Sunday Reading - Microplastics

 

Microplastics, explained

Microplastics, or MPs, are tiny plastic particles less than five millimeters long and have become one of Earth's most widespread pollutants. Like synthetic plastics, MPs are mostly made of long chains of hydrogen and carbon atoms, formed by linking byproducts of refining crude oil and natural gas (watch explainer). Other chemical additives may be incorporated to modify the final product’s properties.

Primary MPs, such as microbeads commonly found in exfoliating cosmetic products, are intentionally manufactured to be small. Secondary MPs, like those released while washing synthetic textiles, form from the breakdown of larger plastics and make up the bulk of MPs in the environment (learn why plastic doesn't biodegrade).

As of 2024, the FDA claims there is insufficient evidence that MPs pose any human health risk, though initial biochemical studies have linked them to inflammation and hormone disruption.

... Read our full explainer on microplastics here.

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> The plastic designed to dissolve in saltwater. (More)