The hills are alive with the signs of plastic: even Swiss mountains are polluted

Microplastic pollution contaminates soil across Switzerland, even in remote mountains, new research reveals. The scientists said the problem could be worse in other nations with poorer waste management and that research was urgently needed to see if microplastics get into food.

Microplastic soil contamination was found even in remote areas,
 leading scientists to conclude it must be windborne.

In the first major study of microplastics in soil, the researchers analysed soil samples from 29 river flood plains in nature reserves across Switzerland. They found microplastics, fragments under 5mm in size, in 90% of the soils. The scientists believe the particles are carried across the country by the wind.

Research on microplastic pollution to date has largely concentrated on the oceans, in which it is found across the globe, including the Arctic. The particles have been shown to harm marine life and can absorb toxins from the water.

Read Damian Carrington’s story from The Guardian - “The hills are alive with the signs of plastic: even Swiss mountains are polluted.”