World of Microplastics: Consumption, sources and Impact on people and the environment!
09 January 2024
Microplastics can enter our bodies through various routes, primarily through the consumption of contaminated food, drinking polluted water, and inhaling air containing microplastics. Food products such as fish, shellfish, seafood, honey, and bottled water represent potential and identified sources of microplastics.
Research indicates that the quantities of ingested microplastics vary depending on diet, lifestyle, and environment. However, there is currently a lack of conclusive data regarding the long-term effects of consuming microplastics on human health.
Consumer behaviors play a crucial role – making informed decisions about consumption, reducing plastic usage, supporting recycling, and promoting practices that minimize microplastic emissions are vital for environmental protection.
Further research in this field remains essential to better understand the impact of microplastics on human health and the environment.
The Interreg Baltic Sea Region Lakes Connect project aims to establish a network among various institutions, including scientific ones, to effectively address issues related to lake water pollution, particularly the problem of microplastics, especially in the context of tourist usage of lakes.
Together with four partners from Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, we strive to find solutions that minimize the impact of tourism on lake cleanliness.