Paint - A key source of microplastics to the environment: Fate, effects, and mitigation strategies

Summary

This paper is part of a research series looking at where tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in our environment come from, with this one focusing on paint as a major source. Paint on buildings, roads, and ships breaks down over time and sheds plastic particles into air, water, and soil, adding to the microplastics we may breathe in, drink, or eat. Understanding paint as a pollution source matters because it can help guide better paint formulas and disposal practices to reduce our overall exposure to these particles.