Source: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Martin Künsting (CC-BY 4.0)
The term microplastics
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Generally, in terms of plastic emissions, a distinction is made between microplastics and macroplastics, where microplastic particles are less than 5 millimeters and macroplastic particles are greater than 5 millimeters in size.
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Furthermore, a distinction is made between primary microplastic particles that are deliberately produced during manufacture (e.g., cosmetic products) and secondary microplastic particles which result from the disintegration of larger pieces of plastic by solar radiation or the like.
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Every year, 330,000 t of primary microplastics are being released in Germany, which corresponds to approx. 4 kg per inhabitant.
Sources
Wastewater treatment plants
Until now, most of the microplastic particles have returned unfiltered to our water cycle. This is exactly where the ECOFARIO technology comes in, so that it will not happen again in the future.
Source: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Martin Künsting (CC-BY 4.0)
Households
Fiber abrasion in textile laundering and in the manufacture of cosmetics, detergents, and cleansers counts as one of the major sources of microplastics in households.
Source: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Martin Künsting (CC-BY 4.0)
Tire abrasion in road traffic
Most of the microplastic load is caused by tire wear on the road.
Source: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Martin Künsting (CC-BY 4.0)
Landfills
Apart from composting and plastics recycling, most of the microparticle pollution during waste disposal originates from landfills.
Source: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Martin Künsting (CC-BY 4.0)
Plastics-processing industry
In the plastics-processing industry, a lot of plastic in granulated form (pellets) is released during transport.
Source: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Martin Künsting (CC-BY 4.0)
Agricultural plastics
In agriculture, the abrasion of agricultural plastics (e.g., films) is one of the main sources of pollution.
Source: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Martin Künsting (CC-BY 4.0)
Sandblasting
During sandblasting, microparticles get into the environment and eventually into the groundwater as well. Sandblasting in the immediate vicinity of waters has a particularly serious effect.
Source: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Martin Künsting (CC-BY 4.0)
Construction sites
On construction sites, microparticles are released primarily during demolition work, the processing of plastics and as abrasion of insulating materials.
Source: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Martin Künsting (CC-BY 4.0)
Additional sources
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Bitumen abrasion from asphalt
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Abrasion of paints and varnishes
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Abrasion of road markings
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Drifts from artificial turf pitches
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Abrasion of shoe soles