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Microplastics are everywhere: Is it possible to reduce our exposure?
by Isabelle Gerretsen 6/3/24 BBC
Microplastics have been found on every part of the planet. The tiny particles of this anthropogenic material have been found buried in Antarctic sea ice, inside the guts of marine animals inhabiting the deepest ocean trenches, and in drinking water around the world.
Your brain is full of microplastics: are they harming you?
A sliver of human brain in a small vial starts to melt as lye is added to it. Over the next few days, the caustic chemical will break down the neurons and blood vessels within, leaving behind a grisly slurry containing thousands of tiny plastic particles.
Microplastics Are Filling the Skies. Will They Affect the Climate?
by Nicola Jones 1/2/23 YaleEnvironment
Plastic has become an obvious pollutant over recent decades, choking turtles and seabirds, clogging up our landfills and waterways. But in just the past few years, a less-obvious problem has emerged. Researchers are starting to get concerned about how tiny bits of plastic in the air, lofted into the skies from seafoam bubbles or spinning tires on the highway, might potentially change our future climate.
Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains
by Alexander J. Nihart 3/2/25 nature medicine
Rising global concentrations of environmental microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) drive concerns for human exposure and health outcomes. Complementary methods for the robust detection of tissue MNPs, including pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, confirm the presence of MNPs in human kidney, liver and brain.
How microplastics are infiltrating the food you eat
by Isabelle Gerretsen 3/1/23 BBC
Microplastics have infiltrated every part of the planet. They have been found buried in Antarctic sea ice, within the guts of marine animals inhabiting the deepest ocean trenches, and in drinking water around the world. Plastic pollution has been found on beaches of remote, uninhabited islands and it shows up in sea water samples across the planet. One study estimated that there are around 24.4 trillion fragments of microplastics in the upper regions of the world's oceans.
Microplastics infiltrate human organs, raising health concerns
In 2024, toxicologist Matthew Campen discovered that the adult human brain contains about a disposable spoon's worth of plastic, a 50% increase from eight years prior.
Studies have found microplastics in human tissues such as placentas, breast milk, and semen, suggesting widespread infiltration of our bodies. Research indicates potential links between microplastic exposure and health issues like cardiovascular disease, reduced sperm count, and certain cancers.
Microplastics are in our bodies. How much do they harm us?
by Laura Parker 8/5/23 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
A few years ago, as microplastics began turning up in the guts of fish and shellfish, the concern was focused on the safety of seafood. Shellfish were a particular worry, because in their case, unlike fish, we eat the entire animal—stomach, microplastics and all. In 2017, Belgian scientists announced that seafood lovers could consume up to 11,000 plastic particles a year by eating mussels, a favorite dish in that country.
How do microplastics impact our gut health?
Nowadays, nearly all of our meals come seasoned with a flurry of tiny plastic particles and fibers. Scientists don’t know exactly how much we consume, but estimates range from five grams a week – the weight of a credit card – down to a minute fraction of that. Weight, however, isn’t all that matters. Exceptionally tiny fragments, as small or even smaller than a single bacterium, can penetrate human cells and pass from the gut to the bloodstream.
Microplastics block blood flow in the brain, mouse study reveals
by Smriti Mallapaty 23/1/25 nature
For the first time, scientists have tracked microplastics moving through the bodies of mice in real time1. The tiny plastic particles are gobbled up by immune cells, travel through the bloodstream and eventually become lodged in blood vessels in the brain. It’s not clear whether such obstructions occur in people, say researchers, but they did seem to affect the mice’s movement.
How a microplastics researcher avoids plastic in daily life
Plastic fragments have infiltrated air, water, soil, and food chains worldwide, entering human bodies through what we eat, drink, and breathe. Research shows they lodge in vital organs and can disrupt hormones, impair fertility, and fuel inflammation, yet their long-term health impacts remain poorly understood.
The distribution of subsurface microplastics in the ocean
Marine plastic pollution is a global issue, with microplastics (1 µm–5 mm) dominating the measured plastic count1,2. Although microplastics can be found throughout the oceanic water column3,4, most studies collect microplastics from surface waters (less than about 50-cm depth) using net tows5. Consequently, our understanding of the microplastics distribution across ocean depths is more limited.
Microplastic research must consider microbes
by Nature Microbiology 5/3/25 nature microbiology
It is increasingly clear that microplastic pollution can be detrimental to human, animal and environmental health. More research is needed to determine if and how our microbial partners are also negatively impacted, and what this means for host and ecosystem health.
