A new study from Léman Plastic Action has found that 100 tons of plastic is dumped into Lake Geneva every year. A combination of mismanagement and poor road design means the lakes and rivers of Switzerland are becoming increasingly polluted.

Plastic pollution rates in Geneva double what was previously assumed

According to the report, 100 tons of plastic find itself in Lake Geneva every year. This is more than double the number originally assumed back in 2018, when the study was last conducted.

More than two-thirds of the waste (68 percent) are microplastics generated by the wear on car tyres, construction work and public buses. This is followed by macroplastics produced by the food and tobacco industries at 18 percent. The paint on the outside of buildings and cigarette butts were also highlighted as lesser-known sources of plastic pollution.

How does plastic end up in the lake?

Though the impact of plastic on the environment is not yet fully understood, microplastics continue to break down into smaller and smaller particles when in water, and eventually find themselves in the stomach and bloodstreams of local wildlife. What's more, a report from the National Park Service in the US noted that microplastics are known to contain harmful chemicals, and can act as a "sponge" in attracting other toxic elements.

Léman Plastic Action explained that most of the plastic (83 percent) ends up in the lake when rainfall leads to water washing over impermeable surfaces like roads and pavements. All the microplastics generated by drivers are then cleaned off the road and deposited in the lake.

The study concluded that the findings are “alarming” and “highlight the urgent need to act in the face of constantly increasing pollution.” They therefore called on the French and Swiss governments to do more to combat the problem. They are also set to host a free conference at Campus Biotech in Geneva on March 18, where people can learn how they can reduce their plastic consumption.