Car tires, industrial production the largest sources of microplastics in Netherlands

The vast majority of microplastics in the Dutch soil, air, and water stem from three sources - car tires degrading from road use, plastic granules used as industrial raw material, and plastic waste, the RIVM found in a follow-up study into microplastics in the environment. The public health and environment institute warned that more and more harmful tiny bits of plastic are ending up in the environment. “The most obvious measure is to reduce the use of plastic,” it said.

Tire erosion while driving is by far the biggest source of this type of pollution, releasing microplastics into the soil, air, and water. Plastic pellets used to produce plastic products follow in second place and plastic waste in third. Textiles, packaging, paint and coatings, and agriculture also contribute to microplastic pollution, but to a lesser extent, the RIVM concluded in the follow-up study performed on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.

The RIVM pointed out that microplastics are harmful and increasing. Most (80 percent) end up in the soil, but they are also found in the air and water. The institute made several recommendations on how the government can reduce microplastic pollution.

“Naturally, the greatest possible effect could be achieved by reducing the largest sources of emissions,” the RIVM said. We could all cut back on the use of plastic products. But that is not automatically the best solution. “In some cases, plastic can be less harmful to the environment than alternatives.”

The government could also take extra measures to prevent the granules that plastic products are made of from ending up in the soil or in water during transport or at industrial facilities. “Finally, in order to reduce tire wear, better tires could be developed, and tire wear particles could be filtered out by treating waste water from roads. Such treatment already takes place near cities, but not in more rural areas.”