About microplastics
Plastics were invented in 1907.
- It has brought significant improvements to our society and economy. The invention of plastics offered a new resource without being limited to natural resources. However, 100 years later, plastics have become a major global environmental pollution problem.
- In addition to the obvious plastics pollution caused by plastic bottles, plastic bags, and single-use plastics products, there are many tiny, invisible microfibers that come from synthetic clothing.
When you wash your fleece, hundreds of tiny polyester fibers are released.
We are filling our oceans with microplastics.
- Norway produces approximately 8,000 tons of primary microplastics annually. About half of this will end up in the ocean. If 8,000 tons of microplastics were dumped in the center of Bergen, its citizens would be knee-deep in microplastics. The main sources of microplastics are car tires and microfibers from our washing machines.
Percentage of tap water samples contaminated with microplastic fibers worldwide.
Microplastics are everywhere
USA 94%
WORLD 83%
EUROPE 72%
Prevalence of microscopic plastic fibers based on sample location.
Microplastics in tap water samples
Le Rocher-Monaco tap water sample
Monaco tap water sample
Amsterdam tap water sample
Marseille tap water sample
Cheltenham UK tap water sample
Nice-France tap water sample
New York tap water sample
