Plastic pellets, powders, and flakes - A key source of microplastics to the environment: Fate, effects, and mitigation strategies

Summary

Tiny plastic pellets, powders, and flakes used to make everyday plastic products are spilling into our environment during manufacturing and shipping, breaking down into the microplastics that end up in our water, soil, and food. This review pulls together existing research on how these plastic bits travel through ecosystems and outlines ways to stop the leaks before they happen, which matters because reducing microplastics at the source is one of the most effective ways to limit our long-term exposure to them.