We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Addressing microplastic pollution from an atmospheric perspective
Summary
Researchers argue that microplastics must be governed as transboundary atmospheric pollutants, citing evidence for long-range aerial transport, inhalation risks, aging-driven toxicity changes, and potential effects on cloud formation and radiative forcing that current plastics policy frameworks entirely overlook.
This comment reframes microplastics as a transboundary atmospheric pollutant, emphasizing long-range transport, inhalation exposure, aging-driven changes in toxicity and reactivity, and potential radiative and cloud effects. We identify major observational and conceptual gaps and argue that atmospheric monitoring, transport modelling, and product standards must be integrated into plastics governance to avoid unintended increases in airborne microplastic burdens and associated health and climate risks.