Global Treaty Aims to Curb Surging Microplastic Pollution

Next week, delegates from 180 countries will meet in Geneva to finalize a groundbreaking UN treaty that could, for the first time, restrict global plastic production and address widespread microplastic contamination in oceans, air, and the human body.

Marine biologist Richard Thompson, who coined the term “microplastics” in 2004, has traced these particles from the seafloor to brain tissue. His recent findings identify tire dust as a major toxic contributor, rivaling packaging waste.

Thompson supports a treaty targeting non-essential plastics, regulating over 4,000 harmful chemicals, and banning deliberately small plastic products.

Plastic output has quadrupled since 2000, with much of it degrading into airborne, rainborne particles that evade filters. Studies link microplastic exposure to inflammation, hormonal disruption, and heart disease. In the ocean, they hinder plankton’s role in carbon storage. Without intervention, global microplastic pollution could double by 2040, straining both ecosystems and healthcare systems.

31-07-2025