Overview

• Lanuk’s pilot investigation found microplastic beads in four wastewater streams at chemical sites with concentrations from 0.95 to 2,571 beads per cubic meter.
• River water samples between Bad Godesberg and Duisburg contained 0.6 to 3.6 beads per cubic meter, showing higher levels downstream.
• The report treats these measurements as a Momentaufnahme and keeps the specific discharge locations anonymized pending further analysis.
• State and district agencies have carried out site inspections that confirmed bead contamination and intensified cleaning to reduce diffuse inputs.
• Environment Minister Oliver Krischer has called for urgent measures to stop microplastic discharges and holds producers, operators and logistics firms responsible.