Cleaning plastic containers in a dishwasher is a source of microplastic pollution, study finds
Cleaning plastic containers in a dishwasher is a source of microplastic pollution, study finds
Washing household plastic containers in a dishwasher releases nanoplastic and microplastic pollution into wastewater, University of Queensland researchers have found.
Betcha scrubbing them in the sink does too. It's just harder to set up a controlled study.
Yeah I wish they would have done that. Would be interesting to see. Hand washed plastic containers are subjected to much more mechanical scrubbing action, but much less heat.
My dish sponge is plastic.¯_(ツ)_/¯
Dishwashers usually wash hotter than you do in the sink & reuse the water, so I'd imagine they also produce more microplastic in the process.
Hotter yes, but no plastic-on-plastic scrubbing. And not reusing the water wouldn't change the amount of plastic, it would just be diluted in a larger amount of water. My guess would be, larger particles. But I can see why that would have to be its own, more complicated study. Because so many more variables.
Basically any situation where plastic is warmed is a source of microplastic contamination
Probably mechanical abrasion too. Like car tires. Or your carpets/rug. Or your toothbrush. Or your nylon/sport/athlesure wear. Or soft, non-natural blankets, haha. I bet your furniture, too...
wool carpets for the win.
water with cleaning chemicals probably leaches some out too.
And people are grossed out when they learn that people can have enough micro/nanoplastic in their brain to make a disposable plastic spoon (2g). :)
It's up to a credit card now (9g)
When i die i want my brain plastic to be used for a warhammer figurine!
The methodology used to get that result is supposedly very questionable.
I heard it here:
Science Vs: Is There Really a Plastic Spoon in Our Brains?
Not to minimize the impact of microplastics, but the credit card amount is probably way off.
the microsplastic keep my brain smooth and flexible :3
Neuroplasticity
This made me chuckle
The overall plastic mass equated to about 6 milligrams per person per year, or about a quarter of the weight of a grain of rice
Multiply by nr of persons and years...
Yes, that is what “per person per year” means
Contaminating what? My septic tank that gets emptied every 10 years?
Plastic is poison.