Microplastics have been detected in human blood, lungs, and the placenta of unborn babies. Widespread exposure of humans to microplastics is undeniable. Understanding the impacts of microplastics (< 5 mm) and nano-plastics (< 1 µm) on environmental and human health and the identification of critical thresholds and characterization of hazards, are thus important steps towards effective microplastic management. But thresholds on micro- and nano-plastic concentrations to prevent health-related hazards are difficult to determine, due to their diverse physical and chemical characteristics, and the variety of mechanisms associated with their toxicological effects. This article looks at where our knowledge of microplastic impacts on human health currently stands, and the challenges faced.

Microplastics are a pervasive environmental pollutant affecting wildlife, ecosystem, and human health. Microplastics can be consumed at all trophic levels and transmitted along the food chain, resulting in numerous long-term detrimental impacts on wildlife and ecosystems across the world. The amount of research investigating such impacts has been increasing over the years. We have gone through recent, state of the art research that has been done on microplastic impacts on wildlife in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, and summarize some of the main points in this blog.

One of the main sources of direct microplastic entry into the environment is through the wearing and washing of synthetic textiles. This accounts for approximately 35% of the microplastics entering the global marine environment every year, amounting to between 200,000 and 500,000 tonnes. There are multiple pathways and options to target the unintentional release of microplastics from textiles, from the design through to the use and disposal, that must be considered. The European Commission has identified the textile value chain as a key priority in the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and proposed key actions and measures that are set to be finalized by the end of this year. This blog will provide an overview of issues related to the synthetic textiles, the proposed pathways to target unintentional microplastic release, along with the associated challenges that must be addressed.