What scientists have learned from 20 years of microplastics research
[https://grist.org/science/20-years-microplastics-research-pollution-health-environment/ by Joseph Winters 20/9/24 Grist]
Twenty years ago, a team of U.K. scientists sounded the alarm on a then-underappreciated problem: the breakdown of plastic litter into small, even microscopic, fragments. While many previous reports had documented the buildup of plastic bottles and bags in the natural environment, much less attention had been paid to what the scientists dubbed “microplastics.”
Microplastics and pollution combine to become much more toxic: Study
by Krystal Vasquez 18/4/22 EHN
Although the dangers of both microplastics and harmful compounds have been studied individually, few researchers have look at their combined effect. This study is also unique in that the researchers tested these polluted plastic particles on human cells—most previous research has focused on the impacts on marine life.
Who Said Recycling Was Green? It Makes Microplastics By the Ton
by James Bruggers 16/5/23 Inside Climate News
A study finds one plastics recycling plant in the U.K. produces as much as 3 million pounds of microplastics a year—and that’s with filtering.
Microplastics generated when opening plastic packaging
by Zahra Sobhani 19/3/20 scientific reports
Millions of tonnes of plastics have been released into the environment. Although the risk of plastics to humans is not yet resolved, microplastics, in the range of 1 μm - 5 mm, have entered our bodies, originating either from ingestion via the food chain or from inhalation of air.
Microplastic particles in human blood and their association with coagulation markers
by Dong-Wook Lee 6/12/24 scientific reports
Recent studies have indicated potential health risks associated with microplastics (MPs) exposure, including alterations in blood coagulation homeostasis. This cross-sectional study aimed to quantitatively examine MPs in human blood and assess their association with coagulation markers.
Microplastic hotspots mapped across the Southern Ocean reveal areas of potential ecological impact
by Aidan Hunter 30/12/24 Scientific reports
Marine microplastic is pervasive, polluting the remotest ecosystems including the Southern Ocean. Since this region is already undergoing climatic changes, the additional stress of microplastic pollution on the ecosystem should not be considered in isolation.
Stand Up to Plastic
by stories in California 5/5/25 The Nature Conservacy
Microplastics are largely invisible to the naked eye, but they pose a major threat to people and the planet. These tiny fragments of plastic are less than five millimeters in diameter but collectively, they make up about a third of the plastic in our oceans. Microplastics have been found from the heights of Mt. Everest to the deepest ocean trenches.
Food contact articles as source of micro- and nanoplastics: a systematic evidence map
by Lisa Zimmermann 25/5/25 npj
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in foodstuffs lead to widespread human exposure and are often linked to environmental contamination. However, the role of plastics in food contact articles (FCAs) has received less attention, despite being a known source.
Environmental impacts of biodegradable microplastics
by Zhengyin Piao 27/9/24 nature chemical engineering
Biodegradable plastics, perceived as ‘environmentally friendly’ materials, may end up in natural environments. This impact is often overlooked in the literature due to a lack of assessment methods.
You’re eating, drinking, and breathing microplastics. Now what?
by Anna Robuck 14/6/19 MASSIVE SCIENCE
A new study led by Kieran D. Cox and researchers at the University of Victoria in British Columbia confirms a logical but cringe-worthy conclusion: humans are consuming plastic. The researchers estimate that humans are eating about 250 pieces of microplastic per day, or roughly 94,000 microplastics in a given year. The average amount consumed varies with age and gender, but the basic premise remains.
The Plastics Crisis: A Neuropsychiatric Problem Hidden in Plain Sight
by Elizabeth Ryznar 3/9/24 Psychiatric Times
The impact of plastics on health is an area of increasing concern. Plastics specifically affect brain health and development, which is why psychiatry must pay attention to the growing plastics crisis.
Microplastic pollution found in insect casing from 1971
by Shamini Bundell 17/4/25 nature
Tiny particles of plastic are everywhere today, but a discovery in a museum collection proves that this isn’t a new phenomenon. While combing through drawers of caddisfly specimens, researchers found evidence of microplastic particles being used as a building material by caddisfly larvae as far back as the 1970s and 1980s.
