Japanese scientists find microplastics in Earth’s clouds

Tiny particles of plastic have been found in clouds for the first time. Scientists in Japan say their presence risks exacerbating climate change and contaminating ‘everything we eat and drink’.

Is nowhere on Earth sacred anymore? Nope, not even the clouds above us.

When surveying cloud water near Mount Fuji and Mount Oyama, scientists found the presence of several types of polymers and rubber.

Published in the journal Environmental Chemical Letters, the study builds upon the argument that plastic pollution can now be found in every ecosystem on Earth.

Microplastics, as many of us have come to know, are tiny pieces of plastic that measure below 5mm. They have been found in even the most deserted and isolated parts of our planet, as well as inside human blood, lungs, and newborn babies.

The scientists worry that the presence of microplastics and polymers in clouds could contribute to a changing climate and pollute many of our most vital resources, such as freshwater and food.