If youve been following the global conversation around plastic pollution, youve probably heard of microplastics. These small particles have turned up everywhere from the depths of the ocean to the top of Mount Everest and even throughout the human body.
But what exactly are microplastics, why are they concerning and what can the world do about them? Read on to find out.
What are microplastics?
There are several definitions. One widely used approach defines microplastics as any fragment of plastic that is between 1 nanometer and 5 millimetres wide. One nanometre is just a fraction of the width of a human hair, and 5 millimetres is about the width of a wedding band.
Where do microplastics come from?
There are two main sources, says Susan Gardner, Director of the Ecosystems Division at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Some plastics are made to be small. These are known as primary microplastics, like the microbeads intentionally added to face washes and other personal care products. But most microplastics come from the slow disintegration of larger plastic products, including plastic wrap, takeaway containers, polyester clothes, tires, paint and artificial turf. These are known as secondary microplastics.
How common are microplastics?
Very. They are found in water, soil and the air. According to one estimate, 2.7 million tonnes of microplastics seeped into the environment in 2020, an estimate expected to double by 2040. Its probably safe to say that microplastics are just about everywhere, says Gardner, whose division works to counter plastic pollution in lakes, rivers and the ocean.
How do microplastics get into the environment?
There are several ways. Over time discarded plastic products like water bottles and cling wrap can break down into microplastics. Synthetic fabrics like polyester, can shed microplastic fibres when theyre washed. Microplastics also get released into the environment when people use products laced with the particles.
However, microplastics find their way into the environment, once theyre there, they get around. Research has shown that particles can move through the food web, as well as through soil, water, ice even the air.
Were just beginning to understand how microplastics travel and where they end up, says Gardner. But what we do know for sure is that when they end up in the environment, they also end up in our food chain. Scientists are still trying to understand the potential impact on our health but there are real reasons to be concerned.
Why are microplastics potentially a problem for people?
Microplastics can enter the human body through ingestion and inhalation. It remains to be confirmed if nanoplastics which are less than 1 micrometer across may even slip through the skin, as some research suggests.
One 2019 study found some adults could potentially be consuming between 39,000 to 52,000 microplastics particles a year on average, depending on their location and what they do. Microplastics have been found throughout the human body, including in the walls of arteries.
Are microplastics damaging to plants, animals and the wider environment?
Yes. One study found they can slow the growth of a microscopic marine algae known as phytoplankton, the base of several aquatic food webs. Another report found microplastics can make soil less fertile, hampering harvests. Microplastics may speed the melting of snow and ice in places like the Arctic, limiting the planets ability to reflect sunlight and speeding global warming, one study suggested.
How can you reduce the amount of microplastics in the environment?
A first step is for companies to stop adding unnecessary microplastics to products, Gardner says. Also important is redesigning products so they contain less plastic and shed fewer plastic fibres but also are not released to the environment at end of life. Bolstering waste collection and recycling systems would help prevent plastic products from escaping into the environment, where they break down into microplastics.
Is anybody doing anything about microplastics?
Yes, there is a growing global effort to address plastic pollution. For example, this years World Environment Day an annual celebration of the Earth on 5 June and hosted by UNEP will spotlight solutions to plastic pollution and the problem that is microplastics. Meanwhile, the countries of the world are negotiating an international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution. Negotiations will resume in Geneva, Switzerland in August.
UNEP's work is made possible by flexible contributions from Member States and other partners to the Environment Fund and UNEP Climate, Nature and Pollution funds. These funds enable agile, innovative solutions to climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. Learn how to support UNEP toinvest in people and planet.
World Environment Day
World Environment Dayon 5 June is the biggest international day for the environment. Led by UNEP and held annually since 1973, the event has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach, with millions of people from across the world engaging to protect the planet. This year, World Environment Day joins the UNEP-led #BeatPlasticPollutioncampaign to end plastic pollution.
Since 2018, the UNEP-led #BeatPlasticPollutioncampaign has advocated for a just, collective, and global transition to a world free of plastic pollution.
