123Fab #103

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

Microplastics—plastic fragments smaller than 5 millimeters—originate from two main pathways:

• Primary microplastics are intentionally manufactured at microscopic scales, such as microbeads in cosmetics or fibers from synthetic textiles.
• Secondary microplastics are created when larger plastics break down over time due to environmental factors like sunlight, wind, and water.

Over time, these tiny particles infiltrate ecosystems, contaminating soil, waterways, and even human blood. Recent studies reveal that microplastics have been detected in the bloodstreams of up to 80% of the people tested, raising serious concerns about their long-term health impacts.

Faced with this crisis, companies are taking steps to tackle microplastic pollution. For instance, Nestlé Waters is participating in the Plastic Trace Project (2022–2025), which aims to standardize the tracking of microplastics in water, food, and the environment.

Key industries responsible for microplastics

The variety of consumer and commercial products that are intentionally loaded with microplastics is vast: cosmetics, detergents, paints, medicines, diapers, pesticides, and more. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), identifies seven sources of microplastics in marine environments:

• Synthetic textiles (>50%): Washing synthetic clothes discharges millions of microfibers into wastewater.
• Vehicle tires (10-20%): The EU alone generates around 0.5 million metric tons of microplastics annually from tire wear, and this is expected to increase with the rise of electric vehicles that are typically heavier.
• Urban dust (10-20%): These come out of the sum of several sources that involve artificial turf, building paints, and industrial abrasives.
• Road marking (3-5%): Everything, including the roads’ infrastructure deteriorates. Hot-melt paints used for road markings contain polymer binders that contribute to microplastic pollution.
• Marine coating (4%): The coatings applied to ships’ hulls break down over time, contributing to the load of microplastics in the oceans.
• Personal care products and cosmetics (1-2%): Most skincare and cosmetics products contain microbeads, a well-known source of microplastic pollution. Since 2023, the EU called for a ban for microplastics in consumer products, including cosmetics.
• Plastic pellets (0.3%): Resin pellets, which are used as raw material in producing plastic items, often spill into the environment.

These categories only scratch the surface. Microplastics have countless other sources, many of which remain poorly quantified. Our understanding of the problem is still evolving, but the urgency to act is clear.

Solutions

Efforts to address microplastic pollution focus on two main strategies: reducing pollution at its source and improving filtration systems to capture particles before they reach the environment. Here’s how different industries can contribute:

• Textile industry:
  • Developing alternative fibers: Dutch startup Boldwill produces microplastic-free sports apparel. The company uses hemp, cotton, and fabrics made from eucalyptus and beech trees in its sportswear.
  • Installing filters in washing machines: A variety of filters are being developed capable of catching fibers before they go into the wastewater system. One example is the innovative filtration technology of Matter, originally developed for washing machines. Today, its solutions extend to industrial applications, stopping microplastic entry into sewage sludge.
• Automobile industry:
  • Durable tire materials: Projects like LEON-T are developing and testing airless tires for heavy vehicles. This would reduce friction of rubber material and minimize particulate emissions.
  • Tyre dust catchers: The Tyre Collective has designed a device to capture tire dust directly at the source. This device is placed behind the wheel and uses both a suction system and an electrostatic capture system to capture the plastic microparticles.
• Manufacturing:
  • Industrial filtration solution: Companies like IADYS or ECOFARIO are developing technologies to capture microplastics during industrial processes
  • Alternative materials: For instance, Naturbeads offers cellulose-based microspheres as a viable substitute for microplastics in everyday products.
• Packaging:
  • Plastic-free alternatives: Companies are manufacturing new materials that will replace traditional plastics. For example, Lactips produces water-soluble and biodegradable thermoplastic pellets using casein, a milk protein. The pellets can be used to make all sorts of packaging material.
• Cosmetics:
  • Biodegradable alternatives: Cosmetic products can be reformulated to be microplastic-free. A French company, Dionymer, has developed a 100% biosourced and biodegradable polyester obtained by fermentation for use in make-up and skincare formulas.
• Agriculture:
  • Bio-based fertilizers: BioWeg has developped AgriWeg a biodegradable emulsion for the substitution of coatings from petroleum and acrylic based materials on fertilizers and seeds.

2 Key Figures

51 trillion

According to the UN, there are as many as 51 trillion microplastic particles in the seas, 500 times more than stars in our galaxy.

Between 78,000 and 211,000

The average person eats, drinks, and breathes between 78,000 and 211,000 microplastic particles annually.

3 startups to draw inspiration from

Naturbeads

A UK based-startup commercializing biodegradable, cellulose-based ingredients, offers a sustainable alternative to plastic microbeads used in personal care products, paints and coatings, packaging, adhesive and many other industrial products.

ECOFARIO

The German startup ECOFARIO develops microplastics removal systems for wastewater treatment plants. Its High-G-Separator uses hydrocyclone-based separation technology, eliminating the need for filter media to separate microplastics.

PlanetCare

A Slovenian startup that has developed innovative filters capturing 90% of synthetic fibers that are being released from textile products during each wash.

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