They’re in our water, seafood, beer, human tissue, lakes, rivers, oceans, fresh Antarctic snow and most recently been found drifting in our once pristine alpine air.
Microplastics are pervasive globally including “clean, green New Zealand” which continues to be colonised by these tiny fibres.
In March it was reported for the first time that airborne microplastics have been detected in the foothills of the Southern Alps – likely to have blown from seas more than 100km away.
And what about indoors? It’s been estimated that the presence of a carpet in an indoor space can almost double the number of microplastics fibres in the home. This, coupled with the fact that we spend up to 90% of our lives indoors; in our homes, schools and workplaces, means there is potential for breathing in high concentrations of microplastics.
What can we do about it as individuals? Surprisingly a lot says marine scientist
