"It isn't exactly news that plastic is a problem, but just how quickly that problem is growing may shock you. According to a recent report published by Pew Charitable Trusts, between now and 2040, plastic pollution is projected to more than double; plastic-spurred health impacts will rise by 75%, and plastic-related emissions will rise by 58%. Another alarming statistic? Microplastic pollution is expected to grow by more than 50% and, at least in high-income communities, it will account for 79% of all plastic pollution."
"Ah, the dreaded microplastics. It's hard to pinpoint exactly when the craze around these tiny bits of plastic began. One could go back all the way to 2004, when marine biologist Richard Thompson coined the term in his research, referring to the microscopic particles of plastic debris floating around the ocean. But the concern around this type of pollution has certainly ramped up in recent years as studies found them in human blood, lungs and stool samples."
Between now and 2040, plastic pollution is projected to more than double, with plastic-driven health impacts rising about 75% and plastic-related emissions rising roughly 58%. Microplastic pollution is expected to increase by more than 50% and will comprise a disproportionate share of pollution in wealthier communities. The term microplastics originated in 2004 to describe microscopic plastic debris in the ocean. Studies have since detected microplastics in human blood, lungs and stool, and a 2025 study reported high levels in human brains, with linked risks including dementia, reproductive dysfunction, inflammation, heart attacks and cancer. Subsequent challenges to those findings have prompted relief and scientific dispute, with some researchers questioning the brain measurements and noting potential false signals from fats.
Read at InsideHook
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