People in Goa may be ingesting microplastics along with their drinkingwater, a new study by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) and Delhi-based advocacy group Toxics Link has found.

The studyClean Drinking Water: A Pipe Dream?assessed Goastapwater and found that the potable water supplied to homes is contaminated with microplastics, one of the sources of which could be the PVC pipes.

Microplastics (MP) are particles of plastic that are less than 5mm in size and have been recognised globally as one of the most critical emerging marine pollutants, due to their persistence, ubiquity and toxic potential.

Though plastic Waste Management rules have been in force in the country, public awareness and participation holds the key to improving plastic waste management and the subsequent reduction in microplastic pollution. Various stakeholders, including the , government, civil Society organisations, need to collaborate to bring about change.