Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the amount of microplastics in tap water.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has published two research projects on microplastics in drinking water – one in January 2019 reviewing the potential risks from nanoparticles and microplastics and another in October 2022 looking at the removal of microplastics by drinking water treatment processes.
The research by the DWI found that more than 99.99% of microplastic particles were removed through conventional drinking water treatment processes. As a consequence of the removal rates, microplastics were present at very low levels in drinking water. Their contribution to total daily exposure, and presenting a potential risk to human health, was likely to be low or insignificant. The World Health Organization has also recommended that routine monitoring of microplastics in drinking water was not necessary at this time.
Require microplastic filters on all new washing machines from 2027
- 83 Signatures
(Estimated Final Signatures: 125 - 1 added in the past 24hrs)
We think the Government should mandate microplastic filters on all new washing machines from 2027. 700,000 microplastic fibres can be released in every clothes wash. We think action is needed!
Found: Evidence shows synthetic fibres from clothing are a source of microplastics in water bodies and can harm
Mar. 06 2024
Source Page: Appraisal of sustainability for National Networks National Policy StatementFound: • It is estimated that that 40% of microplastics in watercourses have originated from trye break
Mar. 04 2024
Source Page: UK Shared Prosperity Fund: evaluationFound: of Pride in Place and Life Chances Potential environmental consequences of 3G pitches (fibre loss of microplastics
Mar. 01 2024
Source Page: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) additives: a scoping reviewFound: Microplastics are defined as plastic particles with a size of <5 mm in length, which may be from a
Mentions:
1: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (LD - Life peer) harder for the Environment Agency, the regulators or farmers to know what was being spread on fields—microplastics - Speech Link
2: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab - Life peer) We know that plastics break down into toxic chemicals and harmful microplastics, and then rivers become - Speech Link
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with businesses on installing microfibre filters in washing machines.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In Defra’s Plan for Water, there is a commitment for industry and businesses to develop low cost, effective microfibre filters in washing machines to capture microfibre and encourage their effective use.
This approach is informed by the evidence that shows that there is not a sufficient benefit to the environment for legislating the installation of microfibre-capturing filters in all new washing machines. Recent analyses showed an estimated increased cost from between £30 to £122 for a microfibre filter per machine and user behaviour around disposal of captured microfibres can make render the filters ineffective.
We have conveyed this to industry colleagues, and we look forward to receiving a response which will help us to progress the issue.
Correspondence Feb. 28 2024
Committee: Net Zero, Energy and Transport CommitteeFound: sectors having significant impacts on the marine environment - we heard concerns about the impact that microplastics
Report Feb. 28 2024
Committee: Net Zero, Energy and Transport CommitteeFound: sectors having significant impacts on the marine environment - we heard concerns about the impact that microplastics
Feb. 21 2024
Source Page: Helen Wakeham speech at World Water Tech Innovation SummitFound: New challenges are arising, such as pollution from emergent chemicals and microplastics.