The Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published the results of research which shows for the first time, evidence on the sources and scale of microplastic pollution in Irish freshwater. The research which was led by researchers in the Marine and Freshwater Research Centre at Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), also points to a number of potential impacts of microplastics in Irish waters to both humans and other species.
The increase in plastic production and disposal in recent decades has resulted in plastic litter becoming an increasing environmental concern and problem. Microplastics are a contributor to this plastic litter. Microplastics are defined as plastic particles less than 5mm in diameter, formed either through the breakdown of large plastic particles or through intentional production (as microbead scrubbers) in products such as cosmetics and household cleaning products. Wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to filter out or remove microplastics so these non-biodegradable micro-particles can end up in rivers and oceans, potentially entering the human food chain. As a home owner, if you are worried about potential plastic micropolutants in your drinking water supply, we recommend the installation of a quality point of use water filter or wholehouse water filtration system. Read more…
