Kiwis possibly breathing in tiny pieces of plastic after particles found in air

Monday, 29 March 2021

Fragments of microplastic, potentially from glitter or tinsel (file photo). Such particles have been found in New Zealand’s air for the first time.

Tiny pieces of plastic have for the first time been found floating in New Zealand’s air, sparking concerns about whether it may be harming people as they breathe it in.

While overseas studies have detected the presence of airborne microplastics, this is the first time they have been shown to exist in this country.

The findings came from research by the University of Canterbury and the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) scientists, and were published in the Water, Air, and Soil Pollution journal.

University of Canterbury atmospheric chemist Dr Laura Revell was one of the paper’s authors.

Single-use plastic bags have been banned by various governments around the world, including New Zealand’s, but microplastics are still a problem for the environment.

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“A lot of the time people think of microplastics as being on beaches, or in the sea, or in sediment, but this shows they are also in the air we breathe as well,” she said.

Many microplastics appear to have come from fabrics and synthetic clothes (file photo).

Researchers set out a raft of different collection methods in suburban Christchurch, ranging from a glass beaker to an automatic machine that opened when it rained, in January and February last year and then again in June.

Revell said the team analysed all the tiny particles that were caught, and found about 10 to 20 tiny pieces of plastic would settle per square metre over the course of a day.

Atmospheric chemist Dr Laura Revell says the health ramifications of airborne microplastics are unclear.

Microplastics are defined as any piece of plastic smaller than five millimetres in length, but she said they found pieces as small as 50 micrometres. A micrometre is one thousandth of a millimetre.

Researchers found a real variety in types of plastic, she said.

“While we did see fragments of plastics that had been broken down in the environment, we also found a lot of fibres from synthetic clothing and fabrics.

“We wear clothes out and about, and it appears small particles that break off are able to be blown around with the wind.”

As to whether breathing microplastics could have any impact on human health, Revell said the answer is not yet clear.

“We know that inhaling other types of airborne particulate, like soot, can lead to respiratory issues. They’re not good for our lungs.

“We suspect airborne plastics are not good for us either, but there hasn’t been enough research yet to say definitively.”

Revell said any solution needs to be two-fold.

“I think we really need to think about how much plastic we’re producing and using in our daily lives, but also about how we treat it after it’s used.

“The management of our plastic waste is really important, and we need to look at whether leaving it in landfill to break down is the best solution in the long run.”