=====International Conference on Microplastics January 11-14, 2026 Eldorado Hotel & Spa, Santa Fe, New Mexico ===== by COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Microplastics and nanoplastics (MPs & NPs) are a growing environmental and human health concern. These tiny plastic fragments are ubiquitous, contaminating our food, water, and air. While research is ongoing, the potential health risks of human exposure to MPs & NPs remain largely unknown.
Optical trapping stability of different irregularly shaped microplastic particles
by Noorulhoda Kazemi 22/5/25 scientific reports
Plastic pollution has become a major environmental issue. Waste degrades into microplastics and nanoplastics, which contaminate water, soil, and air, and affect ecosystems and food sources.
How New Jersey’s towns are tackling microplastic pollution from construction
by María Paula Rubiano 3/6/25 EHN
About a year ago, while scrolling on Facebook, retired NBC reporter Brian Thompson saw something that shook him. A woman named Sherri Lilienfeld shared photos of her front lawn covered in at least two inches of what, at first glance, looked like pristine white snow. It was not. It was plastic dust from a nearby construction site, where workers had been cutting up plastic building materials out in the open.
Potential toxicity of polystyrene microplastic particles
by Jangsun Hwang 30/4/20 Scientific reports
Environmental pollution arising from plastic waste is a major global concern. Plastic macroparticles, microparticles, and nanoparticles have the potential to affect marine ecosystems and human health.
Health impacts of microplastic exposure
by Karen O’Leary 13/12/24 naturemedicine
Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are everywhere — the oceans, air, soil and food supply — but evidence of their effects on human tissues and organs has been limited mostly to preclinical analyses. In March, a prospective observational study examined carotid plaque specimens from 257 people who underwent a surgical procedure to unblock arteries — and identified MNPs (specifically, polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride) in the carotid artery plaques of more than half of all participants.
Currently monitored microplastics pose negligible ecological risk to the global ocean
by Ricardo Beiras 17/12/20 Scientific reports
Given the rise in plastic production, microplastics (MP) dominate marine debris, and their impact on marine ecosystems will likely increase. However a global quantitative assessment of this risk is still lacking. We conducted an ecological risk assessment of MP in the global ocean by comparing the thresholds of biological effects with the probability of exposure to those concentrations, according to plastic density data adjusted to a log-normal distribution.
Microplastic in angling baits as a cryptic source of contamination in European freshwaters
by Aline Reis de Carvalho 27/5/21 Scientific reports
High environmental microplastic pollution, and its largely unquantified impacts on organisms, are driving studies to assess their potential entry pathways into freshwaters. Recreational angling, where many anglers release manufactured baits into freshwater ecosystems, is a widespread activity with important socio-economic implications in Europe. It also represents a potential microplastic pathway into freshwaters that has yet to be quantified.
Chemical Impact: Microplastic pollution more complex than we think, says new research
by Sharon Oosthoek 4/5/21 Michigan Public
Microplastic pollution has been building up in the Great Lakes for at least four decades, but our understanding of its impact on fish and other aquatic creatures is only just catching up.
The world’s plastic pollution crisis, explained
by Laura Parker 28/5/25 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Plastic pollution is most visible in developing Asian and African nations, where garbage collection systems are often inefficient or nonexistent. But the developed world, especially in countries with low recycling rates, also has trouble properly collecting discarded plastics.
Steam disinfection releases micro(nano)plastics from silicone-rubber baby teats as examined by optical photothermal infrared microspectroscopy
[https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-021-00998-x by Yu Su 31/5/22 nature nanotechnology
Silicone-rubber baby teats used to bottle-feed infants are frequently disinfected by moist heating. However, infant exposure to small microplastics (<10 μm) potentially released from the heated teats by hydrothermal decomposition has not been studied, owing to the limitations of conventional spectroscopy in visualizing microplastic formation and in characterizing the particles at the submicrometre scale.
Interactions of microplastic debris throughout the marine ecosystem
by Tamara S. Galloway 20/4/17 nature ecology & evolution
Marine microscopic plastic (microplastic) debris is a modern societal issue, illustrating the challenge of balancing the convenience of plastic in daily life with the prospect of causing ecological harm by careless disposal.
The global biological microplastic particle sink
by K. Kvale 7/10/20 scientific reports
Every year, about four percent of the plastic waste generated worldwide ends up in the ocean. What happens to the plastic there is poorly understood, though a growing body of evidence suggests it is rapidly spreading throughout the global ocean. The mechanisms of this spread are straightforward for buoyant larger plastics that can be accurately modelled using Lagrangian particle models.
