Study finds rivers carry more microplastic pollution to oceans than previously estimated
A new study found that river-borne microplastic pollution is larger than earlier estimates and can spike during intense rain where waste management is poor.
Researchers found that rivers deliver greater loads of microplastics to the ocean than previous observations suggested. Nature reported that intense rainfall combined with inadequate waste management can produce sharp increases in the pollution flow.
The study addresses gaps created by sparse observations and inconsistent sampling methods used to measure river-borne microplastics.