Scientists say there is not yet enough evidence to conclude that microplastics (MPs) do or do not cause harm to the environment, following a review of more than 300 global studies.
The research team say that future research into the impact of microplastics needs to be much more targeted, after the study revealed a large “mismatch” in the types of microplastics measured in the environment to those tested for effects in the laboratory.
There is increasing scientific and public concern over the presence of microplastics in the environment, with microscopic plastic beads, fragments and fibers found in waterways around the globe - from rural streams to major oceans.
Knowledge gaps
A review of 320 studies by the University of York revealed that monitoring tends to focus on only a fraction of the microplastic size range - leading to “major knowledge gaps” around our understanding of the impact they are having on the environment.
Read more at University of York
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