Microplastics in the environment
Plastic has become an integral part of our everyday life. However, plastic waste, including microplastics, leads to ecological and health problems. Still little is known about the magnitude of the problem. Eawag is therefore investigating the effects of microplastics in water and bodies of water and is developing solutions to reduce microplastic contamination.
There is a lot of plastic waste in the environment and in our waters: beverage bottles, plastic bags, packaging, straws and much more. Less well visible to the naked eye, but nevertheless no less common, are what are known as microplastics. This page provides information about what exactly microplastics are and what quantities occur in Swiss waters.
News
Experts
Further informationen
- Faktenblatt „Mikroplastik in der Umwelt“ Oekotoxzentrum, Juli 2015 (pdf)
- Webseite BAFU (Bundesamt für Umwelt) zu Kunststoffen mit zahlreichen Hinweisen zum Recycling und zur fachgerechten Entsorgung von Kunststoffabfällen: https://www.bafu.admin.ch/bafu/de/home/themen/abfall/abfallwegweiser-a-z/kunststoffe.html
- Bestandesaufnahme von Mikroplastik in Schweizer Gewässern; Bericht Bafu 2014 (pdf; französisch mit englischem summary).
- Fachartikel Mikroplastik im Abwasser und Gewässern (pdf, Aqua und Gas 7/8-2016)
- Rapporto microplastiche: Webseite des kantonalen Umweltamtes Tessin.
- Fachartikel Mikroplastik AWEL
- Schweizer Forschungsgruppen, die sich mit Mikroplastik befassen: microplastics.ch – a research network
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The LIFE Blue Lakes project tackles the problem of microplastics in lakes through a set of governance, training, information and awareness actions, addressed to institutions, relevant stakeholders and citizens. It is co-financed by the European Commission through the LIFE Programme and PlasticsEurope.