Global Plastics Treaty Faces Challenges in Addressing Atmospheric Microplastic Pollution
Recent discussions around a United Nations global plastics treaty have highlighted the issue of microplastic pollution, particularly from an atmospheric perspective. The treaty aims to address microplastics as a pollutant of international concern, calling for interventions across the entire life cycle of plastics. However, there is a significant gap in addressing atmospheric transport and exposure, which could lead to plastics being redirected into the air rather than reducing their overall environmental burden. Current measures focus on downstream waste management, such as expanding waste collection and recycling infrastructure, and implementing extended producer responsibility schemes. Despite these efforts, atmospheric microplastic concentrations remain high, especially in urban areas, posing a substantial exposure risk to humans. The scientific community is calling for better integration between aerosol science and microplastics research to address these challenges. 
