Japanese Scientists Find Microplastics in Clouds

Facts

• Microplastics have been found in clouds, a new study reports. The discovery suggests a mechanism for how microplastics—tiny pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters long—could potentially affect the climate.¹
• Scientists in Japan published a study in Environmental Chemistry Letters on Wednesday that used advanced imaging techniques to determine the physical and chemical properties of water samples collected from mists shrouding Mount Fuji and Mount Oyama.²
• The team identified nine types of polymers and one type of rubber in the airborne microplastics. The sizes ranged from 7.1 to 94.6 micrometers, and per liter of cloud water contained between 6.7 to 13.9 pieces of plastic.³
• This discovery serves as the first documented evidence of their presence in clouds.⁴
• One of the study's key findings is that microplastics in the upper atmosphere degrade when exposed to ultraviolet light and contribute to the production of greenhouse gases, which has implications for climate change.⁵
• An emerging body of health evidence has preliminarily linked microplastics to a range of effects on cardiovascular health as well as cancers.¹

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²Cna, ³Space daily, ⁴Ndtv.com and ⁵Thaiger world.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Al Jazeera. Now we know that microplastics are present in clouds. 10M tons of these plastic bits end up in the ocean, are released with sea spray, and find their way into the atmosphere. This suggests that microplastics may have become an essential component of clouds, contaminating nearly everything we eat and drink via 'plastic rainfall,' which could have major consequences for the environment and human health.
• Narrative B, as provided by Environment. The effects of microplastics on human health are uncertain. While some studies have found a correlation between plastic consumption and certain health problems, others have not. Further study is needed to determine whether microplastics pose a threat to humans.