Plastics vermücases our environment. The smallest particles of them end up on our plates. Against tide of micro-plastics, some take the Initiative – and researchers are looking for plastic free Alternatives
Cleaning action in the sea: A tug of the project "The Ocean Cleanup" fishing plastic out of the water
The sea animals die in agony, Traumstrände are to Mülltilt – the plastic flood, the seas in the world ergießt, is a huge Problem für man and nature. In Europe alone, the Europä fall, according to;Commission per year 25 Milmillion tons of plastic waste.
Worldwide in 2015, approximately 322 million tons of plastic were produced, schäthe Institute of the German economy tzt. In Germany, every inhabitant throws jäa year in the Mediterranean 37 kilograms of plastic packaging –six kilograms more than the EU average. Part of it is recycled or burned. The Rest vermüllt seas and ends up in landfills.
Mystery Micro-Plastic
In addition to private initiatives, which promote a plastic-free life, and international projects, trying to fish for the giant plastic carpets from the sea, looking for the Federal Ministry für of education and research (BMBF) to Lösolutions. With "Plastic in the Umwelt" a research starts to focus on the 18 collaborative projects are involved. The scientists are investigating, for example, which Because of plastics by Flüsse and Gewäwaters reach into the sea.
Where do you come from? How do you conduct yourself in the water? How schäto the South you are für people, animals and the environment? These questions, the researchers team klären. "Especially in the field of micro plastic.there are groß…e Wissenslücken", Doris garlic, coordinator of the academic project " reported;PlastikNet". Micro-plastic is created when the Tooth of the time the plastic in less than fünf mm große particles grating.
As the micro-plastic comes to us
It is known that particles below a Größe of a Nanometers increasingly, toxic substances, bind and in cells kö get;can. Fish and other sea animals eat the micro-plastic with their prey, so that it enters the food chain and onto the plates of the people. Up to &11thinsp;000 tiny Plastikpararticle take, for example, Europähe’s average fish consumption per year. Also available in sea salt, and even beer and drinking water has Rückstände discovered.
However, micro-plastic is not reached only by the strömung – and weather-related decay of plastic products in the environment. It is also produced in a targeted manner and, for example, in the production of cosmetics used. The Körnchen stuck in Körperlotions, Gesichtscreams and scrubs. You can modify, and in großquantities to generate. This Mikroplastic, for example, the cleaning effect of the Proproducts through its abrasive effect verstäTurks or the Hautgefühl improve. KläRS köcan not filter out the plastic particles out of the water.
Natüis it a natural Alternative
Here, scientists try Alternatives füto find the problem material. The Team of Dr. Andreas Kiesow at the Fraunhofer Institute für micro-structure of materials and systems (IMWS) in Halle/Saale is already managed, together with industry partners, cellulose from beech wood, processed in a way that it is the Mikroplastic in cosmetic products can replace. Kiesow and his Team to experiment in your also by the BMBF geförderten project with the wood component Lignin as well as with oats, wheat, and maize meal.
"Cellulose proved to be in terms of colour and smell as the best replacement für Mikroplastik in Pflegeprodukten", erläAndres Kiesow explained. The relatively soft cellulose fibers fügene, for example, in the composition of products for the Hautcleaning and removing Make-up, nevertheless, zuverläcasual.
You can also read:
If the environment makes you sick
Chemicals, Lärm, radiation – there are many Umwelteinflüsse, the negative impact on human health of köcan. However, the diagnosis is not always easy