Greenpeace: new research shows that water in Hungary is polluted with microplastics

They said that there were a lot of microplastics in the Danube river, and even in the tap water in Budapest.

According to the findings of the latest research by Greenpeace, single-use plastic should be abolished from the market, and instead, everybody should use multiple-use plastic products, Greenpeace.org reported. Previous research found that there are microplastic particles even in the mineral waters of Hungary. Greenpeace expects that the Hungarian government will meet the goals the PM set in February regarding this issue and that it will start to create a sustainable economy that tries to save resources instead of wasting them.

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The organization entrusted WESSLING Hungary Ltd, an independent laboratory, to measure microplastics in the River Danube and in the tap water that is filtered from the river. Based on its findings, plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene are mainly responsible for the pollution

that can be found mostly in disposable plastic products.

Compared to previous research, this time, the amount of microplastic was three times higher: 147 per cubic metre. Interestingly, this was the first time that tap water was analysed: the laboratory took samples from two schools in North Buda and Csepel. In the former, there were 7, while in the latter, there were 10 plastic particles in the water analysed. This is lower than the results the organisation had in some other countries, but it is safe to say that

microplastic pollution in tap water is much lower than in Hungarian mineral waters.

Moreover, people consume much lower amounts of plastic through tap water than by breathing the air or by eating. The WHO is still analysing what physiological effects microplastics cause in the human body. However, it seems to be sure that the many chemical agents linked to the different kinds of microplastics are very harmful.

Gergely Simon, the chemical agent expert of Greenpeace, said that they expect that, based on previous promises, the government will take measures to ban disposable plastic products and wrappers from the market from 2021 on. That could be the first brave step on the road leading to a sustainable economy in Hungary that saves natural resources instead of overusing and depleting them. This is how Hungary could become cleaner, greener and healthier, Mr Simon believes.

They think that the coronavirus epidemic proved that our planet and our health are the most important. Therefore, the government should not only solve the problems caused by the epidemic but should also

start to find answers on the ecological crisis and climate change.

Source: greenpeace.org