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Study: Over 90% of sampled salt brands globally found to contain micro-plastics

#BreakFreeFromPlastic: Greenpeace Africa is calling on the public to help them move closer towards a safer and healthier future without micro-plastics.

World Recycling Day

Photo: Pixabay

As of recently, plastic has managed to contaminate our water and food.

This comes after Greenpeace Africa, a growing movement of people acting in protection of the environment, shared a press release stating that over 90% of sampled salt brands globally were found to contain micro-plastics.

The highest number reportedly comes from salt sourced in Asia, according to a new study co-designed by Kim, Seung-Kyu, Professor at Incheon National University and Greenpeace East Asia.

The study, which has been published in Environmental Science & Technology, analyzed 39 various salt brands globally, showing that plastic contamination in sea salt was highest, followed by lake salt, then rock salt – an indicator of the levels of plastic pollution in the areas where the salt was sourced.

Only three of the salt brands studied did not contain any micro-plastic particles in the replicated samples.

“Recent studies have found plastics in seafood, wildlife, tap water, and now in salt. It’s clear that there is no escape from this plastic crisis, especially as it continues to leak into our waterways and oceans,” said Awa Traoré, West Africa Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa.

The study suggests that the average adult could be consuming hundreds of micro-plastics each year. A study conducted by the University of Newcastle has estimated that, on average, people may be ingesting as much as 5 grams of plastic every week – the equivalent of a credit card’s worth of micro-plastic.

“The findings suggest that human ingestion of micro-plastics via marine products is strongly related to plastic emissions in a given region,” said Professor Kim, Seung-Kyu. “In order to limit our exposure to microplastics, preventative measures are required, such as controlling the environmental discharge of mismanaged plastics and more importantly, reducing plastic waste,” he added.

Greenpeace Africa says that it is clear that the only way to tackle this crisis is to end the ‘throwaway culture’ worldwide.

The company is calling on the public to donate money to help them “move closer towards a safer and healthier future without micro-plastics”.

Click here to donate to Greenpeace Africa.