Swedish Ecopreneur Bengt Rittri Urges Bold Action on Microplastics as UN Treaty Talks Begin in Geneva

Geneva, Switzerland, August 5, 2025: As ten days of high-stakes negotiations open today in Geneva to finalise a global agreement on plastic pollution, leading Swedish ecopreneur Bengt Rittri is calling on world leaders to take urgent and decisive action to address the growing threat microplastics pose to human health, the environment, and the global economy.

Rittri, the founder and investor behind several purpose-driven ventures - including air purification pioneer Blueair and more recently Bluewater, a global leader in sustainable water purification and beverage solutions - warned that the sheer scale of plastic pollution demands “a total rethink” of current approaches.

“The plastic pollution crisis is far too serious for business-as-usual,” Rittri said. “What began as a waste issue is now a public health emergency and an economic threat. We need bold new thinking - and we need it now.”

His comments come as UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) reveals that in 2024 alone, humans consumed around 500 million tonnes of plastic, with nearly 400 million tonnes becoming waste - most of it unrecyclable, and much of it ending up in landfills, incinerators, or the natural environment

A growing body of scientific research shows that microplastics (MPs) have infiltrated every corner of the planet’s water supply:

• In the USA, microplastics have been found in both tap water and bottled water. One study showed that an average of 325 plastic particles were found in a liter of bottled water as compared to 5.5 plastic particles per liter of tap water.
• A comprehensive UK study (2024) analysing 177 tap water samples across 13 cities and 85 bottled water samples from 17 brands found MPs in every single sample. Crucially, the study found no statistically significant difference between MPs levels in tap water and bottled water, underlining the pervasive nature of contamination.The smallest particles - those under 50 microns - were most common, raising serious concerns because nanoplastics are small enough to penetrate human tissue and cross biological barriers.
• In a separate 2025 study in Toulouse, France, tap water contained up to 1,154 MPs particles per litre, in some cases exceeding bottled water contamination levels.
• Elsewhere, numerous studies have found microplastics in tap water in China, other Asian countries, and African countries. A study investigating microplastic contamination in the drinking water supply chain in Haikou City, China, found microplastics present in 88% of samples, while studies in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and Indonesia, have also detected microplastics in tap water.
• In Africa, a study analyzing tap water from three suburbs in South Africa's Gauteng Province detected microplastics in all samples.

Health risks

According to the World Health Organization, the potential health hazards from microplastics in drinking water fall into three categories: physical particles, associated chemicals, and microbial pathogens in biofilms. While no definitive link has yet been made between nano-sized plastic particles and human toxicity, the World Health Organization warns that the long-term effects remain unknown. Several other health bodies such as UNEP, Minderoo Foundation, and The Lancet have also consistently emphasized that the potential for harm is real, particularly for smaller particles like nano plastics, which can cross cell membranes and reach sensitive tissues.

• Microplastics have now been detected in human blood, lungs, placentas, breast milk, and even in the brain and reproductive organs - suggesting they can accumulate across multiple systems in the body.
• Animal studies link MPs to gut inflammation, glucose intolerance, hormone disruption, and liver toxicity - conditions that are already on the rise globally.
• A major 2025 health impact review by the Minderoo Foundation and The Lancet estimated that plastic-related health exposures cost the world $1.5 trillion annually, including rising rates of cancer, infertility, diabetes, and developmental disorders.

Action Is Urgent

Global plastic production has increased more than 200-fold since 1950, and is expected to triple again by 2060. Most of that growth is driven by packaging and single-use plastics, yet less than 10% of plastic waste is ever recycled.

Today, microplastics are falling with the rain, contaminating food, drinking water, and even the air we breathe. Still, no global standards exist to monitor or regulate their presence in consumer products or water supplies.

What Needs to Happen Now

For Consumers:

• Use filtered tap water, which may contain fewer MPs than bottled alternatives.
• Avoid single-use plastics, especially for food and beverage storage.
• Demand transparency from brands and governments on plastic content and safer alternatives.

For Governments and Treaty Negotiators:

• Agree a legally binding global plastics treaty that caps virgin plastic production and restricts the use of high-risk polymers.
• Mandate testing, labelling, and disclosure of MPs in drinking water and food supplies.
• Fund urgent research into the health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics - particularly in children and pregnant women.
• Invest in safe, reusable alternatives and accelerate the shift to circular economies.

In a final word as delegates from over 170 nations gather in Geneva, Bengt Rittri says: “If we fail to act now, plastic pollution will become the asbestos of our century - slow-moving, invisible, and lethal. But we still have time to choose a different path. Let this treaty be our turning point.”

Media Contact:

David Noble, Chief Communications Officer,+44 7785 302694 (tel/WhatsApp) or david.noble@buewatergroup.com

About Bluewater
Founded in 2013, Bluewater exists to power healthier lives through clean, sustainable hydration – at home, at work, and on the go. With award-winning technology that removes toxic chemicals, microplastics, and other contaminants from tap water, Bluewater delivers pure, great-tasting water and organic-based beverages. Operating in over 30 countries, Bluewater is driving a global shift toward better hydration and a healthier planet for enhanced health and wellbeing. www.bluewatergroup.com