World health chiefs call for more studies on microplastics in drinking water
5 years, 4 months ago

World health chiefs call for more studies on microplastics in drinking water

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More research into the health risks posed by rising amounts of microplastics in drinking water should be conducted, according to World Health Organisation chiefs. WHO scientists said in a report that it is difficult to gauge the potential impact on human health if concentrations in drinking water continue to rise. Governments and businesses must, as the WHO recommends, urgently reduce plastic production.” Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Javier Mateo-Sagasta, of the International Water Management Institute, said: “Banning single-use plastics such as plastic bags and plastic bottles is a growing trend.

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Study links microplastics from vehicle tyres leading to lung and colon cancer
2 days, 12 hours ago

Study links microplastics from vehicle tyres leading to lung and colon cancer

India Today  

Microplastics have dominated our space and how. Tiny plastic particles, shed from tyres and degrading plastic waste, are becoming a significant air pollution concern and may be linked to serious health risks, according to a recent study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco. The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, reviewed around 3,000 research papers …

From oceans to organs: The growing danger of microplastics revealed
4 days, 12 hours ago

From oceans to organs: The growing danger of microplastics revealed

India Today  

A new review published in the journal Science has sounded the alarm on the rising dangers of microplastics, two decades after the term was first introduced. The study offers an in-depth look at the sources of microplastics, their widespread presence, and their troubling impacts on ecosystems and human health. Primary microplastics are manufactured for specific uses, such as in cosmetics …

Microplastics in our organs could be tied to disease, Chinese researchers say
1 week, 2 days ago

Microplastics in our organs could be tied to disease, Chinese researchers say

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Microplastics that have been found in human organs have “alarming links” to adverse health impacts, …

Microplastics in tea bags are linked to health problems
1 week, 6 days ago

Microplastics in tea bags are linked to health problems

Daily Mail  

The microplastics in tea bags could be linked to a raft of serious diseases, fertility problems and increased risk of multiple cancers, experts have warned. In a new study, published in Chemosphere, the team investigated the microplastics released from three popular teabag types, which can easily be purchased online or in local supermarkets. Experts say you can cut your exposure …

Doctors being trained to tackle health issues due to excessive microplastic use
2 weeks, 1 day ago

Doctors being trained to tackle health issues due to excessive microplastic use

Hindustan Times  

New Delhi: The Union government has started training clinical researchers and other experts in identifying and managing health conditions arising out of excessive use of microplastics. This project is to answer those questions and initiate that kind of research.” He added, “there are not enough researchers in India, for a country which has a huge amount of human population that …

Plastic production to hit 1.1 billion tons by 2050: Study raises alarm on health risks from microplastics
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Plastic production to hit 1.1 billion tons by 2050: Study raises alarm on health risks from microplastics

Hindustan Times  

Tiny plastic particles may be lurking in the air we breathe, and experts are raising alarms about their potential health risks. Rising plastic pollution and its health risks After analysing 3,000 studies, researchers from UC San Francisco suspect that microplastics may negatively impact reproductive, digestive, and respiratory health, possibly linking them to colon and lung cancer. "Microplastics are essentially particulate …

Forever and ever?: A timeline of how microplastics got everywhere
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Forever and ever?: A timeline of how microplastics got everywhere

Hindustan Times  

1907: In Belgium, an inventive chemist named Leo Baekeland combines the fossil-fuel derivatives phenol and formaldehyde to produce a hard, mouldable substance that will change the course of manufacturing. EEA estimates, at the time, that 2 lakh to 5 lakh tonnes of microplastics from textiles are entering the global marine environment each year. 2019: A study published in the journal …

Scientists know our bodies are full of microplastics. What are they doing to us?
3 weeks, 2 days ago

Scientists know our bodies are full of microplastics. What are they doing to us?

