It is estimated 12.7 million metric tons (MT) of plastics enter the environment as microplastics every year, the main sources being paint, tyres, pellets, textiles and personal care products. There are substantial additional quantities from the fragmentation of larger items of plastic that have already entered the environment as debris.
The following document is part of a series of working papers that provide an overview of the fate, effects, and potential mitigation strategies for each of these sources of microplastics. It focuses on microplastics released during the production of plastic precursors, such as pellets (or nurdles), which are the third-largest source of unintentionally released microplastics in the environment:
Bethanie Carney Almroth, Winnie Courtene-Jones, Hideshige Takada, Andy Booth, and Richard Thompson.
These working papers have been prepared independently by members of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty and have yet to go through the standard review process of the Scientists’ Coalition.
It is estimated 12.7 million metric tons (MT) of plastics enter the environment as microplastics every year, the main sources being paint, tyres, pellets, textiles and personal care products. There are substantial additional quantities from the fragmentation of larger items of plastic that have already entered the environment as debris. The following document is part[…]
It is estimated 12.7 million metric tons (MT) of plastics enter the environment as microplastics every year, the main sources being paint, tyres, pellets, textiles and personal care products. There are substantial additional quantities from the fragmentation of larger items of plastic that have already entered the environment as debris. The following document is part[…]
It is estimated 12.7 million metric tons (MT) of plastics enter the environment as microplastics every year, the main sources being paint, tyres, pellets, textiles and personal care products. There are substantial additional quantities from the fragmentation of larger items of plastic that have already entered the environment as debris. The following document is part[…]
It is estimated 12.7 million metric tons (MT) of plastics enter the environment as microplastics every year, the main sources being paint, tyres, pellets, textiles and personal care products. There are substantial additional quantities from the fragmentation of larger items of plastic that have already entered the environment as debris. The following document is part[…]
Document highlighting what the independent science shows is needed to achieve an effective plastics treaty. Science-based priorities for negotiators at INC-5.2 (EN) Prioridades basadas en la ciencia para los negociadores en INC-5.2 (ES) Priorités basées sur la science pour les négociateurs à la CIN-5.2 (FR)