How an ordinary kitchen sponge can contaminate water

Researchers have studied how much material kitchen sponges lose during normal use.

It turned out that all types of sponges gradually wear out and release small particles of plastic into the water.

On average, one person "produces":

• 0.68 to 4.21 grams of such particles per year

The figure seems small, but on a national scale it becomes significant.

For example, in Germany alone it can amount to:

• up to hundreds of tonnes of plastic particles per year

Some of this pollution is captured in wastewater treatment plants, but not all of it - some still ends up in rivers, soil and the environment.

Details

Despite this, scientists have made an important clarification: the main harm from washing dishes is not related to sponges

The main contribution to environmental pollution comes from:

• water consumption

It is estimated that water accounts for:

• 85-97% of the total environmental impact

The amount of particles emitted depends on:

• sponge type
• plastic content
• frequency of use

Sponges with lower synthetic content emit less particles.

Why it matters

Research shows that you can reduce harm in simple ways:

• use less water
• choose sponges with less plastic content
• don't change sponges too often

This is more important than giving up sponges completely.

Background

Kitchen sponges remain an understudied source of household pollution despite their widespread use.

Source

The study by scientists from the University of Bonn is published in the journal Environmental Advances and is based on both laboratory tests and real-world usage data.