The caps of glass bottles contaminate beverages with microplastics | Anses - Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail
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Microplastics are present in all beverages, but those packaged in glass bottles contain more microplastic particles than those in plastic bottles, cartons or cans. This was the surprising finding of a study conducted by the Boulogne-sur-Mer unit of the ANSES Laboratory for Food Safety. The scientists hypothesised that these plastic particles could come from the paint used on bottle caps. Water and wine are less affected than other beverages. These findings have highlighted a source of microplastics in drinks that manufacturers can easily take measures to address.

Microplastics are present in all beverages, but those packaged in glass bottles contain more microplastic particles than those in plastic bottles, cartons or cans. This was the surprising finding of a study conducted by the Boulogne-sur-Mer unit of the ANSES Laboratory for Food Safety. The scientists hypothesised that these plastic particles could come from the paint used on bottle caps. Water and wine are less affected than other beverages. These findings have highlighted a source of microplastics in drinks that manufacturers can easily take measures to address.

  • TomMasz@piefed.socialEnglish
    3·
    14 days ago

    If I remember correctly, bottles used to have cork in the caps before plastic. I don’t know if going back to cork is feasible so is there an alternative to plastic that meets the requirements?

    • solo@slrpnk.netOPEnglish
      6·
      14 days ago

      I dunno. Cork comes from tree bark, and I would prefer “we” don’t incentivise corporations to mess more with trees.

      Also, what they suggest in the article sounds pretty feasible: cleaning the caps before sealing, as well as changing stuff in the manufacturing procedures.

      If you ask me, my favourite solution would be to use our own bottles or flasks and refill them with the beverage of our choice at specific places. I know we are not used to that, but in the same time it’s not that difficult either.

          • brown567@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            2·
            14 days ago

            I’d imagine they’re pretty careful about that, since the first harvest isn’t until the tree is 15-20 years old, and they can live for 150

        • solo@slrpnk.netOPEnglish
          1·
          13 days ago

          Thanks for the input, I had heard that cork harvesting is considered a sustainable production, but hadn’t looked into it at all. If I got this right, it doesn’t hurt the oak cork trees at all.

          That said, if I imagine a corporation like coca-cola wanted to shift to corks, I suppose the demand for them would rise due to how many beverages they sale and more oak corks would need to be planted. Wouldn’t this mean disturbing some existing ecosystems, perhaps clear-cutting some areas of other trees to create new monocultures, just to meet demands?

          So in a way I can see how sustainable cork harvesting is in a small scale, but I don’t think it would be the same if big corporations are involved. Something like that.

      • Korhaka@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        1·
        13 days ago

        Its a good idea but places offering this usually charge VASTLY more than the other options.

    • Korhaka@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      3·
      13 days ago

      It would be if people wouldn’t buy so much bottled drinks all the time. Stop living off cola.