NPR  

Scientists know our bodies are full of microplastics. "It seemed like nobody wanted to touch it," says Leslie, a microplastics researcher in the Netherlands whose team was the first to detect these particles in the human bloodstream several years ago. Sponsor Message Scientists can isolate microplastics, pull them out of human tissue and take pictures, but seeing where they are …

Microplastics found in human blood. It could lead to heart attack, stroke
4 weeks, 1 day ago

Microplastics found in human blood. It could lead to heart attack, stroke

India Today  

A recent study has highlighted an unsettling connection between tiny plastic particles or microplastics in human blood and the potential health risks. Researchers from South Korea found evidence that these particles could disrupt blood clotting processes and potentially increase the risk of heart diseases. Lifestyle habits, such as frequent use of plastic food containers, appeared to be a key factor …

Microplastics found in human brains: Scientists urge global action
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Microplastics found in human brains: Scientists urge global action

New Indian Express  

The widespread use of plastics has led to severe environmental contamination, with microplastics now infiltrating vital human organs, including the brain. A growing body of evidence reveals that these tiny plastic particles—less than 5 millimeters in size—are accumulating in the air, water, food, and even within human tissues. In a recent study, soon to be peer-reviewed and published by the …

Microplastics are everywhere, but are they harming us?
5 months ago

Microplastics are everywhere, but are they harming us?

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Dr. Marya Zlatnik, a San …

You Can't Totally Avoid Microplastics, But These 7 Things Can Help
9 months ago

You Can't Totally Avoid Microplastics, But These 7 Things Can Help

Huff Post  

adamkaz via Getty Images Microplastics are found in plastic containers, water bottles and even in our seafood and tap water. “If you think about fish and things like that, there’s a lot of microplastics in our oceans, and the fish are eating these, and when we consume the fish, we’re consuming microplastics from them,” Alan said. “And we worry about …

What can microplastics do to the human body? | In Focus podcast
9 months, 2 weeks ago

What can microplastics do to the human body? | In Focus podcast

The Hindu  

It’s hard to imagine a world without plastic now – plastic exists in almost every sphere of our life. Microplastics, the tiny toxic particles that plastics shed and that are scattered across the environment have been found everywhere – from clouds, to the bottom of the ocean, in Antarctica and even in our bodies – we swallow them and we …

Chemicals in plastics far more numerous than previous estimates, report says
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Chemicals in plastics far more numerous than previous estimates, report says

The Hindu  

At least 3,000 more chemicals are in plastics — from food packaging to toys to medical devices — than previously estimated by environmental agencies, a report published on Thursday found, raising questions over pollution and consumer safety. While the United Nations Environment Programme had previously identified around 13,000 plastic chemicals, the report by a team of European scientists found more …

Microplastics may be new risk factor for cardiovascular disease, researchers say
10 months ago

Microplastics may be new risk factor for cardiovascular disease, researchers say

LA Times  

Add one more likely culprit to the long list of known cardiovascular risk factors including red meat, butter, smoking and stress: microplastics. In a study released Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, an international team of physicians and researchers showed that surgical patients who had a build-up of micro and nanoplastics in their arterial plaque had a 2.1 …

Scientists discover proteins that can eat plastic
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Scientists discover proteins that can eat plastic

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, …

Just keep drinking! Bottled water industry attempts to downplay shock study that found hundreds of thousands of cancer-causing microplastics in their products
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Just keep drinking! Bottled water industry attempts to downplay shock study that found hundreds of thousands of cancer-causing microplastics in their products

Daily Mail  

Bottled water companies are hitting back against reports of nano and microplastics in bottled water. A recent study conducted by Columbia University revealed that the average liter of store-bought bottled water contains more than 240,000 nanoplastics which were connected to cancer, birth defects, and infertility. The International Bottled Water Association acknowledged that it hasn’t closely reviewed the study, yet still …

One bottle of water contains 240,000 plastic fragments: New study
11 months, 4 weeks ago

One bottle of water contains 240,000 plastic fragments: New study

Hindustan Times  

A new study has sounded alarm bells around bottled water concluding that micro nanoplastics in these bottles could be far more than estimated earlier. With a staggering 2,40,000 plastic fragments, the bottled water has up to 100 times more microplastics than previously thought, said a new study. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of …

Plastic pieces that can seep into your bloodstream are hiding in bottled water
11 months, 4 weeks ago

Plastic pieces that can seep into your bloodstream are hiding in bottled water

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A new study found people are consuming a quarter million of tiny invisible pieces of …

Microplastics are everywhere: Is it possible to reduce our exposure?
1 year ago

Microplastics are everywhere: Is it possible to reduce our exposure?

