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Microplastics in the environment: Much ado about nothing? A debate
Summary
This paper documents a public debate between two researchers on the significance and risks of microplastics in the environment, addressing questions about whether the field has been prone to overstatement and how to prioritize research questions. The exchange illustrates ongoing scientific debate about the magnitude of microplastic risks and how to communicate uncertainty to the public.
This manuscript documents a debate between the two authors on the issue of microplastics in the environment. It was sparked by a recent viewpoint article published by G. A. Burton in Environmental Science and Technology (http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b05463) and started as a Twitter debate. To expand, we decided to continue our conversation publishing 1000-word texts on peerJ and responding to each other in roughly two-week intervals. Currently, the text contains the following: 1) An introduction, which sets the scene for the article 2) Martin's kick-off statement “Soul-searching on microplastics: Lost in translation, prioritization and communication?”, dated Feb. 27, 2018 3) Thomas' opening statement “A genuine research topic, but let’s avoid hyperboles”, dated March 18, 2018 4) Martin’s rebuttal “Moving forward: What are the risks of microplastics?”, dated April 18, 2018