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From the deepest points of the ocean to the food and water we consume, microplastics are a growing threat to human and planetary health.

These tiny plastic particles are present in everyday items, including cigarettes, clothing and cosmetics. United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) research shows that continuous use of some of these products increases microplastics’ accumulation in the environment.

Microplastics, which can be up to five millimetres in diameter, enter the ocean from marine plastic litter breaking down, run-off from plumbing, leakage from production facilities and other sources.

When ingested by marine life such as birds, fish, mammals and plants, microplastics have both toxic and mechanical effects, leading to issues including reduced food intake, suffocation, behavioral changes and genetic alteration.

In addition to entering the food chain through seafood, people can inhale microplastics from the air, ingest them from water and absorb them through the skin. Microplastics have been found in various human organs, and even in the placenta of newborn babies.

UNEP’s 2021 report From Pollution to Solution warns that chemicals in microplastics “are associated with serious health impacts, especially in women”. These can include changes to human genetics, brain development and respiration rates, among other health issues.

“The impacts of hazardous chemicals and microplastics on the physiology of both humans and marine organisms is still nascent and must be prioritized and accelerated in this Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development,” says Leticia Carvalho, Head of the Marine and Freshwater Branch at UNEP.

“However, action limiting their spread and prevalence will undoubtedly be beneficial to our long-term health and the well-being of marine ecosystems and beyond,” she added.

For UNEP’s Clean Seas campaign, highlighting this issue is critical. Ahead of the resumed session of the UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA 5.2) from 28 February to 2 March in Nairobi, Kenya, Clean Seas is taking aim at microplastics to guide safe consumer behaviour, drive policy change and safeguard the environment.