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Glass bottles found to contain more microplastics than plastic bottles (phys.org)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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The researchers found an average of around 100 microplastic particles per liter in glass bottles of soft drinks, lemonade, iced tea and beer. That was five to 50 times higher than the rate detected in plastic bottles or metal cans.

"We expected the opposite result," Ph.D. student Iseline Chaib, who conducted the research, told AFP.

"We then noticed that in the glass, the particles emerging from the samples were the same shape, color and polymer composition—so therefore the same plastic—as the paint on the outside of the caps that seal the glass bottles," she said.

The paint on the caps also had "tiny scratches, invisible to the naked eye, probably due to friction between the caps when there were stored," the agency said in a statement.

This could then "release particles onto the surface of the caps," it added.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Anyone drinking beer or soft drinks out of glass bottles probably isn't worried about micro-plastics.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Ooo, we have a contender for Worst Take!

🏆

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I don't understand why people are butthurt. I'm not saying we should add microplastics. I'm saying that it's not likely that alcoholics or daily pop drinkers care about microplastics when they already don't care about the damaging effects of the beverage. Why is that a bad take?

[–] [email protected] 47 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I like beer and would definitely prefer my beer not contain microplastics

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I agree. I'm just saying that the top 10% of drinkers account for 60% of alcohol sales in the US. It's not likely that people who consume alcohol on a regular basis are concerned about microplastics.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Nonsense take. What if I told you alcoholics 1000% never buy glass bottles? That top 10% is cheap aluminum cans and plastic liquor bottles.

Or that glass bottles can be used for things besides beer and soda (iced tea and water for example).

You're making unfounded generalizations about people's health concerns.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Get off the internet and get a hobby.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

Keep incorrectly stereotyping people for ...checks notes... what container they drink from? Very weird hill to die on.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Why?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Alcohol/sugar contribute significantly to heart disease. Heart disease kills more people than anything. If you're sucking down beer and pop all the time, microplastics aren't likely your concern.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Parent commneter implies that people who consume soft drinks or alcohol aren't concerned about their health because these beverages are not healthy

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

That's the implication, yes. Seems to have really hurt some feelings. Heart disease kills more people than microplastics do, and alcohol/sugar contribute to that.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago

What about kombucha? Ice tea? Water?!?! Would be nice to know that anything you consume regardless of how healthy or not doesn't contain micro plastics or other contaminants.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You’re forgetting all the kombucha and juices that use glass bottles, and more so those than plastic. Though I think kombucha does that because the kombucha will eat through the plastic.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

No one sits down with a 6 - 12 pack of Kombucha.