, June 2 -- A new study has found that commonly used kitchen sponges release tiny plastic particles every time they are used for washing dishes, adding to growing concerns about microplastic pollution.

Researchers from the University of Bonn examined how much plastic is shed from sponges during normal household use and assessed their overall environmental impact.

The study shows that kitchen sponges do release measurable amounts of microplastics as they wear down over time. However, scientists found that the biggest environmental burden from handwashing dishes is not plastic pollution, but water consumption.

Microplastics released during everyday use

The research team studied how much material is lost from sponges during regular dishw...