When used plastic is discarded, it does not just pile up in gutters, landfills, and waterways. Tiny particles of plastic eventually also circulate through the atmosphere before falling back to Earth, settling onto soil, crops, and bodies of water.
A new study shows that in Switzerland alone, roughly 219 tons of airborne microplastics are deposited each year onto low-elevation land and water, offering a striking look at how far this pollution can travel and how widely it can be distributed.
Here's what to know
Over 12 months, researchers from Empa, Eawag, and Agroscope monitored how much airborne microplastic was deposited at five Swiss locations, according to Newswise. From those measurements, they calculated the yearly fallout for different areas.
The researchers determined that, annually, 78 tons of plastic particles settle onto agricultural land and about 10 tons find their way into bodies of water.
The heaviest average fallout was in Zurich, where researchers measured 82 particles per square foot per day. At Dübendorf, Magadino, Payerne, and Mount Chaumont, averages were far lower, at 23 to 31 particles per square foot per day, according to Newswise.
To their surprise, the researchers found that proximity to urban areas was not a consistent factor in determining the number of plastic particles contaminating a given location.
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"The closer the location is to densely populated areas, the higher the levels we would have expected," Christoph Hüglin, a researcher with Empa, said, per Newswise. "But we don't see such a difference."
More background
Everyday plastics such as bottles, packaging, and textiles can fragment into microplastics as UV radiation, precipitation, ozone, and mechanical stress wear them down.
As part of their study, researchers categorized the plastic particles by type.
Polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, was identified most often, accounting for 31% of plastic particles. Polyethylene was next at 26%, and polypropylene came in at 21%, per Newswise.
Because PET is used in polyester textile fibers as well as in beverage bottles, the findings point toward textiles as a significant source of airborne microplastic pollution.
What's being done?
The first step to addressing the problem of microplastic contamination is to understand the scope of the issue. While the study revealed important information about airborne microplastics, much remains to be learned.
The researchers received support from Switzerland's Federal Office for the Environment. In addition to the distribution of airborne plastic particles, they said a separate ongoing project is looking at tire wear, which also can release hazardous particles into the environment.
For their part, the researchers urged people to rein in plastic consumption.
"Plastic is a very good material for many applications. But in accordance with the precautionary principle, we should avoid littering, use plastics only where necessary, and close material cycles as much as possible," Hüglin said, per Newswise.
Where can I learn more?
The findings fit into a much bigger picture of microplastics, which move through air, soil, water, and people. The articles below look at where airborne particles come from, what happens after they settle, and what researchers are finding about possible health effects.
• Wind can carry microplastics off sludge from wastewater plants and spread them far afield.
• People may breathe microplastics every day, though new estimates lower the danger.
• Microplastics already in farmland can disrupt soil health and crops.
• In river water, microplastics can harbor risky bacteria.
• Scientists are debating how worried we should be as evidence on human health evolves.
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