Mastodawn

Tim McCormack Oct 1, 2023

[EDIT: Ugh, this turns out to be wrong -- it's actually 78% of 11%. See page 89 of https://www.systemiq.earth/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BreakingThePlasticWave_MainReport.pdf -- misleading representation. 8.5% ain't nothing, but it's nothing like a majority. Thanks to those who replied to correct this!]

The good news: The majority of ocean microplastics come from one source, which means we could dramatically reduce their occurrence by focusing on just one solution.

The bad news: It's car tires. https://www.thedrive.com/news/tire-dust-makes-up-the-majority-of-ocean-microplastics-study-finds

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Stuart D Neilson

@timmc There are so many false articles based on the Pew report. Tyre dust is 78% of the ocean plastic pollution *from 4 identified sources*, which account for 11% of ocean microplastics.
Tyre dust is about 8.6% of total ocean microplastics, when the unidentified sources are included.

See pp 89-90 of the misquoted report: https://www.systemiq.earth/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BreakingThePlasticWave_MainReport.pdf