A Vermont-based research team recently returned from the Canadian Arctic with an unsettling discovery buried in the ice, according to the VT Digger: traces of microplastics in one of the most remote, untouched environments on Earth.

What's happening?

Researchers from Vermont State University and Castleton University spent two weeks in Cambridge Bay, Canada, collecting snow, sea ice, and permafrost samples as part of the Dynamic Research of Arctic Cryospheric Organisms (DRACO) project. The team, which included professors and student scientists, drilled into layers of ice and soil to study microbes — but also found evidence that microscopic pieces of plastic have reached this fragile polar ecosystem.

Environmental science major Olivia Rutkowski, who participated in the trip, described the moment as eye-opening. "It was definitely a new experience," she said, recalling long days snowmobiling across frozen terrain and processing samples in field labs.

Professor Andrew Vermilyea, who leads part of the microplastics research, explained how these pollutants likely arrived in the Arctic: through ocean currents, atmospheric circulation, and even precipitation. "As plastics degrade, they can be transported there," Vermilyea said. "You can see them in ice and water up there — and they can hang around for a long time."

Why are microplastics concerning?

Microplastics are now found virtually everywhere — from the deepest ocean trenches to human bloodstreams. Inhaling or ingesting these particles has been linked to inflammation, respiratory issues, and potential long-term health impacts still under study.

The discovery in Arctic ice underscores how pervasive plastic pollution has become. Even regions once thought to be insulated from industrial waste are showing contamination. As these frozen particles melt into the ocean, they can enter marine food webs, threatening fish, seabirds, and communities that rely on them for food.

This finding adds to a growing body of research warning that microplastics are not just an environmental problem — they're a global public health issue.

What's being done about this?

The DRACO team's work is helping map how microplastics move through remote ecosystems, providing data that could inform future cleanup and prevention strategies. Back home, students are developing new methods to detect and quantify microplastics in soil and water — part of a wider effort to track their spread.

Researchers and environmental groups alike are urging people to reduce plastic use wherever possible. Simple shifts — from choosing reusable containers to cutting back on single-use plastics — can make a difference.

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