Photo: Robert Katzki | Unsplash
A blue whale can ingest about 10 million pieces of microplastics per day. Microplastics — solid plastic particles up to five millimeters in size that are not biodegradable — have been found in over 1,500 different marine animal species, and in us - the average person consumes up to five grams per week. The European Union has now banned intentionally added microplastics. While natural alternatives are used by some cosmetic companies and alternatives to artificial turfs exist, these are relatively insignificant sources compared to waste disposal, building materials, road wear and fibers released through textile washing. Experts welcome the ban but say that the greatest potential for reducing microplastics lies in not producing them in the first place, so they hold out hope for EU ecodesign guidelines which will be developed for various product groups.
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