Bottled water contains microplastics. These plastics come from a wide range of sources, including cosmetic products, clothing, and packaging materials.

"Reuters file photo"

◎Lin Yuxuan

Microplastics in water can come from larger pieces of plastic that break down in landfills and oceans.

Microplastics in water come from the breakdown of large swathes of plastic in landfills and the ocean.

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Fabrics such as fleece and nylon are made from plastic. When washed, they shed bits of plastic lint.

Clothing materials such as fleece and nylon are made of plastic.

When rinsed, they shed a little bit of plastic.

It travels from the wash water down household drains and eventually into rivers, lakes and oceans.

Plastic flakes accompany wash water down household sewers and eventually into rivers, lakes and oceans.

Other microplastic beads go in some toothpastes and skin-care products.

Other microplastics come from some toothpaste and skin care products.

Once plastic bits go down the drain, it will wash into — and then out of — water treatment plants.

Once the plastic debris flows into the sewers, it is flushed into the sewage treatment plant and then out of the sewage treatment plant.

These facilities release their water into rivers and the ocean which is the source of tap water. Some of that water may move into groundwater, which some companies use for bottled water.

Water released from sewage treatment plants flows into tap water sources such as rivers and oceans.

Some of the water goes into groundwater, and some companies use it to make bottled water.

News Dictionary

taint: verb, to contaminate <food>.

Example: These pork was tainted.

shed: verb, to fall off.

Example: The trees in the campus are shedding their leaves.

drain: noun, sewer, gutter.

Example: The coin was dropped down in a drain in the road.