A novel method for preparing microplastic fibers
by Matthew Cole 3/10/16 nature.com
Microscopic plastic (microplastic, 0.1 µm–5 mm) is a widespread pollutant impacting upon aquatic ecosystems across the globe. Environmental sampling has revealed synthetic fibers are prevalent in seawater, sediments and biota. However, microplastic fibers are rarely used in laboratory studies as they are unavailable for purchase and existing preparation techniques have limited application.
Plastic microfibre ingestion by deep-sea organisms
by M. L. Taylor 30/9/16 nature.com
Plastic waste is a distinctive indicator of the world-wide impact of anthropogenic activities. Both macro- and micro-plastics are found in the ocean, but as yet little is known about their ultimate fate and their impact on marine ecosystems.
Micro-Plastics, Major Problem
by Greenpeace Staff 1/12/17 GREEN PEACE
‘Microplastics’ is a category that scientists use for any plastics smaller than your thumbnail. Because of their small size, it’s almost unbelievable that such tiny plastics can cause so much damage in our vast oceans.
Airborne microplastic particles detected in the remote marine atmosphere
by Miri Trainic 18/12/20 nature.com
Anthropogenic pollution from marine microplastic particles is a growing concern, both as a source of toxic compounds, and because they can transport pathogens and other pollutants.
At least 36 facilities in Texas identified as potential microplastic polluters, according to new map
It doesn’t take more than a few steps near the shore to realize plastics have overtaken the beach. Bottles, bags and wrappers litter the sand with no trash cans in sight. Intermingled with the sand, small white disks begin to appear beneath your feet. At first glance, you may assume they are shells, many of the local birds do too. But they are hard plastic pellets, or nurdles.
The NOAA NCEI marine microplastics database
by Ebenezer S. Nyadjro 20/10/23 scientific data
Microplastics (<5 mm) pollution is a growing problem affecting coastal communities, marine ecosystems, aquatic life, and human health. The widespread occurrence of marine microplastics, and the need to curb its threats, require expansive, and continuous monitoring.
Potential impacts of microplastic pollution on soil–water–plant dynamics
by Alireza Bakhshaee 21/3/25 scientific reports
This study was designed to assess the potential impact of microplastic (MP) pollution on soil hydrology, specifically in retaining and releasing moisture. Herein, High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) MP of different sizes (i.e., 0.5–1, 1–3, and 3–5 mm) and shapes (i.e., fiber, film, and fragment) were evaluated for their effects on water retention curve (WRC) of sandy loam soil, chosen for its agricultural relevance and widespread environmental presence of HDPE.
=====International Conference on Microplastics January 11-14, 2026 Eldorado Hotel & Spa, Santa Fe, New Mexico ===== by COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Microplastics and nanoplastics (MPs & NPs) are a growing environmental and human health concern. These tiny plastic fragments are ubiquitous, contaminating our food, water, and air. While research is ongoing, the potential health risks of human exposure to MPs & NPs remain largely unknown.
How New Jersey’s towns are tackling microplastic pollution from construction
by María Paula Rubiano 3/6/25 EHN
About a year ago, while scrolling on Facebook, retired NBC reporter Brian Thompson saw something that shook him. A woman named Sherri Lilienfeld shared photos of her front lawn covered in at least two inches of what, at first glance, looked like pristine white snow. It was not. It was plastic dust from a nearby construction site, where workers had been cutting up plastic building materials out in the open.
We inhale a credit card's worth of microplastics each week
by Camelia Sadeghzadeh 29/1/24 BBC
Microplastics or tiny plastic particles are everywhere. Now a new study has found them where they've never been seen before, sitting deep inside human lungs. But what does it mean for our health?
=====International Conference on Microplastics January 11-14, 2026 Eldorado Hotel & Spa, Santa Fe, New Mexico ===== by COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Microplastics and nanoplastics (MPs & NPs) are a growing environmental and human health concern. These tiny plastic fragments are ubiquitous, contaminating our food, water, and air. While research is ongoing, the potential health risks of human exposure to MPs & NPs remain largely unknown.
