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2w ago

Glass Bottles Contain Up to 50 Times More Microplastics Than Plastic, Study Shows

France’s ANSES report traces the contamination to cap paint, recommending a rinsing protocol that slashes microplastics by 60 percent.

Close-up of unrecognizable black woman removing lid from takeout food container
Image
Opening and closing plastic bottle caps can release microplastics into a drink, a new study found.
Glass Bottles Could Contain More Microplastics Than Plastic Ones, French Study Finds (Credits: Pexels)

Overview

  • ANSES analyzed 56 beverage samples including soft drinks, water, iced tea, lemonade, beer and wine to compare microplastic levels across packaging types.
  • Glass-bottled drinks averaged about 100 microplastic particles per liter, up to 50 times more than the 1.6 to 4.5 particles per liter found in plastic bottles.
  • Beer in glass bottles recorded the highest contamination at 82.9 particles per liter, while bottled water registered the lowest at 2.9 particles per liter.
  • Researchers pinpointed paint coatings on glass bottle caps as the primary microplastic source by matching the particles’ shape, color and polymer composition.
  • A simple cleaning method of blowing on caps and rinsing them with water and alcohol cut microplastic levels by as much as 60 percent.