The peer-reviewed study led by Erina Brown, a plastics scientist at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, found that up to 13 percent of recycled plastics become microplastics, tiny particles smaller than five millimeters that pollute air and water, if wash water from recycling plants is not filtered. Brown and her team studied wastewater at a mixed plastics recycling facility in the United Kingdom and found it could produce up to 6.5 million pounds of microplastic per year. …

Researchers at the U.K. facility noted that the recycling plant was “relatively state-of-the-art” and installed a filtration system during the study. Yet, the microplastic pollutant estimates only dropped to 3 million pounds per year after they installed filters.

[Penn & Teller’s old Showtime show “Bulls***” had an amazing episode on recycling and how most of it didn’t have any real value. Penn himself expressed shock and even sorrow over the data. The only recycling that actually produces net value and environmental impact was (at the time) aluminum recycling — which is why a market exists for collecting used aluminum cans, etc. Not even paper recycling is net worthy, as this clip from the episode argues. NSFW language of course, but it’s fun. If you get a chance to watch the whole episode, definitely do so. — Ed]