Optical trapping stability of different irregularly shaped microplastic particles
by Noorulhoda Kazemi 22/5/25 Scientific reports
Plastic pollution has become a major environmental issue. Waste degrades into microplastics and nanoplastics, which contaminate water, soil, and air, and affect ecosystems and food sources. To elucidate the effects of microplastics on cellular systems, it is essential to comprehend their properties and manipulation at the microscopic scale.
How New Jersey’s towns are tackling microplastic pollution from construction
by María Paula Rubiano 30/6/25 EHN
About a year ago, while scrolling on Facebook, retired NBC reporter Brian Thompson saw something that shook him. A woman named Sherri Lilienfeld shared photos of her front lawn covered in at least two inches of what, at first glance, looked like pristine white snow. It was not. It was plastic dust from a nearby construction site, where workers had been cutting up plastic building materials out in the open.
Potential toxicity of polystyrene microplastic particles
by Jangsun Hwang 30/4/20 Scientific reports
Environmental pollution arising from plastic waste is a major global concern. Plastic macroparticles, microparticles, and nanoparticles have the potential to affect marine ecosystems and human health. It is generally accepted that microplastic particles are not harmful or at best minimal to human health.
Health impacts of microplastic exposure
by Karen O’Leary 13/12/24 naturemedicine
Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are everywhere — the oceans, air, soil and food supply — but evidence of their effects on human tissues and organs has been limited mostly to preclinical analyses. In March, a prospective observational study examined carotid plaque specimens from 257 people who underwent a surgical procedure to unblock arteries — and identified MNPs (specifically, polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride) in the carotid artery plaques of more than half of all participants.
Chewing gum can shed microplastics into saliva, research finds
by Kristen Rogers 25/3/25 CNN Health
Are you keeping a mental list of all the sources of microplastics finding their way into your daily life? You may have another culprit to consider: It’s gum, according to a new pilot study that found chewing just one piece can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics into saliva.
Stroke patients have high levels of microplastics in the plaque clogging their arteries, researchers find
by Morgan McFall-Johnsen 23/4/25 BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA
Microplastics and their even tinier cousins, nanoplastics, are probably flowing through your blood and building up in your organs like the lungs and liver.
New research suggests that microplastics could be affecting male fertility
It's the latest corner of the human body where tiny bits of plastic have turned up — the testicles. Exposure to environmental toxins like microplastics are believed to be contributing to the global decline in sperm count in humans.
Are you breathing plastic air at home? Here’s how microplastics are polluting our lungs
by Kevin Luo 4/6/18 WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Research shows that many of the microplastics in our bodies come from the air we breathe – not just from drinking bottled water or eating fish from polluted oceans. Due to their small size, microplastics can be inhaled and may induce a wide range of diseases including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as cancer.
'Punch in the gut' as scientists find micro plastic in Arctic ice
by Matthew Green 14/8/19 Reuters
Tiny pieces of plastic have been found in ice cores drilled in the Arctic by a U.S.-led team of scientists, underscoring the threat the growing form of pollution poses to marine life in even the remotest waters on the planet.
Your Laundry Sheds Harmful Microfibers. Here’s What You Can Do About It.
by Katie Okamoto 5/8/21 Wirecutter
My happy place is that chaotic zone of salt and spray where the beach meets the sea, a place of coming and going, flux and exchange. I love to dig my toes into the suctioning sand and feel the swirl of a receding wave. Though often my feet find sharp things in the soft sand—not just gravel and pebbles but also, increasingly and overwhelmingly, plastic. I try to collect the shards, the bits of aquas, whites, and teals, but soon I give up, angry and defeated. There is too much. So much of it is too tiny to hold or even see.
Microplastics Pervade Even Top-Quality Streams in Pennsylvania, Study Finds
by Jon Hurdle 15/11/22 Inside Climate News
Scientists have recently become aware that tiny fragments of plastic waste are almost everywhere, from the highest and lowest points on the earth’s surface to beer, tap water, living lung tissue and even human fetuses—all the result of the ubiquitous manufacturing of the material and a failure to seek out alternatives.
Another Place Plastics Are Turning Up: Organic Fertilizer From Food Waste
by Christopher Joyce 6/4/18 npr
Tiny particles of plastic are showing up all over the world, floating in the ocean, buried in soil, in food and even in beer. Now there's new research that's found microplastics in fertilizer — organic fertilizer from food waste, in fact.
The ocean is teeming with microplastic – a million times more than we thought, suggests new research
by Johnny Wood 13/12/19 WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
There could be a million times more microplastics floating around our oceans than previously thought, according to new research suggesting existing studies could have seriously underestimated the problem.
