Paint: The Unexpected Culprit Behind Ocean Microplastics
Everyone knows plastic bottles and straws pollute our oceans - but here’s a to many people surprising fact: paint is the largest source of microplastics in the ocean, according to a study by Swiss-based Environmental Action. Until now, this problem has flown under the radar.
The Scope of the Problem
Earlier estimates pegged paint’s contribution at 9–21% of marine microplastics
The Environmental Action report radically bumped this up, suggesting 2.9 million metric tons of paint-derived microplastics enter aquatic systems every year
Paint, used everywhere from boats and bridges to buildings, is now seen as a dominant, yet overlooked, vector of pollution.
Why It Matters
Microplastics are not just ocean litter, they’re insidious. They’ve been found in 60% of fish studied globally and are being traced through human bodies with mounting evidence of potential harm to tissues.
What Can Be Done
Here’s where Lavabrush enters the picture: an innovative tool that stops microplastic-laden paint runoff at the source by enabling cleaner, water-efficient brush cleaning, before the pollution ever reaches waterways.
Call to Action
It’s time to expand awareness and change habits—both in industry and at home.
Tools like Lavabrush are part of the solution. Let’s stop paint microplastics before they begin their toxic journey into our oceans.