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Microplastic Threat Lower Than Feared, Study Finds
21 Jan
Summary
- New estimates suggest microplastic emissions are 10,000 times lower than previously thought.
- Land sources contribute 20 times more microplastic particles to the air than seas.
- Unknown safe exposure levels mean microplastic concerns persist despite lower estimates.
New research from the University of Vienna offers a significantly revised outlook on microplastic emissions, suggesting they are up to 10,000 times lower than earlier estimates.
The study combined over 2,700 measurements from 283 locations globally between 2014 and 2024. This comprehensive data set revealed that land sources are far more significant emitters of microplastics into the atmosphere, contributing 20 times more particles than marine environments.
These revised figures, published in Nature, indicate total annual land emissions of approximately six hundred ten quadrillion particles, with marine sources contributing twenty-six quadrillion. Previously, estimates relied on limited regional data, often from the Western USA.
