Microplastic affects us all
5. March 2025
River Alb sampled for microplastics
21. March 2025
News from the microplastics world of knowledge: Scientifically sound and open-access publications
The first two months of the year were turbulent. In addition to winning the MERLIN Innovation Award at the beginning of February, we were able to launch two ground-breaking publications. For the first time, a complete life cycle assessment of our removal technology is now available. And the comparative long-term monitoring of three wastewater treatment plants with different treatment stages shows once again that no wastewater treatment plant can effectively prevent microplastics from entering the environment with the currently applied technologies. Thanks to our successful feasibility studies and our quick and easy microplastic analyses, as well as the fact that one of our cooperation partners has agreed to publish the data, we can now report fully on this topic.
Life cycle assessment confirms versatile positive impact
The fact that Wasser 3.0 PE-X® is an innovative technology for removing microplastics from wastewater is nothing new. What is new, however, is that we can now also demonstrate, based on obtained data, how the process benefits the environment and the climate. It's great that we were able to reach this milestone together with the University of Maribor in the EU project REMEDIES.
It's not just the fact that we can now present all the figures to the scientific community that is something very special. Much more important is that we will communicate the figures in a way that is suitable for society. On all channels. For everyone to understand and step by step. If you don't want to wait for that, you can read the publication right here
Our publications create more visibility for microplastics
Anyone who follows our communications will already be aware of the complexity of the issue we are dealing with when it comes to microplastics. After many years of inaccurate or erroneous communication on microplastics, real data is now coming to the forefront.
For the first time, this data provides a fact-based and therefore completely different basis for communication and action. Increasing the visibility of microplastic pollution and addressing solutions to the microplastic crisis is part of our responsible, impact-driven, application-orientated work.
The multipliers who use this data will also help more and more in the future. Our #weforwater ambassadors, above all Oleg Zernikel, also make valuable contributions here. Together, we are providing important support in a time of crisis.
Social media and reach
Our blog for water without microplastics is our content hub, and social media builds on this. The Wasser 3.0 app is the link between the real and digital worlds. If you always want to be up to date, follow our blog, which is typically published weekly.
We want to reach all people, on all channels, without a marketing department or extensive press work. Empowerment & engagement are at the top of the agenda. For example, communication on the Global Map of Microplastics also takes centre stage. With the participation option, we are moving from the 2D to 3D world and from reading, understanding and comprehending to doing and acting.
And when others write about us....
Interviews, editorial articles in other magazines, trade journals and podcasts are not only fun, but also informative.
Questions from interested people are an important source of information for us and provide good feedback on current pain points. Critical debate is also extremely important so that learning can begin. And we find less historically grown sharing of misinformation or false information, such as the constant reports on: We eat a credit card of microplastics every week. Or: Microplastics are a problem in the sea, not on land. But the correct message should be:
We don't eat a credit card of microplastics a week, certainly not all people, everywhere in the world, every week. The figure is based on estimates that have not been harmonised with current lifestyles, eating habits and demographic factors. The figure is simply a striking and memorable number, the perfect image for any marketer. Incidentally, the figure has been revised downwards over the years. But few people talk about it.
If you look at the trillions of microplastic particles in the sea and calculate the concentration of microplastics per litre, you can see that the average concentration of microplastics in the sea is around 1 particle per litre.
If you follow the rivers from the mouth into the sea towards the source, it becomes much more exciting. And if you also take a look at the receiving water of a sewage treatment plant (sometimes 1000 MP particles/litre) and industrial wastewater (millions of MP particles/litre), you can quickly see where the microplastics come from. Microplastics are created on land, not in the sea!
Motivating instead of capitulating
Microplastics need complexity-reducing help and real figures. This is the only way to create understandable and responsible action.
And the issue of microplastics needs translators to reach everyone, ideally everywhere. Just as with climate protection, we need to grow together so that we can collectively grow.
For this reason, we are increasing the visibility of our water ambassadors. People, multipliers, opinion leaders. For clean water. Against microplastics. We are launching the WE|X|Microplastics Community – and it starts today.
By setting up the WE|X|Microplastics Community, we want to ensure that water without microplastics is put at the top of the political agenda. We want to increase our media presence and initiate fundraising for new projects. The non-fiction book ‘Rebel of Water’ will also be increasingly used as a communication tool for water without microplastics. For example, at this year's Climate Book Fair.
We can only do it together: #bettertogether
Even if businesses, politics and the world are currently struggling, we remain positive. Because it is possible to reorganise processes in a meaningful and impactful way, avoiding bad investments and actively helping to shape the future.
It is important to understand processes, ask questions and not simply believe everything or insist on your own opinion. What helps: Scientifically sound facts - open-access and peer-reviewed. Without polemics and blah blah blah. For the future of our planet.
And finally, a recommendation on our own behalf
In March, we are launching an exciting new microplastics information series together with the BEW. Under the motto ‘Microplastics concern us all’, all the important core topics relating to microplastics will be covered in four online sessions and one in-person day - not for a specific specialist audience, but for everyone. Students are very welcome. This also applies to our OPEN HOUSE in June.