BBC  

Microplastics are everywhere: Is it possible to reduce our exposure? Getty Images Bottled water can contain hundreds of thousands of nanoplastic fragments in every litre, according to a new study A new study has found that bottled water contains hundreds of thousands of nanoplastics. The average litre of bottled water contains almost a quarter of a million nanoplastic fragments, according …

Health concerns soar as new research exposes high levels of nanoplastics in bottled water
1 year ago

Health concerns soar as new research exposes high levels of nanoplastics in bottled water

Hindustan Times  

A typical one-liter bottle of water contains some 240,000 plastic fragments on average, according to a new study. Health concerns soar as new research exposes high levels of nanoplastics in bottled water The peer-reviewed study, published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to evaluate bottled water for the presence of “nanoplastics” — …

Scientists find about a quarter million invisible nanoplastic particles in a liter of bottled water
1 year ago

Scientists find about a quarter million invisible nanoplastic particles in a liter of bottled water

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “We do know that they …

Plastic particles entering SA waterways from clothes and tyres, research finds
1 year, 3 months ago

Plastic particles entering SA waterways from clothes and tyres, research finds

ABC  

New research has shed more light about where microplastics are accumulating in South Australian waterways — and where the plastic pollution is coming from. Key points: Fibres from synthetic clothing and particles from tyres are among the main sources of plastic in SA waterways Researchers used ocean current modelling to predict where plastic particles would congregate One says washing machine …

Clouds now contain plastic, risking contamination of ‘everything we eat and drink’
1 year, 3 months ago

Clouds now contain plastic, risking contamination of ‘everything we eat and drink’

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “If the issue of ‘plastic air pollution’ is not addressed proactively, climate change and ecological risks may become a …

World Environment Day 2023: How microplastics are affecting your child's health
1 year, 7 months ago

World Environment Day 2023: How microplastics are affecting your child's health

Hindustan Times  

Microplastics, the tiny fragments of plastics less than 5 millimetres in size, are becoming a threat to not just our environment and surroundings but also our health. Microplastics tend to invite a plethora of health problems in children. These chemicals are associated with various health problems such as reproductive and obesity, organ problems, and even developmental delays in children. "Microplastics …

Yet Another Problem With Recycling: It Spews Microplastics
1 year, 8 months ago

Yet Another Problem With Recycling: It Spews Microplastics

Wired  

The plastics industry has long hyped recycling, even though it is well aware that it’s been a failure. Now, an alarming new study has found that even when plastic makes it to a recycling center, it can still end up splintering into smaller bits that contaminate the air and water. In other words, recyclers trying to solve the plastics crisis …

UK drinking water is safe, insists Environment Secretary Therese Coffey
1 year, 9 months ago

UK drinking water is safe, insists Environment Secretary Therese Coffey

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Drinking water is safe, Environment Secretary Therese Coffey has said, despite the recommended safe allowance …

Microplastics Are Polluting the Ocean at a Shocking Rate
1 year, 10 months ago

Microplastics Are Polluting the Ocean at a Shocking Rate

Wired  

If you throw a polyester sweatshirt in the washing machine, it doesn’t emerge as quite its former self. An international team of researchers calculates that between 82 and 358 trillion plastic particles—a collective 2.4 to 10.8 billion pounds—are floating across the world … and that’s only in the top foot of seawater. “We're talking about quintillions, probably, that's out there, …

How much plastic is too much for our planet?
1 year, 11 months ago

How much plastic is too much for our planet?

Al Jazeera  

On Wednesday, January 11 at 19:30 GMT: Microplastics – tiny particles that result from the breakdown of plastics – are everywhere, from the air we breathe to the water we drink. And while the harms caused by microplastics are still being studied, researchers and environmental advocates say more action needs to be taken to rein in plastic pollution. Global plastic …

What is plastic rain? All you need to know
2 years ago

What is plastic rain? All you need to know

India Today  

The detrimental effects of a plastic mist or rain of microplastics on the human body are a reality, not the subject of research or hypothesis. According to a study done by a group of experts from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, every square metre of urban rooftops in Auckland receives an average of 5,000 pieces of microplastic every …

Antibiotics from plastics! Study reveals use of microplastics in water bodies
2 years, 6 months ago

