Microplastics
Definition and Sources
Microplastics are plastic particles or fibres smaller than 5 millimetres in size. They are classified as primary microplastics (manufactured at that size, e.g., microbeads in cosmetics or synthetic microfibers shed by clothing) or secondary microplastics (formed by the fragmentation of larger plastic items through weathering, UV exposure, and abrasion).
- Common sources include synthetic textile laundering, tyre wear-and-tear (tyres shed particles continuously during normal use, not just at disposal), degrading single-use plastics, and cosmetic products.
- Microplastics are distinct from conventional "plastic waste" because a large share is generated during a product's active use phase, not after it is discarded — this is why waste-management-stage rules cannot fully capture them.
- Microplastics have been found to enter the food chain (via salt, seafood, and drinking water) and the atmosphere, and are an emerging concern for both ecological and human health impacts, though dose-response health effects are still being studied.
● Tracked since February 14, 2026 · last seen September 14, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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