We need to advance our understanding of the effects of microplastics on aquatic ecosystems, especially on small animals at the base of food webs that might be ingesting more of these particles.
Mntafufu Estuary in the northern part of the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Anusha Rajkaran
Biodegradable plastics have great potential to replace problematic plastics that don’t break down. But we, and the environment, need greater clarity on how to dispose of them.
The global issue of plastic pollution has been has been worsening every year, disrupting the entire ecosystem.
(Shutterstock)
A global treaty on plastic pollution must incentivize a take-make-reuse waste management system and include quantitative targets based on geography-specific emissions.
Representatives of 175 countries voted to start developing a global treaty to reduce plastic waste. Treaties addressing mercury, long-range air pollution and ozone depletion offer some lessons.
Microplastics aren’t always so easy to see.
chayanuphol/Shutterstock
Microplastics are polluting soil worldwide, but it’s often hard to analyse the impact. New research shows how we can assess the scale of the problem using modelling.
Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
After soil, water and food, microplastics have now entered the atmosphere, where they influence the climate system and may even change atmospheric chemistry.
Microplastics, which can originate from the breakdown of plastic products, can be found practically everywhere on our planet.
MrsBrown/Pixabay
We analysed the dust in 32 homes across Sydney, and found significant levels of microplastics. But having hard, non-varnished floors and vacuuming at least weekly might help.
Research Director, Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (AUSMAP); Honorary Senior Research Fellow, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University