Antibiotics from plastics! Study reveals use of microplastics in water bodies

Live Mint  

As the world struggles to combat pollution in various aspects-- soil, air, water, noise-- a recent study published in the journal, 'American Society for Microbiology' have found that plastic pollution may after all serve as the source for antibiotics in ocean. Scientists and experts who conducted the study have pointed out that at least 5-13 million tonnes of plastic waste …

Microplastics present in 90 per cent of cosmetic products, report finds
2 years, 9 months ago

Microplastics present in 90 per cent of cosmetic products, report finds

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The ingredients in more than 7,000 products from labels including Garnier, Gillette, Nivea, L’Oréal Paris, Oral-B and Head & …

Scientists find microplastics in blood for first time
2 years, 9 months ago

Scientists find microplastics in blood for first time

The Hindu  

Scientists have discovered microplastics in human blood for the first time, warning that the ubiquitous particles could also be making their way into organs. "This is the first time we have actually been able to detect and quantify" such microplastics in human blood, said Dick Vethaak, an ecotoxicologist at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The study said the microplastics could have entered …

Scientists find microplastics in human blood for first time
2 years, 9 months ago

Scientists find microplastics in human blood for first time

India TV News  

Highlights Scientists' team demonstrated that plastic particles such as bottles can end up in our bloodstream The research was published in the scientific journal Environment International It shows that miniscule pieces of plastic from our living environment are absorbed into bloodstream A team of scientists have for the first time demonstrated that plastic particles from our day-to-day lives such as …

‘High levels’ of atmospheric microplastics found near busy trunk road
2 years, 9 months ago

‘High levels’ of atmospheric microplastics found near busy trunk road

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy “High levels” of atmospheric microplastics have been found by scientists during a year-long study at …

Microplastics found in human blood for the first time. How it can affect you
2 years, 9 months ago

Microplastics found in human blood for the first time. How it can affect you

Live Mint  

Tiny particles of plastics, called microplastics, were detected in human blood for the first time, according to a study by a group of scientists in the Netherlands. Published in the journal Environment International, the study found that 17 out of the 22 healthy people the researchers took samples from had quantifiable amounts of plastic particles in their blood. The results …

Plastic pollution in oceans on track to rise for decades
2 years, 11 months ago

Plastic pollution in oceans on track to rise for decades

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Plastic pollution at sea is …

Microplastics may be linked to inflammatory bowel disease
3 years ago

Microplastics may be linked to inflammatory bowel disease

The Telegraph  

Scientists from Nanjing Medical University in China, who conducted the study, said it is the first of its kind to demonstrate a link between microplastics and an illness. "However, it's still unclear whether this exposure could cause or contribute to IBD, or whether people with IBD accumulate more faecal microplastics as a result of their disease." “It is estimated that …

Microplastics are found in the blood of farm animals including cows and pigs for the first time
3 years, 2 months ago

Microplastics are found in the blood of farm animals including cows and pigs for the first time

Daily Mail  

Microplastics have been found in the blood of cows and pigs for the first time, sparking concern about how the particles might move through the food chain. New discovery: Microplastics have been found in the blood of cows and pigs for the first time, sparking concern about how the particles might move through the food chain WHAT CAN MICROPLASTICS DO …

Ganga is Full of Micro-Plastics Causing Toxicity for Environment, Finds a Study
3 years, 5 months ago

Ganga is Full of Micro-Plastics Causing Toxicity for Environment, Finds a Study

News 18  

The Ganga river is polluted with multiple kinds of plastic, with the highest concentration at Varanasi, and micro-plastics samples being found at Haridwar, Kanpur and Varanasi, a new study by Toxics Link has found. The study, ‘Quantitative analysis of Micro-plastics along River Ganga’, that was released by Delhi-based NGO Toxics Link on Thursday, said the river water was found to …

Study finds microplastics pollution in the Ganga
3 years, 5 months ago

Study finds microplastics pollution in the Ganga

The Hindu  

An analysis of the stretches of the river Ganga by Delhi-based environment NGO Toxics Link has revealed pollution by microplastics, defined as synthetic solid particles sized ranging 1 micrometre to 5 millimetre, which are insoluble in water. Untreated sewage from many cities along the river’s course, industrial waste and religious offerings wrapped in non-degradable plastics pile pollutants into the river …

