Microplastics in WWTPs: Why Consumers Need to Start Caring

So-called “flushable” wipes and other persistent materials are well-known problems for wastewater treatment plants. Now, studies around the country have found other insidious materials — microplastics and microfibers — entering the wastewater stream on a massive scale.Microplastic particles measuring 5mm or smaller come from beauty products, plastic bags, polystyrene packaging and other disposable plastic items. Microfibers, a more recently identified culprit, are shed in washing machines mainly from polar fleece and other synthetic fabrics.San Francisco Bay studyMicroplastics and microfibers were found at all eight San Francisco treatment plants examined in a recent study conducted by the San Francisco Estuary Institute and the