Microplastics found in 85% of faeces collected from wild animals in Hong Kong: study

Greenpeace works with researchers to analyse 100 faecal samples from buffalo, cattle, boars, macaques and porcupines in Hong Kong’s countryside

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Wild boars were among the species that featured in the study involving Greenpeace. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Published: 4:56pm, 9 Sep 2024Updated: 5:37pm, 9 Sep 2024

A Hong Kong green group has found microplastics in 85 per cent of faecal samples from five wild land mammal species in a first-of-its-kind study for the city, with the NGO urging authorities to boost efforts to stop more plastics entering the ecosystem.

Greenpeace said on Monday that it collaborated with university researchers in Hong Kong and Taiwan between June and August of 2022 to collect and analyse 100 samples from buffalo, cattle, boars, macaques and porcupines in the city’s countryside.

The study found microplastics in 85 per cent of the samples and at all seven sampling sites, with 2,503 pieces of microplastic collected during the study, the NGO said.

In terms of species and regions, the highest median concentration of microplastics was uncovered among the faeces of cattle in Lantau Island’s Cheung Sha, with levels reaching 65.5 particles per gram.

Levels for cattle in Mui Wo and buffalo in Pui O Bay, both located on the same island, stood at 16.1 and 17.7 particles per gram, respectively.

Samples taken from macaque monkeys in northern Kowloon’s Kam Shan had the lowest median concentration, at 0.2 particles per gram.