Exclusive : New studies find microplastics in salt from the US, Europe and China, adding to evidence that plastic pollution is pervasive in the environment.
Sea salt around the world has been contaminated by plastic pollution, adding to experts’ fears that microplastics are becoming ubiquitous in the environment and finding their way into the food chain via the salt in our diets.
Plastics are “ubiquitous, in the air, water, the seafood we eat, the beer we drink, the salt we use – plastics are just everywhere”.
Mason collaborated with researchers at the University of Minnesota to examine microplastics in salt, beer and drinking water.
Her research looked at 12 different kinds of salt (including 10 sea salts) bought from US grocery stores around the world.
Mason’s work adds to research on plastics in salt from other countries around the world, including in Spain and China.
Mason’s study also looked at how drinking water and beer are contaminated with plastic. »