Dragofix

Dishwashing with side effects: Kitchen sponges release microplastics https://phys.org/news/2026-03-dishwashing-side-effects-kitchen-sponges.html

#environment #plastic #microplastics #PlasticPollution

Dishwashing with side effects: Kitchen sponges release microplastics

Kitchen sponges are considered a potential, yet largely understudied, source of microplastics in households. A study in Environmental Advances investigated how many microplastic particles are released from kitchen sponges during use and what environmental impacts result. The paper is titled "From sink to sea: Microplastic release from kitchen sponges and potential environmental effects."

Mar 23 at 2:22amWeb
Show threadCrystal Zenith6h ago

@Dragofix the article doesn't say which part releases the microplastics. I'm guessing it's the scrubbing rather than cloth and foam layers (except the one on the left) - because the foam is usually cellulose.

Then again - it's really hard to justify when you really need sponges, because we don't need to eat from washable dishes - using edible tableware is best.