooding, the researchers re-sampled at all of the sites. They found levels of contamination had fallen at the majority of them, and the flooding had removed about 70 per cent of the microplastics stored on the river beds. This demonstrates that flood events can transfer large quantities of microplastics from urban river to the oceans.
