Switzerland/Environment: More Than 200 Metric Tons of Microplastics Per Year on Swiss Soil

According to a study, 219 metric tons of microplastics end up in the soil and water in Switzerland each year. PET is the material most frequently identified by researchers.

According to a study by Empa, Eawag, and Agroscope, 219 metric tons of microplastics are carried by the wind into Swiss soil and water each year. About 40% of these particles end up on farmland, in lakes, and in rivers.

For the first time, a team of researchers has systematically documented this phenomenon, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) reported on Thursday. Supported by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), they collected samples over the course of a year at five sites: Zurich, Dübendorf, Magadino, Payerne, and Chaumont.

PET and Packaging Lead the Way

By extrapolating their measurements to the entire Swiss territory below 2,000 meters in elevation, the scientists calculated that the volume of microplastics settling in the country amounts to 219 metric tons. Of this amount, 78 metric tons end up directly on farmland, and about 10 metric tons in lakes and rivers.

In a purely urban setting, in Zurich, researchers measured 881 microplastic particles per square meter per day. At the four other sites, the count was between 249 and 331 particles lower.

Among the microplastics collected, the most commonly identified synthetic materials were polyethylene terephthalate (PET), accounting for 31%, polyethylene (PE: 26%), and polypropylene (PP: 21%).

PET is known for its use in beverage bottles, but it is also found in the polyester fibers of textiles. PE and PP are primarily used for packaging, plastic films, containers, and everyday products.

Unclear Health Effects

However, microplastics account for only a very small proportion—between 0.02% and 0.12%—of all atmospheric particles, which include desert dust, soot, combustion residues, and biological particles. Nevertheless, their constant deposition over large areas results in the accumulation of considerable quantities that do not degrade, or degrade only very slowly. The environmental and health impacts of microplastics have not yet been clearly established.

“But in accordance with the precautionary principle, we should avoid littering, use plastics only where necessary, and close material cycles as much as possible,” says Christoph Hüglin, a researcher at Empa and director of the study, as quoted in the press release.

Source: www.lenouvelliste.ch/