Research shows that microplastics and nanoplastics can accumulate in major arteries, and patients with these deposits are significantly more likely to suffer heart attacks, strokes, or death.

Microplastics are infiltrating the human body with unclear but concerning effects

Scientists have linked microplastics to immune system damage, hormone disruption, inflammatory diseases, and even cancer—yet most of their health impacts remain unknown due to limited research. Studies suggest we ingest about a credit card's worth of plastic weekly.

In Indonesia, microplastics rain down when trash is burned, and people may ingest the equivalent of 3 credit cards per month—on average.

Nanoplastics can bypass the blood-brain barrier and may harm the nervous system

Nanoplastics are formed from the breakdown of microplastics and can breach cells. Their large surface area relative to size allows them to carry higher concentrations of forever chemicals than the surrounding environment into sensitive organs.

Research shows that over 1,000 metric tons of microplastics fall on national parks every year—equivalent to 120 million bottles of water.

Microplastics have been identified across human body systems, with research finding they are most commonly ingested through inhalation, drinking water, and diet before crossing barriers into organs.

Microplastics have been found everywhere there is liquid or vapor water, from the oceans and tropical waters to polar ice and the air we breathe, posing growing risks to wildlife and ecosystems.

Microplastics 101: What we know about the contaminants invading our bodies

Fifty-one trillion particles of microplastics float in our oceans. Yet there is very little science of how this affects our health. This quick 2-minute video explains the dangers of microplastics.

As of 2025, the FDA states that microplastics have not yet been shown to pose a risk to human health, though it acknowledges that evidence suggests microplastics and nanoplastics have entered the food supply.

Microplastics have been found across all of Earth's depths and altitudes, from plastic debris in the Mariana Trench to fragments found in snow samples near the summit of Mount Everest.

Research suggests microplastics disrupt photosynthesis in plants and algae, and this damage in crops may already rival the impact of climate change on food supplies.

The prevalence of microplastics came from plastic’s affordability and versatility

Microplastics' durability and overuse have led to massive pollution that overwhelms the planet's ecosystems. Avian, terrestrial, and marine life have been observed to contain microplastics in their bodies, but reverting to paper, cotton, and other materials in manufacturing also brings environmental challenges.

BPA-free plastics may still pose health risks because they often contain other structurally similar chemicals.

The challenges of trying to study microplastics in microplastic-abundant labs

The presence of microplastics in instruments, surfaces, and air has made accurate measurement of their levels in lab samples difficult, given the high likelihood of contamination. While the use of stainless steel tools in a sealed, clean lab may reduce accidental exposure, existing methods can misidentify biological substances, such as fat, as plastics, further complicating research.

Microplastics are entering human food chains through carrots, wheat, and other foodstuffs grown in farmlands fertilized by sewage sludge.

View the estimated decomposition times for various everyday plastic products, which often fragment into smaller microplastics as molecular bonds are weakened by sunlight.

Airborne microplastics may influence cloud formation and climate

Microplastics are increasingly found in the atmosphere and may affect the climate by reflecting or absorbing sunlight based on their pigmentation. Like mineral dust, they may become cloud seeders and alter regional precipitation patterns as they become more abundant.

Synthetic textiles and tires account for more than 60% of ocean microplastic pollution, which enters the seas via runoff and wastewater discharge.

Scientists have found that sewage sludge used as fertilizer introduces various microplastics into soil, which persist in farmland for decades.

From soil to beer, microplastic pollution is all around us

Marine plastic pollution has been studied for decades, but the extent and effects of plastic pollution elsewhere is only just beginning to be explored.

The amount of plastic chemicals in 300 everyday Bay Area foods

Food production is more complicated than it appears, and manufacturing, packaging, and shipping processes can add significant substances to your food. This massive project compiled data on 300 samples of foods delivered to the San Francisco area, testing for the presence of 18 different kind of plastic. Learn how to read the data here with its helpful guides and then explore the table yourself.

Most plastics are not biodegradable because breaking their chemical bonds requires temperatures lethal to most microbes, and these organisms have not been exposed to plastic long enough to evolve the necessary enzymes.

After swallowing 23 pieces of plastic, seabirds experience a 90% death rate

Researchers found that this threshold is also met when marine mammals ingest 29 pieces and when sea turtles consume approximately 405 pieces. Almost half of the sea turtles, a third of the seabirds, and one in ten of the marine mammals studied had eaten plastic.

Used since the 1940s, 'forever chemicals' include thousands of different types of substances routinely integrated into industry and consumer products, yet research suggests they can accumulate in the body over time.

Mermaid tears are a long-lasting and hazardous form of ocean microplastic pollution, whose chemical composition enables them to contain higher concentrations of certain toxins than the surrounding environment.

The global plastic crisis in images

For decades we have relied on plastics to keep us safe, insulate our homes, and make sure our food stays fresh. But when does plastic's life come to an end?

When diving and snorkeling in environments containing reefs, avoid touching reefs, anchoring on them, or using sunscreen with active ingredients harmful to marine life.

As of 2023, more than 130 nations have enacted bans or restrictions on plastic items, starting with Bangladesh's ban on plastic bags in 2002.

See this interactive global map that highlights which forever chemicals have been detected in specific wildlife species, providing data on hundreds of species exposed to these hard-to-breakdown substances.

