Plastic, plastic everywhere – airborne microplastics are settling into the most remote corners of the globe

Summary

Researchers have documented airborne microplastics being transported by wind, rain, and snow into some of Earth's most remote regions — including the Arctic, deep oceans, and high mountain ranges — far from any plastic source. This atmospheric dispersal mechanism means there is now effectively no environment on the planet untouched by microplastic contamination, with implications for ecosystem health and human inhalation exposure in areas previously considered pristine.