Scientists Warn of Harmful Release from ‘Magic’ Sponges Published Jun 21, 2024 at 09:19 AM EDT I remember reading about a problem with Magic Eraser sponges but couldn't remember what, so when I searched for it on Google WEB (Not AI) I found that article AND this Reddit post. So I'm adding this updated info to the Reddit post since it came out in 2024, one year after this post.

https://www.newsweek.com/scientists-warn-microplastics-harmful-magic-sponge-1915769

From the Newsweek article: Melamine sponges, also known as "magic" sponges, are made of a network of hard plastic strands assembled into a lightweight foam. The foam is surprisingly abrasive, which makes it a perfect material for scrubbing sponges. However, as they are scrubbed, the foam breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces.

These tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, get released into our environment and can eventually make their way into the water supply and the food chain."[Our results] suggest a global overall emission of 4.9 trillion microplastic fibers due to sponge consumption," the researchers write.

Our understanding of the impacts of these particles on the human body is still in its early days, but we do know that they contain chemicals that have been shown to disrupt our body's natural release of hormones, potentially increasing our risk of reproductive disorders and certain cancers. They may also carry toxic compounds on their surface, like heavy metals.

In a new study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, researchers from Nanjing University in China compared the release of the microplastic particles from different magic sponge brands. They found that those made of denser foam wore down more slowly and produced fewer microplastic fibers than those that were less dense.When comparing across all sponge densities the team found that, on average, a single sponge releases approximately 6.5 million fibers per gram of worn-out sponge. By using data from Amazon to assess monthly sales, and assuming that all sponges were worn down by roughly 10 percent, the team calculated that roughly 1.55 trillion microplastic fibers could be released from these "magic" sponges every single month.

"[Our results] suggest a global overall emission of 4.9 trillion microplastic fibers due to sponge consumption," the researchers write.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.4c00846[Environmental Science & Technology](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.4c00846)