A review by researchers of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras has found that microplastics pollution is caused in residences.
Daily activities such as washing dishes, doing laundry, taking showers and using toilets all produce municipal wastewater.
The authors of the study suggest that among the various sources contributing to the spread of microplastics in the environment, municipal wastewater is a major source. To wash dishes plastic-based scouring pads are used. The softer part of the sponge comprises polyurethane (PU) and the attached mesh is made of polyethylene. When the sponge is worn the plastic material results in secondary microplastics are created.
Angel Jessieleena, Kruthika Eswari Velmaiel, Anju Anna John and their professor Indumathi M. Nambi of the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering division in the civil engineering department of the Institute and Sasikaladevi Rathinavelu from the Biotechnology department conducted the review, which was published in a peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research.
Ms. Nambi, however, said more detailed research was needed with real time environmental microplastics and microfibers.
According to her an estimated 4.88 to 12.7 million metric tonnes of plastic make their way into the ocean. By 2050, the cumulative weight of plastics in the oceans could surpass the total biomass of fish. The estimates do not include the polythelene teraphthalate (PET) and polyamide (PA) and polyacrylate.
Laundry washing releases a significant amount of microfiber into wastewater and personal care products such as shower gels, face cleaners and toothpaste contain deliberate microplastic additives known as microbeads.
Items such as face mask and synthetic indoor fabrics, including carpets, contribute to environmental and indoor pollution, potentially harming aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems besides human and pet health.
The review suggests that source reduction was a vital consideration to combat microplastic pollution. It has called for reducing plastic-based products such as scouring pads and replacing personal products with biodegradable materials. The review called for highly efficient filters in laundry machines.