This new nanotech could help clean up Earth’s microplastics
by Beryl McCoy 31/7/19 PBS NEWS
Microplastics are everywhere–the ocean, the air, marine animals, pristine lakes, our food and, as recently discovered, in human excrement. But because they are so tiny — 5 millimeters across or smaller — microplastics are challenging to remove.
Study: Plastic Baby Bottles Shed Microplastics When Heated. Should You Be Worried?
They're in oceans, thanks to plastic garbage. They're in fish. They find their way into the water we drink in various ways, from surface runoff and wastewater effluent to particles deposited from the atmosphere.
Plastic junk? Researchers find tiny particles in men's testicles
Whether it's our bloodstream, brain, or lungs, microscopic fragments of plastic seem to turn up every time scientists scour a new corner of the human body.
Microplastics Are Everywhere. Here’s How to Avoid Eating Them.
by Katie Okamoto 21/4/25 Wirecutter
If you’re concerned about the health effects linked to microplastics, the experts I spoke with said that you can lower your risk by taking care of your general health: getting plenty of sleep and exercise, eating a balanced diet, lowering stress, and seeking preventative care.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
by Sandee LaMotte 22/4/24 CNN Health
Ninety percent of animal and vegetable protein samples tested positive for microplastics, teeny polymer fragments that can range from less than 0.2 inch (5 millimeters) down to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer), according to a February 2024 study. Anything smaller than 1 micrometer is a nanoplastic that must be measured in billionths of a meter.
We got rid of acid rain. Now something scarier is falling from the sky.
4 things you didn’t know about microplastics pollution
by Andrea Willige 10/4/25 WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Microplastics are pieces of plastic less than five millimetres wide. They can be manufactured at that size (primary microplastics), like microbeads used in cosmetics, or result from the degradation of larger plastic items (secondary microplastics).
Beer, Drinking Water And Fish: Tiny Plastic Is Everywhere
by Christopher Joyce 20/8/18 npr
Since modern plastic was first mass-produced, 8 billion tons have been manufactured. And when it's thrown away, it doesn't just disappear. Much of it crumbles into small pieces.
Microplastics research probes the type of dangers they may pose to our bodies
Microplastics have turned up in all corners of our anatomy. So much remains unknown about how these particles work their way through our bodies, and what that means for our health.
Scientists find plastic pollution in the rain and in the air we breathe
by Sean Fleming 31/7/20 WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
If you saw 120 plastic bottles fall from the sky, you’d be right to feel concerned. But what if that number was multiplied by a million?
Scientists discovered microplastics in human semen and follicular fluid
[https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/01/health/microplastics-semen-follicular-fluid-wellness by Kristen Rogers 1/7/25 CNN]
Scientists have detected microplastics — the tiny and pervasive fragments now found in our seas, drinking water, food and, increasingly, living tissue — in human semen and follicular fluid, according to new research.
Microplastics: Are we facing a new health crisis – and what can be done about it?
by Joe Myers 19/2/25 WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Microplastics have been found in the land, sea and air, across the food chain and throughout the human body.
Microplastics shed by food packaging are contaminating our food and drink, study finds
Plastic contamination may also occur when you’re unwrapping deli meat and cheese, steeping a tea bag in hot water, or opening cartons of milk or orange juice. Glass bottles and jars with a plastic-coated metal closure may also shed microscopic bits of plastic, the study found.
Study Finds Average Adult Ingests 2,000 Pieces of Microplastic Per Year
by JULIA CONLEY 18/10/18 Common Dreams
The new research, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, suggests that the average adult ingests about 2,000 microplastics per year due to the presence of plastics in the world's oceans and lakes.
If You're Wondering How Microplastics Even Get In Your Food, Read This
by Taylor Tobin 25/2/25 HUFFPOST
Food contaminants are always a hot topic, as we consumers have a natural desire to know exactly what we’re putting in our bodies when we purchase, prepare and eat our groceries. Social media broadens the audience for these conversations and debates, and over the course of the past year, we saw one food safety subject rise to the top of the algorithm: microplastics.
