Microplastics

Where microplastics come from

• some  release tiny fibres when they are washed

• bigger plastic items gradually disintegrate

• industrial waste

• vehicle tyres rubbing against road surfaces

Effects of microplastics

• they damage the  of wild animals and interfere with digestion
• they enter food and drink, including bottled and tap water,  and seafood
• although their effect on human health is uncertain, they are banned from facial cleansers and  in some countries
• they reach soil through airborne particles, rainfall and 

Microplastics in the soil - a study by Anglia Ruskin University

• earthworms improve soil by distributing  through it
• the study examined effects on plant 
• the study found that microplastics caused: -  loss among earthworms - fewer seeds to germinate - a higher level of  in the soil
• the researchers concluded that: - soil should be understood as a natural process - disruption to soil harms both ecosystems and