Scientists at The University of Manchester are calling for the creation of a global network of air monitoring stations to track the movement of airborne plastic pollution, which may be travelling further and faster around the planet than previously thought.
In a new review, published in the journal Current Pollution Reports today, the researchers have examined the current scientific research on how tiny plastic fragments - called micro and nanoplastics - enter the air, where they come from, and the mechanisms that transport them across vast distances.
The study reveals significant gaps in knowledge and understanding of airborne plastic pollution, driven by inconsistent measurement techniques, limited data, oversimplified simulations, and gaps in understanding atmospheric cycling mechanisms.
One key uncertainty is the scale of plastic entering the atmosphere. Current estimates vary wildly - from less than 800 tonnes to nearly 9 million tonnes per year - making it difficult to assess the true global impact. It also remains unclear whether the dominant contributors are land-based, such as road traffic, or marine based, such as sea spray.
Such large uncertainties raise the concern that airborne plastics, which pose potential risks to human and environmental health, may have a more extensive presence and influence than previously captured by current monitoring and simulation systems.
Each year, the world produces over 400 million tonnes of plastic, with a significant proportion ending up as waste. Over time, these plastics breaks down into microscopic particles called microplastics (less than 5mm) and nanoplastics (smaller than 1 micron), which are increasingly being found in the air we breath, oceans and soil. These particles can move thousands of miles within days and have even remote regions like polar ice zones, desserts and remote mountain peaks.
While our understanding of the problem has grown rapidly, limited real-world data, inconsistent sampling methods, and computer models that oversimplify how plastic behaves in the air, means that key questions remain unanswered.
To address these concerns, the authors are calling for future research efforts to focus on three critical areas:
- Expanding and standardising global observation networks
- Improving and refining atmospheric modelling
- Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI)
They say this integrated approach could transform how we understand and manage the plastic pollution crisis.
Full title: A Review of Atmospheric Micro/Nanoplastics: Insights into Source and Fate for Modelling Studies
Journal: Current Pollution Reports
DOI: 10.1007/s40726-025-00375-5
Link: http://doi.org/10.1007/s40726-025-00375-5