This New York river dumps millions of fabric microfibers into the ocean daily
by Teresa Carey 29/8/17 PBS NEWS
The Hudson River dumps 300 million clothing fibers into the Atlantic Ocean each day, according to a recent study in the Marine Pollution Bulletin. Many of the fibers come from aging clothes, rinsed out with the laundry and into the environment. Approximately half of the fibers were plastic, while the remainder were spun from natural materials like cotton or wool. Invisible to the naked eye, these fibers can cause health problems for animals and humans.
Study finds microplastic contamination in 99% of seafood samples
by Tom Perkins 3/2/25 The Guardian
Microplastics contamination is widespread in seafood sampled in a recent study, adding to growing evidence of the dangerous substances’ ubiquity in the nation’s food system, and a growing threat to human health
Welcome to Hawaii's 'plastic beach', one of the world's dirtiest places
by Liz Barney 10/1/20 The Guardian
An array of plastic crunched underfoot as Mattie Mae Larson walked down Kamilo Beach. Toothbrushes, a plastic broom, a leaking bottle, the back of a TV.
Microplastics in Clouds Could Be 'Contaminating Nearly Everything We Eat and Drink': Study
by Brett Wilkins 29/9/23 Common Dreams
They're in the world's water, air, food, and even in our blood—and now researchers in Japan have discovered microplastics in clouds, raising the specter of super-contaminating "plastic rainfall" and possibly affecting the Earth's climate.
6 Ways You Can Control Microplastics From Getting Into Your Food
by Beth Kristen 9/6/25 HUFFPOST
A big way microplastics get into our food is through contaminated soil, water and air. But it can also happen right in the kitchen, through simple daily habits that you likely have a lot of control over. Whether you’re chopping veggies on a plastic cutting board or reheating last night’s dinner in a plastic container, you may be increasing your exposure to microplastics.
Why Is the FDA Downplaying the Risk of Microplastics From Food Packaging?
by Maya Rommwatt 11/9/24 Common Dreams
The Food and Drug Administration has entered the plastic pollution fray. This summer the agency published a web page ostensibly meant to calm consumers’ nerves about the recent spate of reporting on microplastic contamination. Despite the FDA’s clout, the publication relies on hand-waving and empty reassurances, which do nothing to instill trust in the agency charged with keeping our food supply safe.
Bellies full of microplastic rob baby fish of their basic instincts
by Nsikan Akpan 6/6/16 PBS NEWS
When exposed to microplastics, baby fish stop eating natural food and prefer consuming the pollutant, according to a report from ecologists at Uppsala University in Sweden. The dietary switch derails the basic instincts of the fish, the researchers found, elevating the likelihood of being caught by predators. The findings may explain why populations of European perch (Perca fluviatilis) — the main species analyzed in the study — have declined in the Baltic Sea.
Could bringing back 19th-century wool swimsuits help reduce microplastics?
by Lorina Cramer 6/7/24 PBS NEWS
In the 19th century, when natural fibers were the only option, beach-goers donned costumes made of wool or cotton. Swimsuits worn at the water’s edge or in the crashing waves transformed across the 20th century from natural fibers to sleek, high-performance synthetics.
Biden EPA Lining Up With Chemical Industry Against Push to Curb Microplastics: Greenpeace
by Julia Conley 28/6/21 Common Dreams
A Greenpeace investigation revealed Monday that the Biden administration appears sympathetic to oil and chemical industry giants--not the public, scientists, and public health advocates--regarding a push in Europe to curb the use of microplastics in everyday products.
Nearly Every Brand of Bottled Water Contains Microplastics
With the Flint lead crisis still fresh in our memories and contaminated tap water detected across the country , bottled water may seem like an appealing alternative. But a recent study of bottled water , conducted by the journalism organization Orb Media, found that almost every major brand of bottled water is contaminated with particles of plastic.
Microplastics and pesticides aiding death of sea stars in Washington state – study
by Tom Perkins 26/3/25 The Guardian
Microplastics and a widely used pesticide are helping kill off sea star populations in Washington state’s Puget Sound, new research shows.
70+ US Lawmakers Demand EPA Boost Regulation of Microplastic Pollution
by Julia Conley 12/5/23 Common Dreams
Citing extensive research which has shown recently that microplastics are ubiquitous in the environment, more than 70 U.S. House members on Friday wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency to demand stronger regulation of the microscopic particles that are used in everyday household items and have been linked to respiratory diseases and cancers.
