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2:00
Sunday, August 25, 2019
(Dpa)
The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated in Geneva that plastic particles in drinking water do not pose a major threat to health.
Most microplastics swallowed with drinking water leave the body again after their passage through the digestive system, said the WHO in a report summarizing the results of several scientific studies.
"We are in no way concerned," said Bruce Gordon, FAO water expert, at a press conference prior to the release of the report.
"We found that there was a significant safety margin between the expected uptake of chemicals and levels that could be considered harmful."
The organization called on countries to invest more in water treatment systems in general to eliminate harmful microbes that cause nearly half a million deaths per year from diarrhea.
An estimated 2 billion people around the world are drinking contaminated water, she said.
However, the WHO stressed that consumers and governments should reduce the overall use of plastics to protect the environment.
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