A new review from Imperial College London highlights how climate change exacerbates plastic pollution, urging global action to tackle these intertwined crises. Experts advocate for reducing plastic production, bolstering recycling efforts and establishing international plastic standards.
Researchers from Imperial College London have issued a clarion call to combat the escalating threats posed by intertwined plastic pollution and climate change. In a comprehensive review published in the journal Frontiers in Science, these scientists underscore the need for immediate international efforts to curtail the deluge of microplastics contaminating the environment.
“Plastic pollution and the climate are co-crises that intensify each other. They also have origins — and solutions — in common,” lead author Frank Kelly, a professor in Imperial’s School of Public Health, said in a news release. “We urgently need a coordinated international approach to stop end-of-life plastics from building up in the environment.”
Microplastics on the Rise
The study highlights that warming temperatures, increasing humidity and heightened UV exposure accelerate the breakdown of plastics into microplastics — tiny, pervasive plastic fragments. Climatic factors such as extreme storms, floods and winds further exacerbate the spread and fragmentation of plastic waste, which now infiltrates landfills, oceans and even atmospheric environments.
Since 1950, global annual plastic production has surged 200-fold, and about 35% of this production is single-use plastics. The authors stress the urgency of eliminating non-essential single-use plastics, capping virgin plastic production and formulating global standards for plastic recyclability.
Ecological Threats
The ecological ramifications of unchecked plastic pollution are profound. Microplastics disrupt nutrient cycles in aquatic ecosystems, weaken soil health and crop yields, and adversely affect animal feeding and reproduction. Additionally, these tiny particles can act as carriers or “Trojan horses” for other contaminants like metals and pesticides.
“There’s a chance that microplastics – already in every corner of the planet – will have a greater impact on certain species over time. Both the climate crisis and plastic pollution, which come from society’s over-reliance on fossil fuels, could combine to worsen an already stressed environment in the near future,” added co-author Stephanie Wright, an associate professor in Imperial’s School of Public Health.
Vulnerable Apex Predators
Research reveals that marine organisms, including corals, sea snails and fish, suffer significantly when exposed to both rising temperatures and microplastics. The effects cascade up the food chain, impacting apex predators like orcas, which may accumulate substantial microplastics over their long lifespans.
“Apex predators such as orcas could be the canaries in the coal mine, as they may be especially vulnerable to the combined impact of climate change and plastic pollution,” added co-author Guy Woodward, a professor of ecology in Imperial’s Department of Life Sciences.
Call to Action
The review’s findings amplify the pressing need for systemic change in how society handles plastic.
“A circular plastics economy is ideal. It must go beyond reduce, reuse, and recycle to include redesign, rethink, refuse, eliminate, innovate, and circulate — shifting away from the current linear take–make–waste model,” added co-author Julia Fussell, a senior research fellow in Imperial’s School of Public Health.
To mitigate this crisis, the researchers advocate for systemic change, including cutting plastic production at its source, creating coordinated global policies such as the UN Global Plastics Treaty, and fostering responsible, evidence-based innovations in materials and waste management, according to Kelly.
“The future will not be free of plastic, but we can try to limit further microplastic pollution,” Wright added. “We need to act now, as the plastic discarded today threatens future global-scale disruption to ecosystems.”
Source: Imperial College London