Scientists Who First Identified Threat of Microplastics Say World Must Now Act
by Jon Queally 20/9/24 Common Dreams
Some of the key scientists who first informed the world of the potential damage being done to natural systems by microplastics are now calling for world leaders to take decisive action to curb the introduction of these polluting materials into the environment—and they hope the looming United Nations treaty process on plastics can be a key vehicle for progress.
How One State Is Taking On The Micro-Plastics Polluting Its Waterways
by Sarah Lazare 17/4/14 Common Dreams
They are the tiny beads and pieces of plastic found in facial scrubs and other cleansing projects. And now they are washing down the drain and spreading from sewage systems into oceans, gulfs, lakes, and rivers around the world, where they are adding to plastic pollution that threatens those ecosystems and wildlife.
Your clothes are shedding bits of plastic. Here’s what people are doing about it
by Jennifer McDermott 22/4/25 PBS NEWS
Metallic tinsel, glittery ornaments, plastic holly that really stays green forever – they look good on your Christmas tree, holiday table, mantel or front door. They’re not such a good look for the planet.
Controlled-release fertilizers can spread microplastics on US cropland – study
by Tom Perkins 11/3/25 The Guardian
Fertilizers that shed microplastics are increasingly spreading on America’s cropland, research shows, raising new worry about the soil contamination and safety of the US food supply.
Laundry is a top source of microplastic pollution. Here’s how to clean your clothes more sustainably
by Judith Weis 13/1/24 PBS News
The most common microplastics in the environment are microfibers – plastic fragments shaped like tiny threads or filaments. Microfibers come from many sources, including cigarette butts, fishing nets and ropes, but the biggest source is synthetic fabrics, which constantly shed them.
It's raining plastic: microscopic fibers fall from the sky in Rocky Mountains
by Maanvi Singh 13/8/19 The Guardian
Plastic was the furthest thing from Gregory Wetherbee’s mind when he began analyzing rainwater samples collected from the Rocky Mountains. “I guess I expected to see mostly soil and mineral particles,” said the US Geological Survey researcher. Instead, he found multicolored microscopic plastic fibers.
800 Trillion Plastic Microbeads Go Down Drains Every Day
by Kendra Pierre-Louis 8/10/15 PBS
Researchers say that banning microbeads––plastic bits used to add a little grit to soaps, face washes and toothpastes––from personal care products could help protect the world’s waterways from a growing assault of plastic.
California wants to eradicate microplastics. Will a new strategy be enough?
by Katharine Gammon 3/3/22 The Guardian
Microplastics can be found everywhere, from waterways to fish to inside the human body’s soft tissues. And it’s only getting worse – 11m metric tons of plastic enter the planet’s oceans each year, an amount that is expected to triple by 2040.
Freshwater’s Macro Microplastic Problem
by Courtney Humphries 11/5/17 PBS
In the winter of 2014, Sherri “Sam” Mason, a chemist at the State University of New York at Fredonia, sent two of her undergraduate students out to the shore of Lake Erie near campus to volunteer to fillet the fish that sport fisherman caught. The deal: the students could keep the guts. They took the fish innards back to campus and painstakingly sorted through the contents. They were hunting for tiny particles of plastic that Mason and other researchers have shown are abundant in the waters of the Great Lakes.
Microplastics found to permeate the ocean’s deepest points
by Sarah Gibbens 6/12/18 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
A new study published in Geochemical Perspectives found evidence of microplastic (plastic smaller than five millimeters) gathering in large quantities in the deepest parts of the oceans, and that could account for “missing” plastic that has stumped scientists to date.
Microplastics from Texas Bays Are Washed Out to Sea, New Study Says
by Dylan Baddour 16/5/25 Inside Climate News
The first study of microplastics in Texas coastal sediment was funded through a local environmental activist’s landmark legal victory over plastic pollution, one of many such research projects.
In Microplastics, a Reporter Sees the Big Picture
By Nina Agrawal 25/04/2025 The New York Times
As a health reporter covering chronic diseases for The New York Times, I often get ideas for articles from new medical research. And as someone who grew up near the ocean, I have long been aware of the vast amounts of plastic we as a society use and throw away — and the detrimental effects that such waste can have on the environment.
So in February, when I came across a study about the buildup of microplastics inside of human brains and other tissue, I was immediately curious.
In the study, researchers at the University of New Mexico described a novel way to identify and measure the amount of microplastics inside human bodies. They also showed that over time, as the amount of plastic in the environment has increased, so too has the level of microplastics in our brains.
