Plastic particles in drinking water pose no health risk

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that current levels of fine plastic particles in drinking water did not pose a health risk, but experts are considering the future with caution.

In a report released Thursday, the WHO presented a synthesis of the latest knowledge about fine plastic particles in tap water, water bottles and their effects on health.

"The main message is to reassure global consumers of drinking water that, according to this assessment, we see little risk," said Bruce Gordon, coordinator of the Water, Sanitation, and Water Unit. Hygiene and Health of the World Health Organization, at a press conference.

He explained that the analysis of health risks related to fine plastic particles focused on three aspects: the risk of ingestion of particles and chemical risks and those related to the presence of nodular bacteria.

The World Health Organization (WHO) pointed out that some reliable data still limited data on the presence of fine plastic particles in drinking water, highlighting the difficulty of comparing the results of these studies, which makes the analysis of the results more complex.

WHO urged researchers to conduct further assessment using standard reference methods.

Microplastics larger than 150 microns are not normally absorbed by the human body and the ingestion of smaller particles is "limited," the UN said in a statement.

In contrast, the uptake of nanoparticles, particularly nanoparticles, "is expected to be higher, despite the limited data available on the subject".

"Fine plastic particles in drinking water do not seem to be harmful to health, at least at current levels," said Maria Nera, director of the WHO Public Health Department.

The report warned that if plastic residues in nature persisted at the current rate, fine plastic particles could pose general risks to marine ecosystems in the space of a century, which will undoubtedly affect human health.