The most dangerous plastic has been named

Brightly coloured plastic decomposes much faster than the same white plastic, a group of British and South African scientists have found. The study on the impact of dyes on environmental degradation and the decomposition of plastic into microparticles was published in the scientific journal Environmental Pollution.

Scientists from the Universities of Leicester and Cape Town conducted a three-year experiment on multi-coloured plastic lids from the same manufacturer. The results showed that blue, green and especially red lids break down into microplastics faster than white, black or silver ones.

The study also emphasizes that the rate of plastic decomposition is virtually independent of climate, as measurements were taken in both the UK and South Africa. The experiment showed that bright dyes do not protect plastic from ultraviolet radiation, making its structure more fragile and vulnerable to fragmentation.

In connection with the results obtained, scientists called for a reconsideration of the approach to plastic containers, especially for those goods that are exposed to direct sunlight.

Last summer, the Izvestia newspaper, citing a presentation by the Russian Ecological Operator, wrote that colored plastic bottles could be banned in Russia by 2024. Rossiyskaya Gazeta then specified that these measures were contained in the federal project "Closed-loop Economy." However, no exact dates for the introduction of such a ban have been reported.

Previously, scientists noted that nanoplastics have become a more serious threat to human health than microplastics. It was reported that microplastic particles can penetrate human cells and the bloodstream, and through the placenta - even into the embryo.

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