Atmospheric Microplastics Found to Trap Heat and Accelerate Climate Change
insurancejournal.comNew research published in Nature Climate Change reveals that colored microplastics in the atmosphere absorb sunlight and trap heat, contributing to global temperature rise. While the global impact is currently smaller than black carbon, the effect is significantly higher in plastic concentrated areas like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Scientists found that airborne plastic particles often darken as they age, increasing their warming potential. These findings suggest that current climate models may need updates to account for the role of atmospheric plastic pollution in regional and global warming.