Emerging contaminants, such as microplastics and nanomaterials, have also been identified in sewage water. These substances, often originating from the breakdown of larger plastic items or from synthetic textiles, pose new challenges for wastewater treatment plants, which are not always equipped to filter out these tiny particles. The long-term implications of microplastics in the environment are still being studied, but their potential to enter the food chain raises alarm about possible health effects on humans and animals.
