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Microplastic Pollution
Summary
This overview covers the growing problem of microplastic pollution, explaining how tiny plastic fragments under 5 millimeters enter the environment through both direct release and the breakdown of larger plastic waste. Researchers summarize the sources, distribution, and potential ecological and health effects of microplastics across water, soil, and air. The study emphasizes the scale of the problem, noting that millions of tonnes of plastic enter water bodies annually and current production trends suggest the issue will worsen.
Plastic waste is a growing concern in global environments, due to the rise in the production and distribution of plastics. Plastic output has risen from 15 Mt in 1964 to 311 MT in 2014 and will probably double over the coming 20 years. Currently, around 4–12 million tonnes of plastic is dumped annually into the water bodies. Microplastics (MPs; plastic fragments < 5 mm) in particular are greatly dispersible and have now gained both public and scientific attention. These are tiny plastic particles that enter the environment directly and account for approximately 15–31% of plastic fragments in the oceans. The presence of these dangerous particles in the biota is because of various anthropogenic activities, including domestic, industrial and coastal ones. Currently, MP pollution is a topic of growing scientific importance because, due to their tiny size, these are easily accessed by a variety of aquatic biota and eventually spread through the food chain. Due to the recent threats to human health and marine life caused by MPs, it is necessary to check the overuse of plastic supplements and put in place specific laws and strategies to manage the sources of plastic waste.