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Microplastics in drinking water not risky
Summary
The World Health Organization assessed microplastics in drinking water and concluded that current levels do not pose a health risk, while recommending improved treatment methods and more research. The WHO notably advised against routine monitoring of microplastics in drinking water at this stage, a position some researchers have critiqued.
Bottoms up with that glass of H2O—and don’t worry about the tiny pieces of plastic widely found in drinking water, the World Health Organization says. “Based on the limited information we have, microplastics in drinking water don’t appear to pose a health risk at current levels,” says Maria Neira, director of the WHO’s Department of Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health. What’s more, the WHO recommends against the regular monitoring of microplastics in drinking water, saying regulators and utilities should focus their resources on the removal of pathogens and toxic chemicals. Microplastics are often defined as ranging from 5 mm to as small as 1 μm long, the WHO says in an analysis. They are typically plastic fragments and fibers. The main types of plastic found in drinking water, from both the tap and bottled, are polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene. In concluding that microplastics in drinking water poses
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