Scientists first discovered microplastics in the UK, which are tiny pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters. The beach in 2004. Over the next 20 years, the world watched in horror as microplastics began to appear in nearly every nook and cranny of the planet. Today, we’ve put together a far-from-complete list to give you an idea of how bad the situation really is.
We still know very little about the impact of microplastics on ecosystems and our bodies, but recent research suggests they may cause Behavioral changes in mice, human heart problemsmaybe even human infertility. One study found that humans eat at least 50,000 plastic pellets One year. As Gizmodo previously explained, this is a waste time If we continue to produce plastics at the same levels as usual, we are trying to extract microplastics from our environment.
So, where exactly do we find microplastics? The following list includes some of the most concerning locations, either because of the impact on our health or because they reveal how widespread contamination is.
The list will be updated regularly as new research detects microplastics in more places.
