Expert Consultant: Todd Gouin
Todd graduated from Trent University (Canada) in 2006, having majored in Environmental Science. Afterwards, he went on to gather academic and industrial experience in environmental fate and exposure modeling. Today, Todd is president of TG Environmental Research where he and his team work on the development and application of chemical assessments for particles–such as microplastics, nanomaterials, and UVCB substances.
The majority of values used in our test come from a comprehensive study carried out by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The study uses tonnage estimates to calculate the release of microplastics into seas and oceans. To convert tons into a daily volume of particles, our expert made a number of assumptions. These assume that particles are spherical and have an average diameter of 50 microns–with a density equivalent to that of polyethylene (approximately 0.9 g/cm3).
Question 1: Where do you currently live?
The answer to this question helps assign you geographically and provides an average value of microplastic particles emitted by a person in your region. Your answer to this question does not directly affect your personal results. However, it does influence the results generated from other region-based questions.
Africa and Middle East = 470,000 particles per person (per day)
Latin America = 2,000,000 particles per person (per day)
Europe and Central Asia = 1,500,000 particles per person (per day)
East Asia and Oceania = 3,500,000 particles per person (per day)
North America = 4,000,000 particles per person (per day)
China = 900,000 particles per person (per day)
India and South Asia = 800,000 particles per person (per day)
Question 2: Where do you spend most of your time?
The answer to this question increases your “Produce” and “Ingest” results.
In a large city (Produce):
Africa and Middle East = 112,800 particles per person (per day)
Latin America = 480,000 particles per person (per day)
Europe and Central Asia = 360,000 particles per person (per day)
East Asia and Oceania = 840,000 particles per person (per day)
North America = 960,000 particles per person (per day)
China = 216,000 particles per person (per day)
India and South Asia = 192,000 particles per person (per day)
In a large city (Ingest):
150 particles per person (per day)
This figure is the same across all regions.
In a town (Produce):
Africa and Middle East = 56,400 particles per person (per day)
Latin America = 240,000 particles per person (per day)
Europe and Central Asia = 180,000 particles per person (per day)
East Asia and Oceania = 420,000 particles per person (per day)
North America = 480,000 particles per person (per day)
China = 108,000 particles per person (per day)
India and South Asia = 96,000 particles per person (per day)
In a town (Ingest): 75 particles per person (per day)
This figure is the same across all regions.
In the country (Produce):
Africa and Middle East = 11,280 particles per person (per day)
Latin America = 48,000 particles per person (per day)
Europe and Central Asia = 36,000 particles per person (per day)
East Asia and Oceania = 84,000 particles per person (per day)
North America = 96,000 particles per person (per day)
China = 21,600 particles per person (per day)
India and South Asia = 19,200 particles per person (per day)
In the country (Ingest): 38 particles per person (per day)
This figure is the same across all regions.
Question 3: How do you get ready for the day?
The answer to this question increases your personal “Produce” results, and uses an average figure (per region) to determine how many microplastic particles you emit via grooming. This average figure is applied to all participants–regardless of how many options are selected.
Africa and Middle East = 9,400 particles per person (per day)
Latin America = 40,000 particles per person (per day)
Europe and Central Asia = 30,000 particles per person (per day)
East Asia and Oceania = 70,000 particles per person (per day)
North America = 80,000 particles per person (per day)
China = 18,000 particles per person (per day)
India and South Asia = 16,000 particles per person (per day)
Question 4: What gets your motor running in the morning?
The answer to this question increases your personal “Ingest” results.
Nylon mesh tea bags = 11.6 billion particles per person (per day)
Loose-leaf tea = 10 particles per person (per day)
Coffee capsules = 10 particles per person (per day)
Ground coffee = 10 particles per person (per day)
No Tea or Coffee = 0 particles per person (per day)
Question 5: How do you make your way to work?
The answer to this question increases your personal “Produce” results.
By car (incl. public transportation with tires e.g. buses):
Africa and Middle East = 132,000 particles per person (per day)
Latin America = 560,000 particles per person (per day)
Europe and Central Asia = 420,000 particles per person (per day)
East Asia and Oceania = 980,000 particles per person (per day)
North America = 1,120,000 particles per person (per day)
China = 252,000 particles per person (per day)
India and South Asia = 224,000 particles per person (per day)
By train:
All regions 1,000 particles per person (per day)
By bike:
All regions 500 particles per person (per day)
By foot:
All regions 100 particles per person (per day)
Question 6: Do you spend time in carpeted rooms throughout the day?
The answer to this question increases your personal “Produce” results.
Africa and Middle East = 16,000 particles per person (per day)
Latin America = 70,000 particles per person (per day)
Europe and Central Asia = 52,000 particles per person (per day)
East Asia and Oceania = 120,000 particles per person (per day)
North America = 140,000 particles per person (per day)
China = 30,000 particles per person (per day)
India and South Asia = 25,000 particles per person (per day)
Question 7: Which title best describes you as a person?
The answer to this question increases your personal “Ingest” results.
Mrs. = 130 particles per person (per day)
Mr. = 140 particles per person (per day)
Question 8: What’s your main source of drinking water?
The answer to this question increases your personal “Ingest” results.
Tap water = 10 particles per person (per day)
Bottled water = 250 particles per person (per day)*
Half-and-half = 130 particles per person (per day)
* There is currently no data to differentiate between glass or plastic bottles.
Question 9: Do you buy food that’s wrapped in plastic packaging?
Although the answer to this question undoubtedly affects your personal “Produce” value, there are currently no reliable scientific findings to determine how many particles are actually emitted via plastic packaging for food. This question, therefore, does not influence your personal “Produce” score.
Question 10: How many times a week do you do laundry?
The answer to this question increases your personal “Produce” results. It assumes an approximate microplastic value based on one wash cycle, per week. This figure is then multiplied by the actual number of washes you carry out on a weekly basis.
Africa and Middle East = 150,000 particles per person (per day)
Latin America = 630,000 particles per person (per day)
Europe and Central Asia = 500,000 particles per person (per day)
East Asia and Oceania = 1,100,000 particles per person (per day)
North America = 1,300,000 particles per person (per day)
China = 300,000 particles per person (per day)
India and South Asia = 250,000 particles per person (per day)