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Emission of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) from use of plastic laundry and dish pods

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Topics

Advocacy, Bioplastics, Business, Consumer Goods, Environmental Data, Health, Material, Microplastics, Plastic Pollution, Pollutants, Single-Use Plastic, Water

Audiences

Activists, Consumers, Educators, Health Professionals, NGO Professionals, Policy Makers, Researchers, Scientists, Students, Teachers

Type

Peer-reviewed research

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In this study, scientists US nationwide emissions of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) resulting from domestic use of laundry and dish detergent pods, corroborated by a nationwide, online consumer survey and a literature review of its fate within conventional wastewater treatment plants. They found that PVA pods do not “dissolve” as advertised. Instead, more than 75% of PVA plastic from the pods ultimately reaches the environment to cause pollution, threatening human and ecosystem health.

READ THE STUDY HERE

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