Microplastics

Plastic doesn’t disappear.
It becomes invisible.

Start in California. Follow the evidence through our water, wildlife, food, and bodies—and see what you can do next.

Calculate your consumptionLearn about microplastics
Microscope view of synthetic microplastic fibres mixed with beach sand at 40x magnification
Synthetic fibers microplastic in beach sand 40x magnification

A global problem, seen close to home

San Francisco Bay researchers found microplastics in stormwater, sediment, wastewater, and prey fish. Offshore, tagged whales helped reveal how exposure can move through krill into the largest animals on Earth.

See California case studiesState Water Board program
1st
statewide microplastics strategy in the nation
4 years
of public drinking-water testing required by state law
Rainwater flowing along a curb and into a storm drain
Rain carries material from streets into storm-drain systems—the first leg of an important California transport pathway. U.S. Geological Survey, USGS storm-drain photograph · Public domain

The scale of the problem

2.7 million tonnes

of microplastics were estimated to enter the environment in 2020.

UNEP, citing OECD

2× by 2040

Microplastic releases could double without further action.

UNEP, citing OECD

From plastic to particle

Most microplastics are secondary particles, shed or fragmented from larger products as they are used and weathered.

Source: UNEP overview
Coloured plastic fragments and pellets scattered across beach sand at the waterline
Microplastic fragments and pellets lying in the sand at the waterline in Finistère, France. At this scale the particles are still visible; the smaller size classes that studies count are not. Emina Mamaca / Ifremer, Ifremer image library · CC BY 4.0
Synthetic clothing
fibres shed during wear and washing
Tire wear
road friction creates fine particles
Paint and artificial turf
surfaces weather and abrade
Packaging and litter
larger plastics fragment over time
Manufactured particles
some plastics are intentionally made small

Why scientists are looking closer

Wildlife and ecosystems

Emerging

Particles can move through food webs.

Organisms ranging from plankton to marine mammals can ingest microplastics. Effects depend on species, particle type, size, and exposure level.

Human health

Still uncertain

Detected does not mean understood.

Researchers are investigating how particles enter the body and whether exposure contributes to disease. Findings are emerging; major uncertainties remain.

Effects at a wider scale

Microplastic pollution connects product design, waste, ecosystems, food systems, and human exposure.

Ecosystems
Particles can be ingested by organisms, move through food webs, and affect feeding, growth, reproduction, or stress responses in some studies.
Water and soil
Particles can persist, travel between rivers and oceans, settle into sediment, and accumulate in soils that support plants and invertebrates.
Food systems
Microplastics have been reported in seafood, salt, drinks, and other foods, although reported concentrations vary widely.
Human exposure
Ingestion and inhalation are established exposure routes. The long-term health effects of typical exposure remain under investigation.
Climate and infrastructure
Plastic production, transport, and disposal consume resources and produce emissions; microscopic pollution is one part of that wider lifecycle.
Wildlife and ecosystemsHuman healthWhy global comparisons are hard

What might your routine look like?

Estimate potential ingestion associated with water, drinks, food, packaging, and other habits. Particle count, mass, ingestion, and inhalation stay separate.

Start the estimate

The problem may be microscopic. Your next step can be concrete.

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