Polypropylene (PP)
Cities measured
87
Detected in
87 / 87
Elevated / alert
3
Highest
4.8 particles/L — Jakarta
Overview
Polypropylene is the second most produced plastic globally, used in packaging, textiles, medical devices, and automotive components. PP microplastics in water are associated with synthetic textile washing, packaging degradation, and industrial pellet spills.
Health Relevance
PP is relatively chemically inert but acts as a hydrophobic pollutant carrier. PP particles have been detected in human blood, placenta, and colon tissue biopsies.
Regulatory Limits
Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184
No regulatory limit.
Controversy & Contested Science
Pyramid-style tea bags — many made from polypropylene — were shown in a 2019 McGill University study to release > 11 billion PP microplastic particles per bag into boiling water at brewing temperature. The finding created significant consumer alarm and drove several major tea brands to switch materials. It also illustrated how routine product design decisions create inadvertent microplastic exposure pathways that standard food safety risk assessments did not anticipate.