We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Think Global, Act Local: Local Knowledge Is Critical to Inform Positive Change When It Comes to Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This viewpoint argues that local, context-specific data is essential for effectively addressing microplastic pollution, since contamination sources and impacts vary widely by region. Practical solutions require understanding local conditions, species, and pollution pathways rather than relying solely on global data.
ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVViewpointNEXTThink Global, Act Local: Local Knowledge Is Critical to Inform Positive Change When It Comes to MicroplasticsChelsea M. Rochman*Chelsea M. RochmanDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S3B2, Canada*Email: [email protected]More by Chelsea M. Rochmanhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-7624-711X, Keenan MunnoKeenan MunnoDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S3B2, CanadaMore by Keenan Munnohttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-2916-5944, Carolynn BoxCarolynn Box5 Gyres Institute, Los Angeles, California 90016-3107, United StatesMore by Carolynn Box, Anna CumminsAnna Cummins5 Gyres Institute, Los Angeles, California 90016-3107, United StatesMore by Anna Cummins, Xia ZhuXia ZhuDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S3B2, CanadaMore by Xia Zhuhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-5610-9625, and Rebecca SuttonRebecca SuttonSan Francisco Estuary Institute, Richmond, California 94804, United StatesMore by Rebecca SuttonCite this: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2021, 55, 1, 4–6Publication Date (Web):December 9, 2020Publication History Received26 August 2020Published online9 December 2020Published inissue 5 January 2021https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c05746https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c05746article-commentaryACS PublicationsCopyright © 2020 American Chemical Society. This publication is available under these Terms of Use. Request reuse permissions This publication is free to access through this site. Learn MoreArticle Views4363Altmetric-Citations14LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail PDF (2 MB) Get e-AlertscloseSUBJECTS:Contamination,Fibers,Morphology,Plastics,Wastewater Get e-Alerts
More Papers Like This
Local Monitoring Should Inform Local Solutions: Morphological Assemblages of Microplastics Are Similar within a Pathway, But Relative Total Concentrations Vary Regionally
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that microplastic morphological assemblages were consistent within pollution pathways — such as agricultural runoff or wastewater — but total microplastic concentrations varied significantly by region across North America, suggesting local monitoring is essential for designing effective mitigation strategies.
Embrace complexity to understand microplastic pollution
AI summary Read the abstract
This commentary argued that advancing microplastic science requires embracing the complexity of these pollutants rather than relying on narrow experimental models and inconsistent methods. The authors called for standardized methodologies and research designs that account for environmental context and global change interactions.
Microplastics: Emerging Contaminants Requiring Multilevel Management
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the growing body of evidence on microplastics as widespread environmental pollutants, documenting their presence everywhere from mountain lakes to deep ocean sediments and inside organisms from tiny invertebrates to whales, while outlining the urgent need for coordinated management strategies spanning industrial regulation, waste collection, and government bans on specific plastic products.
Use of scientific evidence to inform environmental health policies and governance strategies at the local level
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how scientific evidence informs environmental health policies at the local governance level, finding gaps between available research on emerging contaminants like microplastics and their translation into effective regulatory strategies.
Critical perspectives on microplastics: Unresolved knowledge gaps, policy innovation, and integrated mitigation strategies
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics, tiny plastic particles now found everywhere from oceans to our own bodies, are a growing concern, but scientists still don't fully understand how they affect our health long-term. This review pulls together existing research to show that we lack standardized ways to test for microplastics and consistent global rules to reduce them, which makes it hard to know the real risks we're facing. The takeaway: stronger science, better regulations, and coordinated action are needed to actually protect people and the environment from plastic pollution.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.