A study by an Australian university shows that the average person in the world consumes one credit card per week
Microplastics are already everywhere on Earth. A study by the University of Newcastle in Australia in June this year showed that microplastic pollution has invaded the human body, and the global average person ingests nearly 5 grams of microplastics per week, which is equivalent to the plastic used in a credit card. In other words, the average person in the world "eats" a credit card every week.
Previous studies have shown that toxic substances contained in microplastics themselves and adsorbed in water can accumulate through the food chain and eventually enter the human body, threatening human health.
The study, commissioned by WWF and conducted by the University of Newcastle in Australia, pooled data from more than 50 studies related to microplastics. According to the report, the average person in the world ingests 1,796 microplastic particles per week, or about 5 grams by weight, through drinking water alone, for a total intake of more than 250 grams per year.
The largest source of microplastics ingested by humans is drinking water, with microplastics found worldwide in bottled water, tap water, and surface and groundwater, the report said. Among foods, the highest levels of microplastic particles were found in crustacean seafood, beer and salt.
The study also showed that while microplastic pollution varies among countries around the world, few regions are immune. In the United States, 94.4 percent of tap water samples contained plastic fibers, with an average of 9.6 fibers per liter. In Europe, 72.2% of water sampled contained plastic fibers, with an average of 3.8 plastic fibers per liter of water.
The global consumption of plastic products since 2000 has been equal to that of all the years prior to 2000 combined, and a third of this plastic ends up in the environment, according to the report.