How existing technology could prevent nearly 80% of plastic pollution

More than 28 million tons of plastic enters the environment each year, where it harms animals and damages habitats. A study co-authored by researchers at The Pew Charitable Trusts found that this flow can be reduced by nearly 80% in the next 20 years using existing waste management and recycling technology.

During wash cycles, synthetic fabrics shed millions of plastic microfibers, making them a significant source of global microfiber pollution.

Learn about the seven types of plastic, including their recyclability, toxicity, health risks, and common uses.

What to do about the microplastics in your laundry

Synthetic fabrics shed millions of tons of microplastics into oceans each year, largely through laundry wastewater. Here are ways to reduce the pollution.

Watch 'Last Week Tonight' explore the risks of 'forever chemicals,' a group of human-made chemicals used in everyday products to make them resistant to water, stains, grease, and heat. (Warning: language.)

Despite being derived from crude oil, which itself comes from organic material, synthetic plastic isn't biodegradable because it hasn't existed long enough for microbes to have developed mechanisms to break it down.

Chronic exposure to traffic noise is associated with a higher risk of Parkinson's disease.

Autoimmune disease prevalence and incidence are on the rise—but no one knows why

Researchers theorize that environmental factors, including shifts to less healthy diets, air pollution, infections, stress, climate change, and exposures to xenobiotics—substances like pesticides, plastics, and toxins that incite immune responses—may all be fueling epigenetic changes to our bodies that make people's immune responses go awry.

How disruptions in oil markets can drive up the price of everyday goods

Most types of plastic are made from polymers derived from chemicals produced by the processing and refining of crude oil and natural gas. Spikes in the cost of either fossil fuel raise the cost of wrappings, tubs, and other plastic containers for products.

Ultraprocessed foods are linked with a 58% elevated risk of developing dementia.

How plastic manufacturing could be sustainable again

From polymers to nurdles, learn how plastic is created and what we can do to slow the lasting repercussions this material will have on both our planet and our lives.

Diabetes has downstream effects on the heart, eyes, kidneys, and more

High blood sugar levels in untreated diabetes roughen artery walls, increasing plaque buildup, heart disease, and high blood pressure risk. High levels also cause acid to build up in the bloodstream, potentially making the brain swell, the lungs fill with fluid, and the heart to beat arrhythmically—all fatal complications.

Particles found in Martian air pose significant risks to human lungs

Ultrafine dust, just 3 micrometers wide, is small enough to bypass lung defenses and enter the bloodstream, where its highly reactive chemicals can cause thyroid disease. Silica in the dust can also cause silicosis, a chronic and incurable lung disease.

The history of natural and synthetic plastics

From cheap toys to woolly jumpers, plastic can be found in more products than many people realize. From a chemist's perspective all these things are made of the same class of materials: Polymers. And the distinction between which ones we happen to call "plastics" and which ones we don't is fairly arbitrary.

Most of the 86,000 consumer chemicals registered with the US EPA have never received rigorous toxicity testing, though not all those are still in current use.

Some research suggests that the gut microbiome influences our risk of heatstroke, with elevated exercise levels raising body temperature to unsafe levels and increasing gut permeability—causing a "leaky" gut.

We can get food poisoning from spending time in swimming pools, lakes, rivers, and ponds

Some of the same pathogens that may sicken us in food or water may also sicken us in recreational swimming environments. Bacteria can rub off of people’s (or animal’s) bodies or contaminate the water through a diarrheal episode. Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds before eating food if you are at the beach, pool, or other similar environments and being sure not to swallow the water are ways to help keep safe.

Why bacterial bioremediation may help counter the negative effects of past chemical solutions

Molecules such as DDT, a synthetic insecticide, and PFAS—"forever" chemicals used to make products resistant to heat, water, and grease—have historically been used across various industries but are now known to be harmful. Microbes that can convert some of these substances into nontoxic products, such as water and carbon dioxide, have already been identified, with ongoing research to find others.

Accidental ingestion of batteries can be life-threatening

Tissue in the body can serve as a circuit path between the anode and cathode of a battery, resulting in electrical burns and gradual tissue erosion. Stomach acid can corrode a battery and cause its toxic contents to leak, making a person sick. Batteries for internal use, such as in pacemakers, require special designs.

Review the health effects of living near oil refineries, including increased respiratory risks

An analysis of 54 studies published between 1977 and 2024 in 15 international regions found evidence that proximity to refineries increased the risks of leukemia, asthma, bronchitis, and respiratory symptoms. Several studies also identified worse cardiovascular function in children and adults living near refineries, alongside other acute and chronic health impacts.

Plastic debris across the ocean aids the spread of invasive species

The durable, long-lasting material can serve as a platform for living organisms to latch onto and ride over vast distances. After the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, a large dock carrying 100 tons of living organisms native to Japan washed up on Oregon's coastline, confirming the ecological threat.

25 million pounds of beads are distributed every Mardi Gras, leading to environmental concerns

The necklaces—which are mostly made from cheap, often toxic, plastic—are believed to be harmful to New Orleans and its residents. Dr. Howard Mielke, an environmental scientist at Tulane University, found that the majority of lead in the city's soil can be found along Mardi Gras parade routes.