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WHO: Microplastics in drinking water present low health risk

The presence of microplastics in drinking water poses a low risk to human health, but policymakers and consumers should work to reduce both their personal plastic use and the amount of plastic released in the environment, according to a report released by WHO.

Microplastics have been found in marine water, wastewater, fresh water, food, air, and in both bottled and tap water.

“We know from the data that we reviewed that we’re ingesting them, and we know that that’s caused concerns among consumers,” Bruce Gordon, from WHO’s Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, said during a press conference. “The headline message is to reassure drinking water consumers around the world that ... our assessment of the risk is that it is low.”

In the report, WHO explained that microplastics primarily enter drinking water through surface run-off and wastewater effluent, but plastic bottles and caps could also be sources of microplastics.

 

The presence of microplastics in drinking water poses a low risk to human health, but policymakers and consumers should work to reduce both their personal plastic use and the amount of plastic released in the environment, according to a report released by WHO.

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The report, which analyzed the latest evidence on microplastics, showed that pieces larger than 150 µm are likely to pass through the human body, and smaller particles are expected to have limited uptake. However, they noted that more research is needed to determine the toxicology of microplastics, as the studies have only been completed in animals.

Wastewater treatment removes more than 90% of microplastics from wastewater, according to WHO. The agency recommended that drinking-water suppliers and regulators should focus their efforts on removing known health risks from drinking water, including chemicals and biologic pathogens that cause deadly diarrheal diseases.

Physicians can encourage patients who express concern about microplastics in their drinking water to use a well-managed pipe supply for drinking water and reuse water bottles to reduce their plastic waste, Gordon said.

“The overall conclusion is that consumers shouldn’t be too worried,” he said. – by Erin Michael

Reference:

WHO. Microplastics in Drinking Water. https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/microplastics-in-drinking-water/en/. Accessed August 22, 2019.

Disclosures: Gordon reports no relevant financial disclosures.