[These toxic chemicals enter WWTPs from stormwater runoff, ending up in sewage sludge. - Editor]
A recent study found high levels of two potentially deadly chemicals in human urine.
The study sampled the urine of 150 people and had "detection frequencies between 60% and 100%" of chemical 6PPD and 6PPD-Q, which are rubber additives commonly used in tires.
The long-term effects of 6PPD in humans hasn't been extensively studied, but what's clear to researchers is that 6PPD's source — tire-based pollution — is a big problem.
It's not easy to be exact, but studies estimate that tires create anywhere from 10-28% of the world's microplastic pollution, according to National Geographic. These particles don't just disappear — they end up in our water, our soil, and our bodies.
