microplastic sources

1. meso- or macrodebris

1.1. can become microdebris through degradation and collisions that break it down into smaller pieces

1.1.1. carries them out to sea as they gradually break down into ever smaller fragments, tainting the river and the ocean with microplastics that can invade every level of the food chain.

2. synthetic fabric

2.1. fibers shed from synthetic fabric

2.1.1. clothing fibers that get flushed into sewage systems after synthetic clothes are machine washed.

2.1.1.1. Each wash of acrylic fabrics can release over 700,000 plastic microfibers, which can drain into wastewater treatment plants and eventually the ocean. It’s estimated that some 190,000 tonnes (209,000 tons) of plastic microfibers are poured into the world’s waters every year.

3. cosmetics

3.1. microbeads from cosmetics

3.1.1. the sludge can contain microplastics in the form of microbeads found in cosmetics that have been washed down the sink