Opinion: Microplastics are getting into our bodies. We need to understand what that means
3 years, 5 months ago

Opinion: Microplastics are getting into our bodies. We need to understand what that means

LA Times  

Nobody wants to snack on plastic bags or soda rings, but according to a 2019 study from the University of Newcastle, we could be consuming roughly a credit card’s worth of plastic every week. “We started to realize that we have exposure that’s much greater than just a fish at the grocery store,” said Dr. Chelsea Rochman, a University of …

New Pollution Threat? Russian Scientists are Collecting Samples of Snow Containing Microplastics
3 years, 9 months ago

New Pollution Threat? Russian Scientists are Collecting Samples of Snow Containing Microplastics

News 18  

Russian scientists are trying to understand the scale of a potential threat to the environment in Siberia: snow polluted with microplastics that then melts and seeps into the ground. Scientists at Tomsk State University say they have gathered snow samples from 20 different Siberian regions – from the Altai mountains to the Arctic – and that their preliminary findings confirm …

Sydney beaches and rivers contain high levels of microplastics, scientists find
3 years, 10 months ago

Sydney beaches and rivers contain high levels of microplastics, scientists find

ABC  

Kilos of tiny particles of plastic smaller than 5 millimetres are being found across Sydney's beaches and rivers, highlighting the scale of the threat to local marine life and the risk to human health, scientists say. Key points: Researchers say hotspots in Sydney include Dee Why, Botany Bay, Cooks River, Chipping Norton and Liverpool The highest in Sydney was at …

Babies Who Are Bottle-fed Ingest Millions of Microplastics Every Day, Finds New Study
4 years, 2 months ago

Babies Who Are Bottle-fed Ingest Millions of Microplastics Every Day, Finds New Study

News 18  

Bottle-fed babies may ingest more than a million pieces of microplastics each day, new research showed Monday highlighting the abundance of plastics in our food products. The authors of the research, published in the Nature Food journal, said that sterilisation and exposure to high water temperatures had the biggest effect on microplastic release, going from 0.6 million particles per litre …

Babies that are bottle-fed consume 1.6 million pieces of microplastic every day: study
4 years, 2 months ago

Babies that are bottle-fed consume 1.6 million pieces of microplastic every day: study

Firstpost  

Over a 21-day test period, the team found that the bottles released between 1.3 and 16.2 million plastic microparticles per litre. Bottle-fed babies may ingest more than a million pieces of microplastics each day, new research showed Monday highlighting the abundance of plastics in our food products. They estimated that the average bottle-fed baby could be ingesting 1.6 million plastic …

Watch | All about microplastics
4 years, 2 months ago

Watch | All about microplastics

The Hindu  

The world's sea floor is littered with an estimated 14 million tonnes of microplastics, according to Australia's national science agency CSIRO. Microplastics are divided into two categories: Primary microplastics Primary microplastics which enter the environment directly, are tiny particles designed for commercial use, as well as microfibers shed from clothing and other textiles, such as fishing nets. Examples of primary …

World's Sea Floor is Littered With a Staggering 14 Million Tonnes of Microplastics, Reveals Study
4 years, 3 months ago

World's Sea Floor is Littered With a Staggering 14 Million Tonnes of Microplastics, Reveals Study

News 18  

The world’s sea floor is littered with an estimated 14 million tonnes of microplastics, broken down from the masses of rubbish entering the oceans every year, according to Australia’s national science agency. “We were surprised to observe high microplastic loads in such a remote location.” The scientists, who published their findings in peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Marine Science, said areas …

14 million tonnes of microplastics on sea floor: study
4 years, 3 months ago

14 million tonnes of microplastics on sea floor: study

The Hindu  

The world's sea floor is littered with an estimated 14 million tonnes of microplastics, broken down from the masses of rubbish entering the oceans every year, according to Australia's national science agency. “We were surprised to observe high microplastic loads in such a remote location.” The scientists, who published their findings in peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Marine Science, said areas …

Microplastics now discoverable in human organs due to innovative technique
4 years, 4 months ago

Microplastics now discoverable in human organs due to innovative technique

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Microplastics have infiltrated every part of our world - the oceans, land, air and food …

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