Tiny particles of plastic amassing in the atmosphere may be intensifying warming, according to new study.
Tiny particles of plastic amassing in the atmosphere may be intensifying warming, according to new study.
Microplastics shed by synthetic fabrics, rubber tires, plastic bags, bottles, and other goods as they break down have contaminated the world’s seas, soils, and sky, research has found. Scientists have previously shown that microplastics can travel thousands of miles through the atmosphere and seed clouds, which means they have the potential to influence temperature and rainfall.
The new study adds another dimension to the climate risks from microplastics. It shows that darker bits of plastic are absorbing heat. And even though lighter particles are reflecting sunlight, with a cooling influence, in the aggregate microplastics are having a warming effect, according to the study, published in Nature Climate Change. The finding holds even when accounting for how colors may change or fade with time.
Read More: Yale Environment 360
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