Microplastics are plastic particles less than 5mm in size. They are increasingly omnipresent in the environment, mainly as a result of microfiber pollution from washing synthetic clothing and the decomposition of plastic packaging waste. Microplastics are a major source of ocean pollution; it is estimated that as much as 20-35% of all primary source microplastics in the oceans are from synthetic textiles and the tendency is increasing.(1,2) This has damaging effects on marine and coastal wildlife that ingests the miniature particles. As they enter food chains, microplastics are also potentially detrimental to human health. They have also been found in drinking, tap and bottled water, and while no direct health effects on human health have been confirmed to date, research on health effects of microplastics continues (NB: Valid at the time of writing, January 2020).(1-5)
MICROPLASTICS
